The FA have approved Women’s Super League academy sides to play in the Women’s National League (WNL). Four Professional Game Academy sides will compete without eligibility for promotion beginning in the 27/28 season.

However, the decision has proven controversial amongst other clubs in the WNL, many of whom claim that they oppose the changes due to a lack of consultation, among other reasons.

Addition of WSL Academy Sides

The FA have hopes that the change will strengthen women’s football by raising standards in the WNL through the introduction of the WSL academy teams.

They also hope that these reforms will offer development and improvement opportunities for young players who are up and coming in women’s football.

A model for selecting these clubs will be refined in the coming months, and it is believed that it will be reviewed annually to monitor the impact.

Sue Day, director of women’s football at the FA, spoke about the changes (Quotes via BBC Sport):

“The women’s game has reached an important moment in its development, and these changes are about ensuring it continues to thrive for decades to come,

“We need to take proactive action now to address some of the key challenges we’re facing. For the game to continue moving forward, the FA Women’s National League must evolve alongside the professional game, and we need to create more opportunities for talented young English players to develop in senior football.

“Getting that balance right is essential to the long-term success of the national team, which in turn fuels the growth and visibility of the game at every level.

“The FA Women’s National League sits at the heart of the women’s football pyramid and has a unique identity that we value enormously.”

Opposition in the WNL

52 of the 72 clubs in the WNL have opposed this decision, although this number has been disputed by the FA after consultation with individual clubs. The clubs signed a joint letter opposing these changes in June 2026.

There are fears that the inclusion of WSL youth sides is unfair. It has also been stated that the FA did not consult clubs in the WNL.

However, the FA have chosen to go ahead with the reforms, despite pushback. They believe it will give young English players vital match time that they did not have before.

Approval From WSL Teams

Chelsea have expressed their desire to enter an academy side into the third tier, believing that the reform will improve the development of youth players.

Head coach Sonia Bompastor spoke of her approval of these changes:

“I think it’s a great decision. It’s the best way you can help young players develop in this country,

“It’s right for this country to think about how they best develop their young players. They are the future of the game here in England.

“Coming from a country where the academies are big and from a club where the academy was big also, I think it’s a really good decision.

“Of course with Chelsea, we will make sure we are playing in that division with the young players for them to develop as strong as possible.”

The Correct Decision?

These reforms will support WSL sides to develop their youth training and give opportunities for young players to learn. It will also raise the level of play in the WNL.

This is particularly important as many youth clubs in Europe already have this opportunity. It will allow English youth to gain experience and will hopefully see more English stars coming up into the WSL in future, which has been an issue of concern in recent years.

However, there are setbacks for clubs already in the WNL, many of whom believe that this change will be unfair and will leave teams already established in the WNL at a disadvantage.