Scotland women’s premier soccer league faces fan backlash over new format

Scotland women's top soccer league has announced a new format for the top two tiers. The Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) currently has two levels, the SWPL with twelve teams and the SWPL 2 with just eight teams. From season 2025-26 they will both align to be made up of 10 clubs each.

At first, that seems a simple change but when you look more closely there are quite serious implications, especially for smaller clubs at that level. The SWPL statement, issued on June 6, came as an unexpected surprise. It also came as a shock to many fans, and I suspect players too. 

The main changes causing concern are that in the upcoming season three clubs will be automatically relegated from SWPL to SWPL 2. There will not be any playoffs at the foot of the table that season. Three may seem a small number but that’s 25% of the SWPL clubs being relegated in one season. From SWPL 2 just one club as Champions will be promoted, again there's no playoff place. Those transitional steps will manage the move to 10 clubs.

More concerns raised over SWPL changes

While the 10-club format seems simpler, a new approach in 2025-26 to a split league at both levels after the first 18 games will apply. The top six will play off against each other in single matches. The bottom four will also then operate a mini-league to define relegation and playoff places.

There will also be changes to the pathway levels for younger women and girls which will move to an  U17-U15-U13 structure. In recent seasons the top of the pathway will have moved from U19 to U18, and now onto U17. That's quite a big step up from U17 to top club level and playing in or against professional teams. 

The reason for the changes is based on reducing the number of matches played while increasing the competitive element in line with UEFA standards. There are already concerns about the bigger clubs in Scottish Football, Celtic and Rangers, beginning to dominate there. These changes do seem to heavily favor the larger clubs in the league and put the SWPL future of the other clubs very much at risk. 

Looking at responses to the statement and news of the changes on social media it's hard to find any positive comments. Many fans have replied to an SWPL tweet on the statement unfavorably and expressed their unhappiness at the changes. Here’s one example below of what's being said.

The last season has only just ended with clubs and players on well-earned postseason breaks. Given that and the sudden timing of the statement, it may take longer to see the reaction from players and the majority of clubs, especially those outside the likely top six. This may well yet test the strength of the SWPL and how much say and power the non-top six clubs have.