Goals galore as new Scottish women’s soccer league season kicks off in style

Women’s soccer is back with a bang in Scotland as the Scottish Women’s Premier League kicked off with goal-scoring blitzes from several fixtures. The first round of matches was played over the weekend with many high-scoring results. With goal difference being a factor in deciding the title last season, perhaps some teams have that in mind already.  It has though highlighted a potential problem too.

The scene was already set for another exciting SWPL season. The previous two seasons had gone to final-day deciders and there’s plenty to suggest things could be just as tight at the top, and the bottom of the SWPL this season. It’s not just the fight for the title that will be contested strongly. This season has an added relegation threat.

Amazingly goal tally adds pressure at both ends of Scottish women’s soccer league

The SWPL restructure plans for season 2025-26 are for a smaller top-flight league. Down to just ten teams rather than the current twelve. The second tier goes up from eight teams this season to also have ten sides there next season. The transition to that means three teams face relegation from the top league with just one club being promoted at the season’s end.

Of course, the initial focus will be on the top end of the table. Last year's champions will be chased down by Rangers and also Glasgow City. Hearts have invested strongly in their team and will hope to break into the top three this season. 

Well, there’s no surprise in the teams jostling for the top spot after the first phase of matches. It was always going to be goal difference separating some winning teams at this stage. The surprise is through the number of goals scored. Celtic got things underway as champions on Saturday with a fantastic display against Dundee United. A 9-0 home win at the men’s team stadium Celtic Park was a fine start. But then came Sunday’s five fixtures and 39 more goals. 

High scoring matches suggest SWPL quality gap is growing

Rangers visited Aberdeen and left for home again on top of the league after a heavy 0-11 win. Hearts in their effort to break into that top three spot are in second place after welcome. They went to Queen’s Park and won 1-11. Hearts will be annoyed at not keeping a clean sheet and making top spot, though second is a superb start. 

Glasgow City with a 7-0 win away at Montrose kept the high-scoring going. It seems churlish then to mention Motherwell as ‘only’ notching five in their 5-1 victory at Spartans. Patrick Thistle and Hibernian fought out a closer game ending 2-1 to Hibs. 

These high-scoring games do suggest that there could be quite a quality gap growing between top and bottom of the SWPL. That may be the case and we may see it grow further or settle into a better pattern. We’ll have to wait and see how the league progresses to be sure. Either way, the battles at the top and also at the bottom are going to be tough challenges as another exciting season is now well underway.