Tiers three to six of the Women’s Football Pyramid have seen movement of 29 teams as a result of Upward Club Movement.
Following the curtailment of the 2020/21 season, the Women’s Football Board, with the support of leagues and clubs, made the recommendation that upward movement takes place. This was subsequently approved by both the FA Board and FA Council.
Clubs were only permitted to apply to move into the league or division directly above the tier in which they currently play, while those in Tier 3 also had to meet the Women’s Championship licence criteria to move into Tier 2.
All clubs participating in Tiers 3-6 of the Women’s Football Pyramid were permitted to apply for upward movement, with applications evaluated by the Women’s Football Board against the following criteria:
On-field (75%)
- 2019/20 and 2020/21 League points per game averages (55%)
- 2019/20 and 2020/21 FA Cup performances (10%)
- 2019/20 League Cup performance (5%)
- League goal difference (5%)
Off-field (25%)
- Facilities (5%)
- Club structure (5%)
- Administration (5%)
- Finance (5%)
- Workforce (5%)
Applications were ranked against other clubs that applied from within the same division, with the top scoring clubs offered upward movement.
The following clubs moved:
FA Women’s Championship (Tier 2)
- Sunderland
- Watford
FA WNL Northern Premier Division (Tier 3)
- Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Brighouse Town
FA WNL Southern Premier Division (Tier 3)
- Southampton FC
- Ipswich Town
FA WNL Division One North (Tier 4)
- Alnwick Town
- FC United of Manchester
FA WNL Division One Midlands (Tier 4)
- Peterborough United
- Leek Town
FA WNL Division One South East (Tier 4)
- Harlow Town
- Queens Park Rangers
FA WNL Division One South West (Tier 4)
- AFC Bournemouth
- Portishead Town
North West Regional Premier Division (Tier 5)
- AFC Darwen
- (Only one application received so one vacancy left unfilled)
North East Regional Premier Division (Tier 5)
- Sunderland West End
- Wakefield Trinity
West Midlands Regional Premier Division (Tier 5)
- Tamworth
- Stourbridge
East Midlands Regional Premier Division (Tier 5)
- Lincoln United
- Notts County
Eastern Region Premier Division (Tier 5)
- King’s Lynn
- Millwall Lionesses (Millwall also had an application for sideways movement approved and will play in the ondon & South East Regional Premier.
London & South East Regional Premier Division (Tier 5)
- New London Lionesses
- Worthing
Southern Region Premier Division (Tier 5)
- Abingdon Town
South West Regional Premier Division (Tier 5)
- AFC St Austell
- Sherborne Town
- Forest Green Rovers
