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The regional Scottish Women’s Football League (SWFL) is set to expand to five leagues starting in the 2024/25 season in order to accommodate the increasing number of new teams across Scotland.
The fifth tier of women’s football will now consist of SWFL North, Central, East, and West leagues, each with ten teams, as well as nine teams competing in SWFL South.
This expansion to a total of 49 teams comes just a year after the leagues were expanded from three to four and integrated into the Scottish Women’s Football pyramid, showcasing the rapid growth of women’s football in Scotland.
At the end of the season, the five league winners will join the second-bottom team from SWF League One in play-offs, with three spots in the national leagues up for grabs in the following season.
Commenting on the upcoming season, SWF CEO Aileen Campbell expressed, “The growth in women’s football is truly remarkable, making our regional SWFL more thrilling than ever with new opportunities for women and girls throughout Scotland to participate in structured, competitive football.
“It wasn’t long ago that the current SWFL consisted of three leagues with no pathway to national football for top clubs, but each year new teams emerge with fresh talent, aspirations, and community connections. The introduction of a Central league, spanning from West Fife to the East end of Glasgow, demonstrates the continued growth of women’s football. The 2024/25 season is shaping up to be the biggest yet for SWFL, and we are eager to see how the stories unfold. Best of luck to all 49 teams.”
New teams joining include Blairgowrie & Rattray, Gretna 2008, Newton Stewart, Danderhall Miners, Carron Huskies, Cambusdoon, Benburb, and St Anthony’s, while Bayside will be making a return to senior women’s football. Glasgow Girls and Giffnock SC are launching development sides. Aberdeen FC is taking full control of their women’s SWPL team, and Aberdeen Ladies will relaunch in SWFL North, joining Ross County who have created a senior side through the ScottishPower Highlands and Islands league.
At the end of the season, the team finishing bottom in SWF League One will be relegated to their local SWFL, with the second-bottom team entering the play-offs with the five SWFL winners. Development sides of senior teams elsewhere in the senior pyramid are not eligible for promotion, so if one wins their division, the play-off spot will go to the runner-up.
The teams will kick off the season with SWFL Cup matches on 11 August, where each league will be divided into two groups of five. League games will begin after the group stages on 29 September.
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