Country Scotland Founded 2002 Number of teams 8
(12 until 2015) | Confederation UEFA Divisions 1 Level on pyramid 1 | |
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The Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) was founded in 2002 and is the highest level of women's football in Scotland. The top two finishers in the Premier League qualify directly for the Round of 32 of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Contents
In 2009 the women's game in Scotland adopted a summer season which now runs from March to November each year.
Format
Up until 2011 teams played each other twice.
From season 2012, the 12 teams in the league will play each other once before the league splits into a top 6 and bottom 6 based on the league positions at that stage. The top 6 then play each other home and away for the Premier League title, while the bottom 6 play each other home and away to avoid being relegated. After the season is complete, the teams which finish in positions 11 and 12 were relegated to the Scottish Women's First Division.
In 2016 a new format was established. From then on the Premier League will consist of two levels of eight teams each. They are named SWPL 1 and SWPL 2. Teams will play each other three times, with the bottom placed team being relegated to the SWPL 2 after the season. The split into a championship and relegation group is discontinued. The SWPL 2 uses the same format and the two last placed teams are relegated to the SWFL 1.
2016 teams
Glasgow City are the reigning champions. The most regular home ground is shown though many clubs play matches at other venues throughout the season.
Previous League Champions
Women's football in Scotland had been banned from the Scottish Football Association (SFA) in 1920, meaning no official grounds by SFA afflicated clubs could be used for play. Nevertheless, some women's football teams toured the country to play on other grounds. The ban was upheld longer than in most European countries. In 1971 the Scottish Women's Football Association (SFWA) was founded and six teams registered for competition: Aberdeen, Edinburgh Dynamos, Westthorn United, Motherwell AEI, Dundee Strikers and Stewarton and Thistle. In 1972–73 Westthorn Utd won the first league title. Having played their first official internationaöl match and two teams reaching the final of the English FA Women's Cup in 1972 and 1973 the SFA lifted the ban and recognised the SWFA in August 1974. Since then the SWFA has been renamed Scottish Women's Football Ldt (SWF). The Scottish Women's Football League (SWFL) formed in November 1999 and in 2002–03 the Premier Division broke away to form the Premier League (SWPL).
Scottish League winners were:
Premier League
In 2009 the season was changed from an autumn-spring format to a summer league. As a result, the 2009 season was shortened to fit after the 2008–09 season. The format was changed a number of times. The format with two groups after the first half of the season that way played since 2012 has ended in 2016 with the new SWPL 1. The former Premier League champions are: