Read the latest news, stats and conversation points on CPLFC.co.uk: a dedicated fan site for professional ladies’ football clubs throughout the UK. We collect data from all over the web to give you a comprehensive overview of women’s football in Britain, including profiles of the best clubs, opinion pieces on sporting events such as the Women’s World Cup and much more!
We stress that this site is purely a fan site and in no way affiliated with official football clubs or governing bodies active within the sport. Read on as we discuss the origins of the women’s game, the various competitions associated with the sport and where it is likely to head in the future.
History of Ladies’ Football Clubs in the UK
Although historians claim that football originated as far back as the 16th century, it was the late eighteen-hundreds when the game came into its own as an established sport, as well as the ladies’ game. One of the first recorded football games was a series of matches between one of the oldest rivalries in football: England Vs Scotland.
In 1881, a total of three games were played between women’s teams in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester. The result of the first fixture was a 3-0 win for the Tartan Army, while the other two were marred by pitch invasions and allegedly abandoned.5
Banning and Dissolution
In the 1920s, women’s football became a controversial topic across the United Kingdom. Unfounded theories that the sport harmed women caused the FA (Football Association) to take drastic actions that would have undeniable consequences.
The FA banned women’s football clubs from playing on association-affiliated grounds with the argument that football was not suitable for females, which was disputed by important figures within the game. It was suggested that the growing popularity of the game and the direct competition with the men’s format was part of the reasoning behind this decision. As a result, professional women’s football in England almost faced extinction.5
Resurrection and a Promising Future
With World Cup fever sweeping the nation after England’s triumph in 1966, widespread interest in the game resurfaced. After years of toil in an amateur format, the Women’s Football Association was established in 1969. Two years later, as a result of a UEFA ruling, the restrictions on women’s playing rights were removed. In 1993, the Women’s Football Association was disbanded and all responsibilities were handed to the Football Association.
In 1992, The Women’s Premier League was created (in line with the men’s league). It later became the second tier of the women’s football pyramid (more levels of the pyramid were established under it later) after the introduction of the Women’s Super League in 2011.
Attention around ladies’ football clubs grew in England with the success of the women’s national team. The recent victory in the Women’s Euros in 2022 propelled the Lionesses into national stardom, as they became a championship-winning team for the first time since the men’s win 60 years before, after a 2-1 win over rivals Germany in the final.5
Major Domestic Competitions
There are a host of women’s football events organized by the Football Association in England, consisting of the domestic league pyramid and major cup competitions. Below, we will discuss in more detail some of the most significant competitions in the English game. They are as follows:
Women’s Super League
The Women’s Super League kicked off in 2011 and is the premier competition in the women’s football league pyramid. Consisting of 12 ladies’ football teams, including teams such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, the league is regarded as one of the most competitive leagues in the women’s game.
Below you’ll find a table of the current teams participating in the WSL for the 2022-2023 season:6
| WSL Teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | Aston Villa | Brighton & Hove Albion | Chelsea |
| Everton | Leicester City | Liverpool | Manchester City |
| Manchester United | Reading | Tottenham Hotspur | West Ham United |
Women’s Championship
The Women’s Championship (also known as the Women’s Super League 2) was introduced as a tier below the WSL in 2014. As with the WSL, the competition consists of 12 teams, where the winner gains promotion to the top tier and the bottom team faces relegation to the National League.10
Below you’ll find a table of the current teams participating in the Women’s Championship for the 2022-2023 season:8
| Women’s Championship Teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham City | Blackburn Rovers | Bristol City | Charlton Athletic |
| Coventry United | Crystal Palace | Durham | Lewes |
| London City Lionesses | Sheffield United | Southampton | Sunderland |
Women’s FA Cup
The Women’s FA Cup was founded in 1970. Interestingly, the original tournament included clubs from Scotland which coincided with the Scottish Women’s Cup. One of the most successful women’s football teams in the competition is Arsenal W.F.C, having accumulated 14 trophies, followed by Southampton and Doncaster Belles.
Below, you will find a table of the top 5 teams that have won the Women’s FA Cup:9
| Team | FA Cup Wins | Runners-Up |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 14 | 3 |
| Southampton | 8 | 2 |
| Doncaster Belles | 6 | 7 |
| Chelsea | 4 | 2 |
| Croyden/ Charlton Athletic | 3 | 4 |
The Best Women’s Football Teams in the UK
Ladies’ football clubs across the English game compete weekly to become the best in the sport, but which teams are historically the most successful? Below we will guide you through the best of the best, offering a short insight into their origins and recent successes.
Arsenal W.F.C
Arsenal Women’s football club was founded in 1987 and will be celebrating its 35th anniversary in the 2022-2023 season. One of England’s most well-known clubs, Arsenal ladies aren’t shy of the odd trophy or two either! With 58 titles to their name (and counting), Arsenal ladies are one of the most decorated women’s football clubs in the country, winning the Women’s Super League on three occasions (fifteen times if you include previous top flight titles) as well as 14 FA cups.1,2
Chelsea F.C. Women
Chelsea F.C. Women are another London powerhouse and local rival of Arsenal. Women’s football at Chelsea had been prevalent for 100 years, with active teams in periods like the 1970s, but it wasn’t until 1992 (and the development of the Premier League) that an official setup was formed. Since then, the West London club has gone on to win 5 WSL titles and 4 FA Cups.3,4
Manchester City W.F.C
Manchester City W.F.C is one of the Northern giants of the English game. Having been founded in 1988, Man City ladies were a little late to the medal podium. The team won the league and cup double in 2016 (WSL and FA Cup) and two more FA cups in the years following.7
Manchester United W.F.C
A fairly recent addition to the leading pack, Manchester United Women is a very strong footballing outfit. Despite not reaching the highs of the other teams mentioned, they are steadily improving their game with respectable league positions in the Women’s Super League. Over the last 5 years, they have achieved top-four positions on 4 occasions and finished in their highest-ever position last season, in second place. 11
England Women’s National Team
The last on our list of the best women’s football teams in the UK is the England Lionesses. The national team is one of the crown jewels of the English game. Recent success in the 2022 Women’s Euros have cemented the Lionesses as one of the most influential teams in the country. Competing in this year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Sarina Wiegman’s ladies have the ability to bring home further glory and continue their impeccable form from their recent tournament and WC qualifiers.
FAQs – All the Important Questions, Answered!
Do you still have questions that have not yet been answered on this page? Below, we have answered some commonly asked questions about ladies’ football clubs in the UK and other relevant topics.
Who is the best English women's football team?
Based on the number of trophies won, Arsenal ladies are up there with the best teams in the country. They have accumulated 58 trophies in their entire history,2 including 15 top flight titles and 14 FA cups amongst others. They are closely followed by Chelsea and Manchester City.
How many women’s football teams are there?
In total, there are 96 women's association football clubs in England,10 which stretch across 10 levels of the pyramid. The Women's Super League is at the top of the pyramid, which gradually breaks into regional setups the further down the pyramid you go.
Do all Premier League clubs have women's teams?
Currently, all Premier League clubs have a women's team. The majority of these teams play in the top two tiers of women's football such as Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City. Other Premier League clubs are represented in lower regional divisions.10
Is women's football professional in the UK?
Yes, competitions such as the Women's Super League consists of twelve fully professional teams.6 Despite other leagues further down the pyramid not being technically professional, some teams have also decided to become full time independently.
Sources
- Arsenal Football Club. (n.d). Arsenal Women’s Homepage. Accessed on September 22, 2022 from https://www.arsenal.com/women
- Arsenal Football Club. (n.d). Arsenal Women’s Honours. Accessed on September 22, 2022 from https://www.arsenal.com/women/honours
- Chelsea Football Club. (n.d). The History of Chelsea Women. Accessed on September 22, 2022 from https://www.chelseafc.com/en/the-history-of-chelsea-women
- Chelsea F.C. Women. (2022, September 13). In Wikipedia. hhttps://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chelsea_F.C._Women&oldid=1110112374
- Women’s football in England. (2022, August 29). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_football_in_England&oldid=1107397883
- Women’s Super League. (2022, September 14). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_Super_League&oldid=1110308803
- Manchester City W.F.C. (2022, September 9). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manchester_City_W.F.C.&oldid=1109375957
- List of women’s association football clubs in England (2022, August 9). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_women%27s_association_football_clubs_in_England&oldid=1103335359
- Women’s FA Cup (2022, September 20). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_FA_Cup&oldid=1111332834
- The Football Association (n.d). Women’s Leagues and Competitions. Accessed on September 22, 2022 from https://www.thefa.com/womens-girls-football/leagues-and-competitions/womens-competitions-and-leagues
- Manchester United W.F.C (2023, October 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manchester_United_W.F.C.&oldid=1178080539