FA Women's National League

From its foundation in 1991–92 through until 2012–13, the FA Women's Premier League National Division was above the Northern and Southern divisions running on an equal basis, whose winners each season were promoted to the National Division.

Doncaster Belles were the champions of the first WFA Women's Premier Division in 1991–92

The terms Women's Premiership and Ladies Premiership were generally used for the National Division only.

The National Division had been the top tier of women's football from 1991–2010, but was demoted after the creation of the FA Women's Super League in 2011.[1] Following the 2012–13 season, the National Division was scrapped due to the FA's decision to add a second division to the WSL for the 2014 season – WSL 2. (Note that the WSL is a summer league, as opposed to the Premier League's winter format.)

For the 2014–15 season, the Premier League was restructured to have a second level. To accomplish this, the four Combination Women's Football Leagues were incorporated as the Premier League's new Division 1. At level 3 in the pyramid now is the Northern and Southern division; a level below are four groups of Division One leagues: North, Midlands, South East and South West. In addition, the winners of the Northern and Southern Divisions would play each other in a one-off play-off at a neutral venue for an opportunity to be promoted into the WSL, the first instance of promotion between the WPL and the WSL. The first play-off was contested between Portsmouth and Sheffield F.C. at Stratford FC's ground, with the latter winning through a stoppage time goal.

Regional Premier Division Champions

Level 2:

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

Tottenham won the Southern Division and the 2016–17 promotion playoff

Level 3 champions:[lower-alpha 1]

Season	Northern Division	Southern Division
2010–11[lower-alpha 2]	Aston Villa	Charlton Athletic
2011–12	Manchester City	Portsmouth
2012–13	Sheffield	Reading
2013–14	Sheffield	Coventry City
2014–15	Sheffield	Portsmouth
2015–16	Sporting Club Albion	Brighton & Hove Albion
2016–17	Blackburn Rovers	Tottenham Hotspur
2017–18	Blackburn Rovers	Charlton Athletic
2018–19[lower-alpha 3]	Blackburn Rovers	Coventry United

1. From the 2014–15 season onwards, the club promoted to FA Women's Championship (via a play-off between the Northern and Southern division champions), and overall champions of the FA National League, are marked in bold.
2. Due to the formation of the WSL, Cardiff City and Coventry City were also promoted to the National Division after finishing runners-up in the Northern and Southern Divisions respectively.
3. Blackburn won the Championship play-off but both teams were promoted as part of an overall increase in the number of WSL teams.

Currently there are two tiers and a total of six divisions that make up the National League: the two tier 3 divisions, the Northern and Southern divisions, as well as four regional tier 4 divisions: Division One North, Division One Midlands, Division One South East and Division One South West.[2]

Seventy-two clubs throughout England and Wales compete in the Women's Premier League, with six divisions of twelve teams, though this number has varied historically due to the changing structure of women's football. Following the formation of the FA Women's Super League, the number of clubs competing in the national division decreased from 12 to 8. Likewise the number of teams in both the Northern and Southern Divisions decreased from 12 to 10, resulting in the total number of team's in the Women's Premier League decreasing from 36 to 28.

Following the expansion of the WSL with the addition of a second division, the National League was abolished. As a result, both the Southern and Northern Divisions increased to 11 teams each. Several clubs which had previously been competing in the National Division were moved into the Southern Division including Charlton Athletic, Cardiff City, Portsmouth and Coventry United (formerly Coventry City).

For the 2014/15 season, the Combination Leagues were incorporated into the newly rebranded FA Women's Premier League, as a result, the WPL now consisted of 72 teams in 6 divisions.

The main cup competition of the National League is the FA Women's National League Cup, a knock-out competition involving all of the teams within the six divisions that make up the National. Due to the changing structure of women's football, this competition has historically varied from a straight knock-out competition to a competition with a preliminary group stage before reaching the knock-out stage.

During the 2014–15 season, the FA Women's National League Plate was introduced. Under the current format, the teams that are eliminated from the opening round of the League Cup are entered into the Plate.

• AXA (until 2004)
• Nationwide Building Society (2004–2007)
• Tesco (2007–present)

• List of association football competitions
• FA Women's Premier League National Division
• FA Women's Premier League Northern Division
• FA Women's Premier League Southern Division
• FA Women's Premier League Cup

• The Football Association – Women's Premier League official site
• TV-Channel