2024–25 Women's Championship
| Season | 2024–25 |
|---|---|
| Champions | London City Lionesses |
| Relegated | Sheffield United |
| Matches played | 110 |
| Goals scored | 313 (2.85 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Isobel Goodwin (16 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Durham 6–0 Portsmouth (30 March 2025) Newcastle United 6–0 Blackburn Rovers (13 April 2025) |
| Biggest away win | Portsmouth 0–5 Southampton (13 October 2024) Portsmouth 0–5 Charlton Athletic (16 February 2025) |
| Highest scoring | Sunderland 4–3 Bristol City (3 November 2024) Sunderland 3–4 Charlton Athletic (30 March 2025) |
| Longest winning run | (4 matches) Birmingham City Bristol City Charlton Athletic London City Lionesses Sunderland |
| Longest unbeaten run | (11 matches) Charlton Athletic London City Lionesses |
| Longest winless run | (14 matches) Portsmouth |
| Longest losing run | (6 matches) Blackburn Rovers Portsmouth Sheffield United |
← 2023–24 2025–26 →
All statistics correct as of 4 May 2025. | |
The 2024–25 Women's Championship season (known as the Barclays Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons) was 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
[edit]
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 (Southern Region), 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 | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham City | Birmingham (Bordesley) | St Andrew's | 29,902 | 5th |  Amy Merricks
|
| Blackburn Rovers | Blackburn | Ewood Park | 31,367 | 6th | Simon Parker
|
| Bristol City | Bristol (Ashton Gate) | Ashton Gate | 27,000 | WSL, 12th | Stephen Kirby
|
| Charlton Athletic | London (Charlton) | The Valley | 27,111 | 2nd | Karen Hills
|
| Durham | Durham | Maiden Castle | 1,800 (League) 2,400 (Cup) | 9th | Adam Furness
|
| London City Lionesses | London (Hayes) | Hayes Lane | 5,000 | 8th |  Jocelyn Prêcheur
|
| Newcastle United | Newcastle upon Tyne (Kingston Park) | Kingston Park Stadium | 10,200 | WNL North, 1st | Becky Langley
|
| Portsmouth | Havant | Westleigh Park | 5,300 | WNL South, 1st | Jay Sadler
|
| Sheffield United | Sheffield | Bramall Lane | 32,050 | 7th | Ash Thompson
|
| Southampton | Southampton | St Mary's Stadium | 32,384 | 4th | Remi Allen
|
| Sunderland | Hetton-le-Hole | Eppleton CW | 2,500 | 3rd | Melanie Reay
|
Managerial changes
[edit]| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton | Marieanne Spacey
|
Change of role | 30 April 2024[11] | Pre season | Remi Allen
|
12 July 2024[12] |
| London City Lionesses | Remi Allen
|
End of contract | 9 May 2024[13] | Jocelyn Prêcheur
|
27 June 2024[14] | |
| Sheffield United | Luke Turner (interim)
|
End of interim period | 19 July 2024[15] | Ash Thompson
|
19 July 2024[15] | |
| Bristol City |  Lauren Smith
|
Resigned | 27 August 2024[16] | Loren Dykes (interim)
|
27 August 2024[16] | |
| Loren Dykes (interim)
|
End of interim period | 19 September 2024[17] | 6th | Stephen Kirby
|
19 September 2024[17] |
Table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London City Lionesses (C, P) | 20 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 38 | 17 | +21 | 43 | Promotion to the Women's Super League[a] |
| 2 | Birmingham City | 20 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 34 | 15 | +19 | 41 | |
| 3 | Charlton Athletic | 20 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 38 | 21 | +17 | 37 | |
| 4 | Durham | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 35 | 27 | +8 | 36 | |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 20 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 38 | 24 | +14 | 34 | |
| 6 | Bristol City | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 34 | 24 | +10 | 30 | |
| 7 | Sunderland | 20 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 30 | 34 | −4 | 30 | |
| 8 | Southampton | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 22 | 25 | −3 | 21 | |
| 9 | Portsmouth | 20 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 48 | −32 | 13 | |
| 10 | Blackburn Rovers | 20 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 16 | 41 | −25 | 12 | |
| 11 | Sheffield United (R) | 20 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 12 | 37 | −25 | 7 | Relegation to the Women's National League North |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Dependent on obtaining a licence.
Results
[edit]Season statistics
[edit]Top scorers
[edit]- As of 4 May 2025[18]
Top assists
[edit]- As of 4 May 2025[19]
Clean sheets
[edit]- As of 21 December 2024[20]
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucy Thomas
|
Birmingham City | 6 |
| 2 | Fran Stenson
|
Southampton | 4 |
| Fran Bentley
|
Bristol City | ||
| 4 |  Tatiana Saunders
|
Durham | 3 |
| Claudia Moan
|
Newcastle United |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Women's Super League dates for the 2024/25 season revealed, with new campaign to start on September 21". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 2024-06-07. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ "WSL key dates for 2024/25 confirmed". www.brightonandhovealbion.com. Archived from the original on 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ "Crystal Palace Women promoted to Women's Super League after clinching Women's Championship title". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 2024-06-06. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
- ^ Downey, Sophie (30 April 2024). "Bristol City's relegation hammers home stark financial realities of WSL". The Guardian.
- ^ Veevers, Nick (21 April 2024). "Lewes relegated from Barclays Women's Championship". The FA - Womens Leagues and Competitions.
- ^ "'This defeat didn't define our season but it certainly summed it up'". Watford Observer. 17 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Newcastle United: Magpies promoted to Women's Championship after 10-0 win". BBC Sport. 14 April 2024. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Pompey Women Promoted To Championship". www.portsmouthfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2024-06-06. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
- ^ "Reading withdraw from Championship". Reading FC. 30 June 2024. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ Veevers, Nick (30 June 2024). "FA and Women's Professional Game statement on Reading FC Women". The FA. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "Marieanne Spacey-Cale steps down as Southampton head coach". BBC Sport. 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Remi Allen appointed Southampton FC Women's Head Coach". www.southamptonfc.com. 12 July 2024. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "Club Statement — Remi Allen". London City Lionesses. 9 May 2024. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "Jocelyn Prêcheur agrees to become London City Lionesses Head Coach". London City Lionesses. 27 June 2024. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Ash steps up to head coach role". Sheffield United FC. 19 July 2024. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Lauren Smith: Bristol City manager resigns". BBC Sport. 27 August 2024.
- ^ a b "City appoint Kirby as Women's Head Coach". Bristol City FC. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ "Women's Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ "Women's Championship Top Assists". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ "FA Women's Championship Table & Stats". Footy Stats. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
External links
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| National teams | |
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| Cup competitions | |
| Awards | |
| History | |
