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2024–25 Women's Championship

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Women's Championship
Season2024–25
Matches played50
Goals scored139 (2.78 per match)
Top goalscorerIsobel Goodwin (7 goals)
Biggest home winBirmingham City 5–0 Sunderland
(8 September 2024)
Biggest away winPortsmouth 0–5 Southampton
(15 September 2024)
Highest scoringSunderland 4–3 Bristol City
(3 November 2024)
Longest winning run(4 matches)
Charlton Athletic
Sunderland
Longest unbeaten run(5 matches)
Charlton Athletic
Longest winless run(9 matches)
Portsmouth
Longest losing run(7 matches)
Portsmouth
2025–26 →
All statistics correct as of 17 November 2024.

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]

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

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class=notpageimage|
Location of clubs for the 2024–25 season

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

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Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Southampton England Marieanne Spacey Changed role 30 April 2024[11] End of season (4th) England Remi Allen 12 July 2024[12]
London City Lionesses England Remi Allen End of contract 9 May 2024[13] End of season (8th) France Jocelyn Prêcheur 27 June 2024[14]
Sheffield United England Luke Turner (interim) End of interim period 19 July 2024[15] End of season (7th) England Ash Thompson 19 July 2024[15]
Bristol City Wales Lauren Smith Resigned 27 August 2024[16] Preseason Wales Loren Dykes (interim) 27 August 2024[16]
Bristol City Wales Loren Dykes (interim) End of interim period 19 September 2024[17] 6th England Stephen Kirby 19 September 2024[17]

Table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Birmingham City 9 6 1 2 17 5 +12 19 Promotion to the WSL[a]
2 Durham 9 6 1 2 16 10 +6 19
3 Bristol City 9 5 2 2 16 11 +5 17
4 London City Lionesses 9 5 1 3 16 10 +6 16
5 Sunderland 9 5 1 3 14 18 −4 16
6 Southampton 9 4 3 2 14 6 +8 15
7 Newcastle United 9 4 3 2 13 9 +4 15
8 Charlton Athletic 9 4 2 3 15 12 +3 14
9 Blackburn Rovers 9 2 0 7 9 15 −6 6
10 Sheffield United 10 1 1 8 7 17 −10 4
11 Portsmouth 9 0 1 8 2 26 −24 1 Relegation to the National League
Updated to match(es) played on 17 November 2024. Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ Dependent on obtaining a licence.

Results

[edit]
Home \ Away BIR BLB BRI CHA DUR LCL NEW POR SHU SOU SUN
Birmingham City 2–0 26 Jan 15 Dec 20 Apr 4 May 0–2 4–0 16 Feb 16 Mar 5–0
Blackburn Rovers 2 Mar 23 Mar 0–2 2–3 1–2 4 May 2–0 1–2 30 Mar 26 Jan
Bristol City 0–0 2–1 16 Mar 15 Dec 19 Jan 2–0 1–0 30 Mar 16 Feb 27 Apr
Charlton Athletic 23 Mar 1 Feb 1–2 2–1 2 Mar 20 Apr 3–0 26 Jan 0–1 3–3
Durham 1–0 16 Feb 4 May 19 Jan 3–2 16 Mar 30 Mar 2–1 26 Jan 1–2
London City Lionesses 1–2 16 Mar 2–1 2–0 27 Apr 1–1 5–1 23 Mar 15 Dec 16 Feb
Newcastle United 27 Apr 14 Dec 2 Mar 3–3 0–1 30 Mar 26 Jan 2–0 1–1 23 Mar
Portsmouth 19 Jan 27 Apr 20 Apr 16 Feb 0–3 2 Feb 0–2 1–1 0–5 16 Mar
Sheffield United 1–2 20 Apr 2–4 0–1 2 Feb 0–1 19 Jan 2 Mar 27 Apr 0–1
Southampton 0–2 0–1 1–1 4 May 1–1 20 Apr 2 Feb 23 Mar 2–0 19 Jan
Sunderland 2 Feb 2–1 4–3 30 Mar 2 Mar 1–0 1–2 15 Dec 4 May 0–3
Updated to match(es) played on 17 November 2024. Source: Source
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

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Top scorers

[edit]
As of 11 November 2024[18]
Rank Player Club Goals[19]
1 Jamaica Shania Hayles Newcastle United 6
2 England Lexi Lloyd-Smith Bristol City 5
England Isobel Goodwin London City Lionesses
England Rianna Dean Southampton
3 England Katie Bradley Charlton Athletic 4
Malta Maria Farrugia Sheffield United
England Eleanor Dale Sunderland
New Zealand Katie Kitching Sunderland

Top assists

[edit]
As of 11 November 2024
Rank Player Club Assists[20]
1 Wales Rachel Rowe Southampton 4
2 England Melisa Filis Charlton Athletic 3
England Jodie Hutton Charlton Athletic
England Beth Hepple Durham W.F.C.
Sweden Kosovare Asllani London City Lionesses

Clean sheets

[edit]
As of 11 November 2024
Rank Player Club Clean Sheets[21]
1 England Lucy Thomas Birmingham City 5
2 England Fran Stenson Southampton 4
3 England Fran Bentley Bristol City 3
United States Tatiana Saunders Durham
England Claudia Moan Newcastle United

References

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  1. ^ "Women's Super League dates for the 2024/25 season revealed, with new campaign to start on September 21". Sky Sports.
  2. ^ "WSL key dates for 2024/25 confirmed". www.brightonandhovealbion.com.
  3. ^ "Crystal Palace Women promoted to Women's Super League after clinching Women's Championship title". Sky Sports.
  4. ^ Downey, Sophie (30 April 2024). "Bristol City's relegation hammers home stark financial realities of WSL". The Guardian.
  5. ^ Veevers, Nick (21 April 2024). "Lewes relegated from Barclays Women's Championship". The FA - Womens Leagues and Competitions.
  6. ^ "'This defeat didn't define our season but it certainly summed it up'". Watford Observer. 17 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Newcastle United: Magpies promoted to Women's Championship after 10-0 win". BBC Sport. 14 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Pompey Women Promoted To Championship". www.portsmouthfc.co.uk.
  9. ^ "Reading withdraw from Championship". Reading FC. 30 June 2024.
  10. ^ Veevers, Nick (30 June 2024). "FA and Women's Professional Game statement on Reading FC Women". The FA.
  11. ^ "Marieanne Spacey-Cale steps down as Southampton head coach". BBC Sport. 30 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Remi Allen appointed Southampton FC Women's Head Coach". www.southamptonfc.com. 12 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Club Statement — Remi Allen". London City Lionesses. 9 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Jocelyn Prêcheur agrees to become London City Lionesses Head Coach". London City Lionesses. 27 June 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Ash steps up to head coach role". Sheffield United FC. 19 July 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Lauren Smith: Bristol City manager resigns". BBC Sport. 27 August 2024.
  17. ^ a b "City appoint Kirby as Women's Head Coach". Bristol City FC. 19 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Women's Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Women's Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Women's Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  21. ^ "FA Women's Championship Table & Stats". Footy Stats. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
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