Sheffield United have been granted a reprieve from relegation and will remain in the Women’s Super League 2 (WSL 2) for the upcoming season following Blackburn Rovers’ withdrawal from the division due to financial difficulties. This decision ensures that the second tier of English women’s football will feature twelve teams next season, an increase from the eleven teams that competed in the 2024-25 campaign after Reading’s exit.
Despite finishing at the bottom of WSL 2 last season, Sheffield United met all the criteria required to retain their licence for the division. Burnley, a club from the third tier, also expressed interest in taking Blackburn’s place after committing to transition to full-time status. However, WSL Football, the independent body managing the top two women’s leagues in England, chose to fill the vacancy with Sheffield United instead. This move prevents the need to relegate another team and maintains the league’s size at twelve clubs.
WSL Football explained that Blackburn’s withdrawal created a space in WSL 2, and after careful consideration in line with the FA Women’s Football Pyramid Regulations, the decision was made to keep Sheffield United in the division. The Football Association approved this approach, allowing the league to forgo relegation of a team that would have otherwise dropped to a lower tier. Promotions for Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town from the Women’s National League remain unaffected, meaning these clubs will still move up as planned.
The withdrawal of Blackburn came after the club’s owners decided against providing the necessary funding to comply with the division’s new minimum licence standards, which emphasize financial stability and full-time professionalism. Blackburn had finished second-bottom last season and, as a result of their exit, will re-enter the women’s football pyramid at the fourth tier. They will take the place vacated by Barnsley, who themselves recently pulled out of the fourth tier for financial reasons.
Barnsley’s withdrawal highlights ongoing challenges in funding and sustainability across the lower levels of women’s football in England. The club’s chair cited insufficient trickle-down funding from the top leagues as a key factor behind the difficult decision to withdraw their team from the FA Women’s National League Division One North. Barnsley had finished eighth in that division before stepping away.
With Barnsley’s departure, Blackburn will slot into their spot in the fourth tier. Additionally, Halifax, a club in the third tier Women’s National League Northern Premier League, has also been granted a reprieve from relegation and will remain in that division for the coming season. These adjustments aim to maintain competitive balance and stability across the women’s football pyramid.
The changes come amid increasing pressure on clubs at all levels of the women’s game to meet professional standards and maintain financial viability. The FA and WSL Football have introduced stricter licensing requirements designed to professionalize the leagues, but these come with higher costs that not all clubs are able to meet. As a result, some clubs face tough choices about whether to continue competing or withdraw to lower tiers where financial demands are less severe.
Sheffield United’s retention in WSL 2 provides a degree of continuity for the league and its fans, avoiding disruption caused by losing another team through relegation. It also underscores the growing pains of a women’s football system in transition, where ambition for growth and professionalism sometimes clashes with the financial realities faced by clubs.
Looking ahead, WSL 2 will feature a full complement of twelve teams next season, including promoted sides Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town. This structure aims to support competitive integrity and provide a solid platform for clubs to develop within the increasingly professional environment of English women’s football.
While Blackburn and Barnsley’s withdrawals are setbacks, the league’s ability to adapt through mechanisms like Sheffield United’s reprieve demonstrates resilience. The ongoing efforts to improve funding distribution, licensing standards, and support for clubs at all levels will be crucial to ensuring the sustainable growth of women’s football in England in the years to come.
