FA Women's National League
The FA Women's National League is a group of six football divisions which sit at the third and fourth tiers of women's football in England. Founded in 1991 as the WFA National League, the league was run by the Women's Football Association, before control was handed to the Football Association in 1994, and the name changed to FA Women's Premier League.
The league consisted of the National Division, England's top division until 2010, and the Northern and Southern Premier Divisions, which formed the second tier. The league operated a system of promotion and relegation, with the bottom two teams of the National Division relegated, and the winners of the Northern and Southern Divisions promoted. With the introduction of the Women's Super League, the National Division became the second tier, while the Northern and Southern Divisions became the third.
The National Division was replaced in 2013 by the Championship, with the Northern and Southern Divisions continuing at the third tier. In 2014 the fourth tier Combination Leagues became part of the FA Women's Premier League, and were rebranded as the Division One North, Midlands, South East, and South West. The league received it current name and branding in 2018.
Arsenal hold the record for most titles won, with twelve. The current National League champions are Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town.
History
Before the National League, women's teams nationally had competed in the WFA Cup since 1970, and there were English regional leagues, but this was the first regular nationwide competition of its kind.The Women's National League was inaugurated in the 1991–92 season by the Women's Football Association, with a monetary grant from the Sports Council. Eight teams played in the top flight in that year. From the League's foundation, it consisted of a national premier division and two lower divisions, the Northern and Southern Divisions, whose winners each season were promoted to the top flight.
From 1991–92 until 2012–13, the national premier division was above the Northern and Southern Divisions. Since 1991–92, the Northern and Southern Divisions have run on an equal basis with promotion, and this continues today. The terms Women's Premiership and Ladies Premiership were generally used for the National Division only.
After the League's third season, the FA assumed responsibility for the competition and renamed it, beginning with the 1994–95 FA Women's Premier League.
The Women's Premier League remained level 1 and 2 of women's football until the end of the 2009–10 season. From 2000 until 2008, the WPL champions competed in the annual FA Women's Community Shield.
The National Division's most successful clubs were Arsenal, Croydon, Doncaster Belles, Everton, and Sunderland.
The Women's Premier League lost several clubs prior to the 2010–11 season and the National Division was demoted to level 2, due to the creation of the FA WSL in 2011. Strangely, the lower divisions were still given the name "Premier League" for eight more seasons. The number of clubs competing in the Northern and Southern Divisions decreased from 12 to 10. The National Division decreased from 12 clubs to eight, then increased to 10 clubs.
The National Division was scrapped after the 2012–13 season, due to the introduction of the WSL 2 in 2014, which included some clubs that moved from the Women's Premier League. During the 2013–14 season, the only divisions with WPL branding were the third tier Northern and Southern Divisions. The FA proposed rebranding the WPL collectively as the Women's Championship League, but the idea was ultimately dropped. In 2014 the league moved away from the FA with the formation of an independent League Management Committee, elected by the clubs to run league operations. Carol West, a serving police officer was elected as league chair and led the voluntary management committee until 2023.
For the 2014–15 season, the Women's Premier League incorporated the fourth tier Combination Leagues as the Premier League's 'Division One', consisting of the Division One leagues: North, Midlands, South East and South West. Promotion to the second tier was also reintroduced, with the winners of the Northern and Southern Divisions playing each other in a single play-off match at a neutral venue, the winner becoming the overall Women's Premier League/National League champion, and promoted to the WSL 2. The first play-off occurred between Portsmouth and Sheffield at Stratford Town's Knights Lane ground. Sheffield won through a stoppage-time goal.
In 2018 the FA Women's Premier League was rebranded as the FA Women's National League. Beginning with the 2023–24 season, it was decided that both the Northern and Southern Division champions will be automatically promoted to the Championship.
Format and clubs
Format
The National League consists of six divisions, forming the third and fourth tiers of women's football in England. The National League North and National League South, sit at the third tier, while Division One North, Midlands, South East, and South West, form the fourth tier.Current clubs
The following clubs are competing in the 2025–26 season.| National League North | National League South |
| Division One North | Division One Midlands | Division One South East | Division One South West |
|
Winners
National Division champions
Below is a list of women's Premier League / National Division champions at level one from 1991 to 2010, followed by National Division champions at level two.Level 1 national champions:
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
| 1991–92 | Doncaster Belles | Red Star Southampton | Wimbledon |
| 1992–93 | Arsenal | Doncaster Belles | Knowsley United |
| 1993–94 | Doncaster Belles | Arsenal | Knowsley United |
| 1994–95 | Arsenal | Liverpool | Doncaster Belles |
| 1995–96 | Croydon | Doncaster Belles | Arsenal |
| 1996–97 | Arsenal | Doncaster Belles | Croydon |
| 1997–98 | Everton | Arsenal | Doncaster Belles |
| 1998–99 | Croydon | Arsenal | Doncaster Belles |
| 1999–2000 | Croydon | Doncaster Belles | Arsenal |
| 2000–01 | Arsenal | Doncaster Belles | Charlton Athletic |
| 2001–02 | Arsenal | Doncaster Belles | Charlton Athletic |
| 2002–03 | Fulham | Doncaster Belles | Arsenal |
| 2003–04 | Arsenal | Charlton Athletic | Fulham |
| 2004–05 | Arsenal | Charlton Athletic | Everton |
| 2005–06 | Arsenal | Everton | Charlton Athletic |
| 2006–07 | Arsenal | Everton | Charlton Athletic |
| 2007–08 | Arsenal | Everton | Leeds United |
| 2008–09 | Arsenal | Everton | Chelsea |
| 2009–10 | Arsenal | Everton | Chelsea |
Level 2 national champions:
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
| 2010–11 | Sunderland | Nottingham Forest | Reading |
| 2011–12 | Sunderland | Leeds United | Aston Villa |
| 2012–13 | Sunderland | Watford | Leeds United |
Northern and Southern Division champions
Level 2 champions:| Season | Northern Division | Southern Division |
| 1991–92 | Bronte | Arsenal |
| 1992–93 | Aston Villa | District Line |
| 1993–94 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Bromley Borough |
| 1994–95 | Aston Villa | Maidstone Tigresses |
| 1995–96 | Tranmere Rovers | Southampton Saints |
| 1996–97 | Bradford City | Berkhamsted |
| 1997–98 | Ilkeston Town | Southampton Saints |
| 1998–99 | Aston Villa | Reading Royals |
| 1999–2000 | Sunderland | Barry Town |
| 2000–01 | Leeds United | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 2001–02 | Birmingham City | Fulham |
| 2002–03 | Aston Villa | Bristol Rovers |
| 2003–04 | Liverpool | Bristol City |
| 2004–05 | Sunderland | Chelsea |
| 2005–06 | Blackburn Rovers | Cardiff City |
| 2006–07 | Liverpool | Watford |
| 2007–08 | Nottingham Forest | Fulham |
| 2008–09 | Sunderland | Millwall |
| 2009–10 | Liverpool | Barnet |
'''Level 3 champions:'''