Scottish Women's Football Championship
The Scottish Women's Football Championship is the third league tier of women's football in Scotland. Founded in 2020, the Championship replaced the SWFL First Division (SWFL 1).[1][2] The Championship was played in North and South divisions for three seasons until 2022, when it became a single national division with eight clubs. Scottish Women's Football League One was formed in 2022 with 14 clubs (12 coming from the Championship).[3]
| Founded | 2020 (Championship) 2022 (League One) |
|---|---|
| Country |  Scotland |
| Number of teams | 9 (Championship) 10 (League One) |
| Level on pyramid | 3 (Championship) 4 (League One) |
| Promotion to | SWPL 2 (Championship) SWF Championship (League One) |
| Relegation to | SWF League One (Championship) SWFL (League One) |
| Domestic cup(s) | Scottish Cup |
| League cup(s) | SWF Championship Cup |
| Website | Scottish Women's Football |
| Current: 2023–24 SWF Championship | |
League One is the fourth tier of the women's football pyramid and is a single national division. Earlier, the level 4 tier was the SWFL Third Division (1999–2008), SWFL Second Division (2016–2019), and the SWFL (2020–2021), which is now level 5.
The Championship's first winners were Montrose (North) and Gartcairn (South). Teams can win promotion from the Championship to SWPL 2, and from League One to the Championship. No relegations are planned for 2022–23,[3] and there is no regular relegation from League One to the SWFL, but some clubs have moved between these levels.[4]
History
editLike the SWFL First Division from 2016 to 2019, the Championship was played in North and South divisions for three seasons from 2020 to 2022. Championship North and Championship South had a total of 26 clubs. The Championship was expected to continue with Scottish Women's Football's summer calendar for its seasons (playing March–November), but that system was abandoned by the Championship and SWPL during 2020. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the leagues switched back to winter seasons in 2020–21.
The Championship's inaugural 2020 season and 2020–21 season were both abandoned, due to the pandemic, and were declared null and void by SWF.[5][6] The 2020–21 abandonment was made to allow SWF to focus on preparations for the 2021–22 season,[6] which was completed. The divisional champions were Montrose (North) and Gartcairn (South).
A national SWF Championship division came into effect in the 2022–23 season, as did the SWF League One as the fourth tier.[3] The Championship North and South divisions were discontinued and their clubs mainly moved into the new divisions.
Member clubs for the 2023–24 season
edit- Ayr United
- Dryburgh Athletic
- East Fife
- Hutchison Vale
- Inverness Caledonian Thistle
- Morton
- Renfrew
- Rossvale
- Westdyke
- Airdrie
- Bonnyrigg Rose Ladies F.C.
- Dundee West
- Edinburgh Caledonia
- Falkirk
- Forfar Farmington
- Giffnock Soccer Centre
- Queen of the South
- St Mirren
- Stenhousemuir
Play-offs
edit
The runners-up in Championship North and Championship South were intended to play-off against each other at the end of each season for a place in the promotion/relegation play-off final against the team that finished eighth in SWPL 2.[1] Due to the uncompleted seasons in 2020 and 2020–21, the North–South play-off occurred only once, in 2021–22, but no SWPL clubs were relegated, because of the SWPL's expansion to 20 clubs. The North's East Fife beat the South division runners-up, Rossvale, 3–1 in the single-match promotion play-off in Alloa in May 2022.[9]
Seasons
editThe SWF Championship kicked off in 2020, but its first two seasons were not completed.
The following clubs have been the champions of the respective divisions:
| Season | Championship North | Championship South | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Null and void due to COVID-19 pandemic | [5] | |
| 2020–21 | Null and void due to COVID-19 pandemic | [6] | |
| 2021–22[a] | Montrose | Gartcairn | [9] |
| Season | Championship | League One | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Livingston[b] | FC Edinburgh | [12] |
| 2023–24 | Rossvale[c] | Stenhousemuir | [14][15] |
- ^ Both winners promoted along with East Fife (North runners-up) who defeated Rossvale (South runners-up) in a playoff.[10]
- ^ Only Livingston were promoted; runners-up Rossvale were defeated by SWPL2 Stirling University in a playoff.[11]
- ^ Runners-up Ayr United also promoted after beating SWPL2 Glasgow Women in a playoff.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b "New Senior Structure for 2020 and beyond". Scottish Women's Premier League. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ Scottish Women’s Football announces new league structure, SheKicks.net, 20 September 2019
- ^ a b c "SWF unveil new-look women's league structure". SWF. 3 June 2022. Archived from the original on 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Dunfermline Athletic Ladies withdraw from SWF league [Championship North]". Dunfermline Press. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021.
- ^ a b Lewis, Jane (29 July 2020). "SWPL season declared null and void after one round of games". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ a b c "SWF Statement – Senior Performance Arm update (29/04/21)". SWF. 5 May 2021. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ [1], Scottish Women's Football
- ^ [2], Scottish Women's Football
- ^ a b Frith, Will (9 May 2022). "Park's SWPL: Rangers Women champions for first time". Archived from the original on 9 May 2022.
- ^ East Fife's play-off triumph, Fife Today, 10 May 2022
- ^ Stirling University narrowly win SWPL 2 play-off, SheKicks, 5 June 2023
- ^ Livingston Champions, FC Edinburgh invincible, Westdyke promoted and Dundee West stay up, Scottish Women's Football, 9 May 2023
- ^ Ayr United promoted to ScottishPower Women’s Premier League 2, She Kicks, 25 May 2024
- ^ Rossvale secure SWF Championship title and promotion to SWPL, SheKicks, 29 April 2024
- ^ Stenhousemuir are SWF League One Champions after 4-0 victory at Edinburgh Caledonia, Scottish Women's Football, 12 May 2024