The Football Association is considering an alteration to the structure of the women’s game to create a single one-tier football league exclusively for clubs able to sustain players full-time from the 2018/19 season.
Furthermore, the WSL2 league will remain part-time but could be subject to a change in branding. Clubs in WSL1 who retain players part-time may be relegated irrespective of their current position.
The existing 20 WSL clubs are set to take part in a consultation with the FA to discuss the plans.
The WSL currently includes 20 clubs split across two divisions, and under the new plans a single tier consisting of between 8 and 14 clubs would be formed.
Clubs would be required to have at least 16 contact hours per week with players, rising to 20 per week for the 2020/21 season.
Each club would be granted entry via a license system, with an academy programme compulsory for all participants.
Financial Fair Play regulations and a cap of squad sizes will apply.
