The 2024–25 Women's Championship season (known as the Barclays Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons) will be the seventh season of the rebranded Women's Championship, the second tier of women's football in England, and the tenth season since the creation of the WSL 2.[1][2]
| Season | 2024–25 |
|---|---|
| Matches played | 40 |
| Goals scored | 114 (2.85 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Shania Hayles (6 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Birmingham City 5–0 Sunderland (8 September 2024) |
| Biggest away win | Portsmouth 0–5 Southampton (15 September 2024) |
| Highest scoring | Sunderland 4–3 Bristol City (3 November 2024) |
| Longest winning run | (4 matches) Charlton Athletic |
| Longest unbeaten run | (5 matches) Charlton Athletic |
| Longest winless run | (7 matches) Portsmouth |
| Longest losing run | (7 matches) Portsmouth |
← 2023–24 2025–26 →
All statistics correct as of 3 November 2024. | |
Ahead of the season, it was announced that selected league matches would be streamed live globally on the league's YouTube channel. The transition followed the creation and subsequent takeover of the running of the league by NewCo, an independent, club-owned entity, which replaced The Football Association after recommendations from a government-backed review into the women's game in 2023.
Teams
edit
Twelve teams were originally due to compete in the Championship for the 2024–25 season, the same number as the previous season, although this was later reduced to eleven prior to the start of the season. Crystal Palace were promoted to the Women's Super League as 2023–24 Women's Championship winners.[3] They will be replaced by Bristol City who returned to the division following relegation from the Women's Super League after one season.[4] Following a switch to a two down, two up system with the FA Women's National League, the 2024–25 season marks the first time more than one newly-promoted team will contest the Championship. Lewes and Watford were relegated to the FA Women's National League, Lewes after a six-season spell and Watford after one season following their promotion the previous year.[5][6] They were replaced by Newcastle United, winners of the 2023–24 FA Women's National League North,[7] and Portsmouth, winners of the 2023–24 FA Women's National League South.[8] Both these clubs are making their Championship debuts.
On 30 June 2024, it was announced Reading had withdrawn from the Championship and would re-enter at the fifth tier, citing financial issues.[9] The FA confirmed the league would instead operate with eleven teams for the season, reducing from two relegation spots to one. The league will return to a twelve team league at the beginning of the 2025–26 season.[10]
| Team | Location | Ground | Capacity | 2023–24 season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham City | Birmingham | St Andrew's | 29,902 | 5th |
| Blackburn Rovers | Blackburn | Ewood Park | 31,367 | 6th |
| Bristol City | Bristol | Ashton Gate | 27,000 | WSL, 12th |
| Charlton Athletic | Charlton | The Valley | 27,111 | 2nd |
| Durham | Durham | Maiden Castle | 1,700 | 9th |
| London City Lionesses | Hayes, Bromley | Hayes Lane | 5,000 | 8th |
| Newcastle United | Newcastle | Kingston Park Stadium | 10,200 | WNL North, 1st |
| Portsmouth | Havant | Westleigh Park | 5,300 | WNL South, 1st |
| Sheffield United | Sheffield | Bramall Lane | 32,050 | 7th |
| Southampton | Southampton | St Mary's Stadium | 32,384 | 4th |
| Sunderland | Hetton-le-Hole | Eppleton CW | 2,500 | 3rd |
Managerial changes
edit| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton |  Marieanne Spacey
|
Changed role | 30 April 2024[11] | End of season (4th) | Remi Allen
|
12 July 2024[12] |
| London City Lionesses | Remi Allen
|
End of contract | 9 May 2024[13] | End of season (8th) |  Jocelyn Prêcheur
|
27 June 2024[14] |
| Sheffield United | Luke Turner (interim)
|
End of interim period | 19 July 2024[15] | End of season (7th) | Ash Thompson
|
19 July 2024[15] |
| Bristol City |  Lauren Smith
|
Resigned | 27 August 2024[16] | Preseason | Loren Dykes (interim)
|
27 August 2024[16] |
| Bristol City | Loren Dykes (interim)
|
End of interim period | 19 September 2024[17] | 6th | Stephen Kirby
|
19 September 2024[17] |
Table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham City | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 4 | +11 | 16 | Promotion to the WSL[a] |
| 2 | London City Lionesses | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 16 | |
| 3 | Durham | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 15 | |
| 4 | Newcastle United | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 6 | +6 | 14 | |
| 5 | Charlton Athletic | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 14 | |
| 6 | Southampton | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 13 | |
| 7 | Bristol City | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 11 | |
| 8 | Sunderland | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 17 | −6 | 10 | |
| 9 | Blackburn Rovers | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 3 | |
| 10 | Sheffield United | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 15 | −9 | 3 | |
| 11 | Portsmouth | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 23 | −22 | 0 | Relegation to the National League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Notes:
- ^ Dependent on obtaining a licence.
Results
editSeason statistics
editTop scorers
edit- As of 4 November 2024[18]
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[19] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Shania Hayles
|
Newcastle United | 6 |
| 2 | Isobel Goodwin
|
London City Lionesses | 5 |
| Rianna Dean
|
Southampton | ||
| 3 | Katie Bradley
|
Charlton Athletic | 4 |
| Lexi Lloyd-Smith
|
Bristol City |
Top assists
edit- As of 4 November 2024
Clean sheets
edit- As of 4 November 2024
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean Sheets[21] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucy Thomas
|
Birmingham City | 5 |
| 2 | Fran Stenson
|
Southampton | 4 |
| 3 |  Tatiana Saunders
|
Durham | 3 |
| Claudia Moan
|
Newcastle United |
References
edit- ^ "Women's Super League dates for the 2024/25 season revealed, with new campaign to start on September 21". Sky Sports.
- ^ "WSL key dates for 2024/25 confirmed". www.brightonandhovealbion.com.
- ^ "Crystal Palace Women promoted to Women's Super League after clinching Women's Championship title". Sky Sports.
- ^ Downey, Sophie (30 April 2024). "Bristol City's relegation hammers home stark financial realities of WSL". The Guardian.
- ^ Veevers, Nick (21 April 2024). "Lewes relegated from Barclays Women's Championship". The FA - Womens Leagues and Competitions.
- ^ "'This defeat didn't define our season but it certainly summed it up'". Watford Observer. 17 April 2024.
- ^ "Newcastle United: Magpies promoted to Women's Championship after 10-0 win". BBC Sport. 14 April 2024.
- ^ "Pompey Women Promoted To Championship". www.portsmouthfc.co.uk.
- ^ "Reading withdraw from Championship". Reading FC. 30 June 2024.
- ^ Veevers, Nick (30 June 2024). "FA and Women's Professional Game statement on Reading FC Women". The FA.
- ^ "Marieanne Spacey-Cale steps down as Southampton head coach". BBC Sport. 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Remi Allen appointed Southampton FC Women's Head Coach". www.southamptonfc.com. 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Club Statement — Remi Allen". London City Lionesses. 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Jocelyn Prêcheur agrees to become London City Lionesses Head Coach". London City Lionesses. 27 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Ash steps up to head coach role". Sheffield United FC. 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Lauren Smith: Bristol City manager resigns". BBC Sport. 27 August 2024.
- ^ a b "City appoint Kirby as Women's Head Coach". Bristol City FC. 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Women's Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Women's Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "Women's Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "FA Women's Championship Table & Stats". Footy Stats. Retrieved 16 September 2024.