The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in England, with five teams from Wales, one from Guernsey, one from Jersey and one from the Isle of Man also competing. The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the theoretical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system. There are more than 140 individual leagues, containing more than 480 divisions.
The FA Women's Premier League National Division was a football division in England. From 1991 until the introduction of the summer competition FA Women's Super League in 2011, the National Division functioned as the top league in England. During its final two seasons it operated as the second level of the English women's football league pyramid. The Division was scrapped at the end of the 2012/13 season, prior to the launch of the Women's Super League 2. The league was played on a home and away basis, with each team playing each other twice, and points being awarded in the standard football format.
The FA Women's National League is a group of six football divisions run by the English Football Association. From 1991–2018, it was named the Women's Premier League (WPL) and included England's top division from 1991–2010.
Women's football has been played in England for over a century, sharing a common history with the men's game as the country in which the Laws of the Game were codified.
The South West Combination Women's Football League, also known simply as the South West Combination, was a women's football league in England from 1998 to 2014. Until the creation of the FA Women's Super League in 2011, they sat at the third level of English women's football pyramid along with the three other Combination Leagues – South East, Midland and Northern. The South West Combination fed into the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division, and lied above the Southern Region Women's Football League and the South West Regional Women's Football League in the pyramid. For the 2014–15 season the South West Combination was incorporated into the newly re-structured FA Women's Premier League as the FA WPL South West Division One.
The South East Combination Women's Football League, also known simply as the South East Combination, was a women's football league in England from 1998 to 2014. Until the creation of the FA Women's Super League in 2011, they sat at the third level of English women's football pyramid along with the three other Combination Leagues - South West, Midland and Northern. The South East Combination fed into the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division, and lied above the Eastern Region Women's Football League and the London and South East Women's Regional Football League in the pyramid. For the 2014–15 season the South East Combination was incorporated into the newly re-structured FA Women's Premier League as the FA WPL South East Division One.
The Midland Combination Women's Football League, also known simply as the Midland Combination, was a women's football league in England from 1998 to 2014. Until the creation of the FA Women's Super League in 2011, that sat at the third level of English women's football pyramid along with the three other Combination Leagues – South West, South East and Northern. The Midland Combination fed into the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division, and lay above the West Midlands Regional Women's Football League and the East Midlands Regional Women's Football League in the pyramid. For the 2014–15 season the Midland Combination was incorporated into the newly re-structured FA Women's Premier League as the FA WPL Midlands Division One.
The Northern Combination Women's Football League, also known simply as the Northern Combination, was a women's football league in England from 1998 to 2014. Until the creation of the FA Women's Super League in 2011, they sat at the third level of English women's football pyramid along with the three other Combination Leagues – South West, South East and Midland. The Northern Combination fed into the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division, and lied above the North West Women's Regional Football League and the North East Regional Women's Football League in the pyramid. For the 2014–15 season the Midland Combination was incorporated into the newly re-structured FA Women's Premier League as the FA WPL Northern Division One.
Aston Villa Women Football Club is the women's football team of Aston Villa, currently playing in the English women's Super League. The club has been in existence under several names since 1973. Originally titled Solihull F.C., the team affiliated to Aston Villa in 1989, becoming Villa Aztecs, and became the officially licensed Aston Villa women's side in 1996. The club have a senior team, a reserve team and several other teams of younger age groups under a Regional Talent Club FA license.
Manchester City Women's Football Club are an English women's football club based in Manchester who play in the FA Women's Super League. They are affiliated with Manchester City F.C. who play in the Premier League.
Sheffield Football Club Ladies is an English women's football club affiliated with Sheffield F.C.. The club won the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division in 2014–15 and the following promotion play-off and is the first club to earn promotion to the FA WSL 2.
The Football Association Women's Championship is the second-highest division of women's football in England. The division was established in 2014 as FA Women's Super League 2.
The FA Women's National League Plate is an Association Football tournament organised by the FA Women's National League (WNL). It is the WNL's second league cup competition, played alongside the National League Cup, and is a single-elimination knock-out tournament.
The 2015–16 season of the FA Women's Premier League is the 24th season of the competition, which began in 1992. Formerly the top flight of women's football in England, this season it sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the two divisions of the FA Women's Super League and above the eight regional football leagues.
The 2016–17 season of the FA Women's Premier League is the 25th season of the competition, which began in 1992. It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the two divisions of the FA Women's Super League and above the eight regional football leagues.
The Devon Women's Football League is an association football league for women in Devon, South West England. It consists of two divisions, Premier and Division One, which sit at levels seven and eight of the English women's football league structure.
The 2017–18 season of the FA Women's Premier League is the 26th season of the competition, which began in 1992. It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the two divisions of the FA Women's Super League and above the eight regional football leagues.
The 2019–20 FA Women's National League was the 28th season of the competition, and the second since a restructure and rebranding of the top four tiers of English football by The Football Association. Began in 1992, it was previously known as the FA Women's Premier League. It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the FA Women's Championship and above the eight regional football leagues.
The 2020–21 FA Women's National League is the 29th season of the competition, and the third since a restructure and rebranding of the top four tiers of English football by The Football Association. Began in 1992, it was previously known as the FA Women's Premier League. It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the FA Women's Championship and above the eight regional football leagues.
