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Organising bodies | SPFL (since 2022) |
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First season | 2002–03 |
Country | ![]() |
Confederation | UEFA |
Divisions | 2 |
Number of teams | 20 |
Level on pyramid | 1–2 |
Relegation to | Scottish Women's Football Championship |
Domestic cup(s) | Scottish Women's Cup |
League cup(s) | Scottish Premier League Cup |
International cup(s) | UEFA Champions League |
Current champions | Celtic (1st title) |
Most championships | Glasgow City (16 titles) |
TV partners | BBC Alba, BBC Scotland, Sky Sports |
Website | swpl.uk |
Current: 2023–24 Scottish Women's Premier League |
The Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) is the highest level of league competition in women's football in Scotland. Its two divisions are SWPL 1 and SWPL 2. The league was formed when the Premier Division of the Scottish Women's Football League (SWFL) broke away to form the SWPL in 2002. SWPL 2 was introduced in 2016.
The divisions contain (in the 2022–23 season) 12 clubs in SWPL 1 and eight in SWPL 2. Glasgow City have won 16 League championships, including 14 in succession from 2007–08 until 2020–21. [1] The champions and runners-up of SWPL 1 qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League. [2]
From 2002, the league was owned and managed by Scottish Women's Football. Administration of the SWPL was taken over by the Scottish Football Association in 2007, [3] then by the Scottish Professional Football League in 2022. [4] The SWPL runs on the winter calendar but operated a summer-season format from 2009 until 2020.
From the Scottish Women's Football Association national and regional leagues dating from 1972, the SWFA and clubs formed the Scottish Women's Football League (SWFL) in 1999, with four national divisions. Its top division broke away to form the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) in 2002, with the aim of introducing a more professional attitude and increasing media interest. The twelve founder members of the SWPL were Ayr United, Cove Rangers, Dundee, Giulianos, Glasgow City, F.C. Hamilton, Hibernian, Inver-Ross, F.C. Kilmarnock, Lossiemouth, Raith Rovers and Shettleston. [5] [6]
In the 2002–03 season, Kilmarnock became the champions, after a title race with Hibernian. [7] [8] Kilmarnock Ladies had formed from the 1971 Scottish Women's Cup-winners Stewarton Thistle, [6] and also won the 2001–02 SWFL, two Scottish Cups and four consecutive League Cups. Kilmarnock's success faded after the departure of manager Jim Chapman and of Scotland internationals including Shelley Kerr, [9] Joanne Love and Linda Brown. [10]
Hibernian Ladies were the most successful club in the League's first five years. The title in 2003–04 went to Hibs, 14 points ahead of Glasgow City, [11] [12] and Hibernian added further titles in 2005–06 and in 2006–07 (winning every game that season). [13] [14] The Hibs squad included Scotland's Pauline Hamill, [15] Kirsty McBride, Suzanne Grant, Joelle Murray and Kim Little.
Glasgow City won the Scottish championship for the first time in 2004–05, [16] [17] coached by Peter Caulfield. The club's next title was in season 2007–08, beating Hibernian by five points, with Celtic placing third in its first season. [18] In 2007, the running of the League was taken over by the Scottish Football Association [3] while the SWFA, renamed SWF, thereafter operated as part of the SFA. [19]
The women's leagues' move from a winter to a summer schedule (March–November), from 2009, saw a rise in attendances in its first seasons, and far fewer match postponements. [20]
In the 11-year era of the summer schedule in Scottish women's football, Glasgow City won every title and became one of the most dominant clubs in any national league in world football. Between the 2007–08 and 2015 seasons, City lost only four matches in the League (including one match awarded against them retrospectively for an ineligible player); their squads included Jane Ross, Denise O'Sullivan (each a winner of the SWPL Players' Player of the Year), and Leanne Ross, who ultimately scored 250 goals in 12 seasons at the club. [21] Glasgow City also won the domestic Treble in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. [22] [23]
Glasgow City considered applying to join the English league in 2013. [24] Club co-founder Carol Anne Stewart commented, "the FA are investing seriously in women's football. This is where the SFA are miles behind. They don't recognise the potential". [25]
The issue of competitive imbalance was the catalyst for the separation of the top Scottish clubs into two reduced divisions, SWPL 1 and SWPL 2, in 2016. [26]
The first professional contracts in the SWPL were signed at Glasgow Girls (Glasgow Women) in 2016, by Lauren Coleman and Lauren Evans. [27] The next full-time contracts were offered later by Rangers and Celtic. [28]
There were fears for the league's survival when the 2020 season was halted [29] and eventually voided [30] due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with other Scottish football organisations, the SWPL and SWF Championship received donations from the philanthropist James Anderson [31] and from an anonymous donor: "The focus was to buy time so the women’s game could survive the COVID crisis until it was safe for football to return." [32] The £437,500 total was the biggest investment in SWF to date. [32]
The 2020–21 season was completed, as Glasgow City won their 14th title in a row. [1] In 2022, a majority of the 17 SWPL clubs voted to leave SWF and join the SPFL [4] [33] after months of negotiations between those parties and the SFA, and an SFA review from April 2020 until mid-2021, which resolved to improve governance of elite competitions. [34] [35] [36] The decision was aimed at improving the league's commercial profile and broadcasting deal. [35] [37] The league maintained its two divisions and expanded to 20 clubs. [38] [39] The top two tiers of women's football are run within the SPFL by a separate board that includes the clubs' representatives. [36]
From 2002–03 until 2008–09, the SWPL followed Scottish football's traditional autumn-spring calendar, as the SWFL had. Scottish Women's Football changed all leagues to a summer format and the SWPL became a summer league from 2009 until 2020, running from March until November. The 2009 season was shortened to fit, as a single round-robin. The 2020 season was abandoned due to COVID-19, and Scottish women's football has reverted to winter seasons from 2020–21 onwards.
The initial Women's Premier League format was based on a double round-robin of 12 clubs. Some seasons had fewer games, in part due to the withdrawals of Shettleston (2003–04), [11] Newburgh Juniors (2007–08), [18] and Queen's Park (2008–09). [40] The 2011 season also had an 11-club league. From 2012 until 2015, the SWPL division used the "split" format for the first and last half of the season: a 12-team single round-robin, then a double round-robin between the top six and bottom six clubs respectively, to decide league champions and two relegation places to the First Division (SWFL 1).
The two-division format that began in 2016 created SWPL 1 and SWPL 2, with eight clubs in each, playing each other three times a season; [41] the mid-season "split" was discontinued. Only the SWPL 2 champion club was promoted, while its two last-placed teams were relegated to SWFL 1.
SWPL 2 was expanded to 10 clubs in 2020. SWPL 1 expanded to 10 clubs in 2021–22, [42] but, because of the withdrawal of SWPL 1's Forfar Farmington from the SWPL, [43] three clubs were promoted from SWPL 2, which shrank to seven clubs playing each other four times. [44]
A 12-club "split" format returned in SWPL 1 in 2022–23, but with a double round-robin before the "split". [38] [39] SWPL 2 added three clubs from the Championship; SWPL 2 has eight teams playing each other four times, one automatic promotion place to SWPL 1, and a second place decided by a promotion/relegation play-off. [38]
The SWPL champions have qualified for the UEFA Women's Cup/Women's Champions League since 2003; the first Scottish club to qualify had been the SWFL's Ayr United in 2001. Glasgow City were the first Scottish club to reach the last 16 (2008–09) and the quarter-finals (2014–15, 2019–20). Depending on the Scottish national coefficient, the league runners-up have also qualified in some seasons since 2015, including in 2021–22 [2] and 2022–23.
Club | Location | Home ground | Capacity | 2022–23 position |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aberdeen | Cove Bay | Balmoral Stadium | 2,602 | 9th |
Celtic | Airdrie | Excelsior Stadium | 10,101 | 2nd |
Dundee United | Dundee | Gussie Park | TBC | 10th |
Glasgow City | Springburn | Petershill Park | 1,000 | 1st |
Hamilton Academical | Hamilton | New Douglas Park | 6,018 | 11th |
Heart of Midlothian | Riccarton | Oriam | 1,000 | 4th |
Hibernian | Edinburgh | Meadowbank Stadium | 1,320 | 5th |
Montrose | Montrose | Links Park | 4,936 | 1st (SWPL2) |
Motherwell | East Kilbride | K-Park | 500 | 8th |
Partick Thistle | Springburn | Petershill Park | 1,000 | 6th |
Rangers | Cumbernauld | Broadwood Stadium | 8,086 | 3rd |
Spartans | Edinburgh | Ainslie Park | 3,000 | 7th |
Club | Location | Home ground | Capacity | 2022–23 position |
---|---|---|---|---|
Boroughmuir Thistle | Edinburgh | Meadowbank Stadium | 1,320 | 5th |
Gartcairn | Airdrie | MTC Park | 300 | 2nd |
Glasgow Women | Motherwell | Alliance Park | 500 | 12th (SWPL1) |
Kilmarnock | Kilmarnock | Rugby Park | 15,003 | 4th |
Livingston | Livingston | Almondvale | 9,713 | 1st (SWF Championship) |
Queen's Park | Govan | New Tinto Park | 1,000 | 6th |
St Johnstone | Perth | Riverside Stadium | 500 | 3rd |
Stirling University | Stirling | Gannochy Sports Centre | 1,000 | 7th |
List of Scottish Women's Premier League seasons: [1]
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Past SWPL clubs include Ayr United, Dundee, Cove Rangers, Giulianos, Inver-Ross, Lossiemouth, Raith Rovers, Shettleston, [5] East Kilbride, [17] Hutchison Vale, Newburgh Juniors, [55] and Forfar Farmington. [43] Clubs taken over by existing members include Arsenal North (Celtic) and Whitehill Welfare/Edinburgh Ladies (Spartans).
In September 2018, it was announced that BBC Alba would broadcast four SWPL 1 matches during the remainder of the 2018 season. Scottish Women's Football (SWF) and BBC Alba also announced that this will be a two-year deal for six games per year,[ needs update ] including the Scottish Women's Cup final and Scottish Women's Premier League Cup final. [56]
The league's sponsors in 2002–03 were Thompsons Solicitors. [8] From 2018, the league was sponsored by the Scottish Building Society. [57] In November 2021 Park's Motor Group became the sponsor, initially running until the end of the 2021–22 season. [58]
The Scottish Women's Premier League table was first included in the Evening Times Wee Red Book in 2008–09. [59]
The Scottish Women's Football League First Division was a division in the Scottish women's football pyramid between 1999 and 2019. The second league tier from 1999 to 2015, it was later the third tier from 2016 to 2019.
The Women's Scottish Cup is the national knockout cup competition for women's football in Scotland. First held in 1970–71, the competition is owned and managed by Scottish Women's Football (SWF), an affiliated body of the Scottish Football Association (SFA).
The Scottish Women's Football League Cup, previously known as the Scottish Women's League Cup and Scottish Women's Football League First Division Cup, is a Scottish women's football competition founded in 1972. It is open only to teams in the Scottish Women's Football League (SWFL). It was the top-level league cup until 2002.
Celtic Football Club Women is a Scottish professional association football team, the women's section of Celtic Football Club. They play in the Scottish Women's Premier League, the top division of women's football in Scotland. They compete as Celtic FC, and are normally called the 'women's first team' within the club. In December 2018 they announced their intentions to become the first professional women's football team in Scotland with the transition completed in January 2020.
Women's association football in Scotland has an organised history including the first international women's match in 1881, the president of the British Ladies' Football Club in 1895, Lady Florence Dixie, the Edinburgh–Preston "World Championship" in 1937 and 1939, and the Scottish Women's Cup founded in 1970. The sport is jointly overseen by Scottish Women's Football, the Scottish Football Association, and Scottish Professional Football League.
The Scottish Women's Football League Second Division was a division in the Scottish women's football pyramid between 1999 and 2019. The third league tier from 1999 to 2015, it later became the fourth tier. Its top teams won promotion to the SWFL First Division.
The 2015 SWF Scottish Cup was the 44th official edition of the main national cup competition in Scottish women's football. All teams in the Scottish Women's Football League and Premier League were eligible to enter.
The 2016 Scottish Women's Premier League was the 15th season of the SWPL, the highest division of women's football in Scotland since 2002. For the first time, the league was split into two divisions of eight teams each, SWPL 1 and SWPL 2.
The Scottish Women's Football League (SWFL) is a group of women's football divisions in Scotland. The league is owned and managed by Scottish Women's Football (SWF), an affiliated body of the Scottish Football Association (SFA).
The 2018–19 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in Scotland. The domestic season began on 14 July 2018, with the first round of matches in the 2018–19 Scottish League Cup. The 2018–19 Scottish Professional Football League season commenced on 4 August.
The 2019 Scottish Women's Premier League Cup was the 18th edition of the Scottish Women's Premier League's league cup competition, which began in 2002. It was sponsored by the Scottish Building Society and officially known as the Scottish Building Society Scottish Women's Premier League Cup. The competition was contested by all 16 teams of the two divisions of the Scottish Women's Premier League.
The 2019–20 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in Scotland. The domestic season began on 12 July 2019, with the first round of matches in the 2019–20 Scottish League Cup. The 2019–20 Scottish Professional Football League season started on 2 August 2019.
The Scottish Women's Football Championship is the third league tier of women's football in Scotland. Founded in 2020, the Championship replaced the SWFL First Division. The Championship was played in North and South divisions for three seasons until 2022, when it became a single national division with eight clubs. Scottish Women's Football League One was formed in 2022 with 14 clubs.
The 2020–21 Scottish Women's Premier League was the 20th season of the SWPL, the highest division of women's football in Scotland since 2002. The league season was played in two divisions, SWPL 1 with eight teams and SWPL 2 with 10 teams. Glasgow City were the defending champions, having won the last completed championship in 2019. The league was known as the Scottish Building Society Scottish Women's Premier League for sponsorship reasons.
The 2021–22 Scottish Women's Premier League was the 21st season of the SWPL, the highest division of women's football in Scotland since 2002. The league is split into two divisions – SWPL 1 with 10 teams and SWPL 2 with seven teams, following the sudden resignation of Forfar Farmington in August 2021 – Partick Thistle were elevated to SWPL 1 to maintain an even number of teams, leaving SWPL 2 one short.
The 2002–03 Women's Premier League was the opening season of the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) after the Premier Division of the Scottish Women's Football League broke away in 2002. It was the 33rd season of national competitions since the Scottish Women's Cup began in 1970–71.
The 2022–23 Scottish Women's Premier League was the 22nd season of the SWPL, the highest division of women's football in Scotland since 2002. The league was split into two divisions – SWPL 1 with 12 clubs and SWPL 2 with eight clubs. Both divisions were enlarged after the 2021–22 season.
Montrose Women's Football Club are a Scottish women's football club based in the town of Montrose, Angus. They are Scottish Women's Football members and currently play in the Scottish Women's Premier League 1 in the top tier of women's football in Scotland.
The 2021–22 Scottish Women's Premier League Cup was the 20th edition of the SWPL Cup competition, which began in 2002. The competition was to be contested by all 18 teams of the two divisions of the Scottish Women's Premier League and they were divided into four qualifying groups. However Forfar Farmington withdrew after playing just one match, so only 17 teams continued in the competition. Forfar's withdrawal made Dundee United's 10–0 win in the first match of the group stages null and void.
The 2023–24 Scottish Women's Premier League was the 23rd season of the SWPL, the highest division of women's football in Scotland since 2002. Sponsored by ScottishPower, the league was split into two divisions – SWPL 1 with 12 clubs and SWPL 2 with eight clubs. It was the second season of operation under the auspices of the Scottish Professional Football League.