Scottish Women’s Football League expands to fifth division | OneFootball

Inverurie Locos, 2023/24 SWFL North champions. (Ger Harley/Sportpix)

The regional Scottish Women’s Football League is to expand to five sections from 2024/25 to accommodate new teams springing up across Scotland.

The fifth tier of women’s football in Scotland will now comprise of SWFL North, Central, East and West leagues of ten teams each, and nine teams contesting SWFL South.

The expansion to 49 teams comes only a year after the leagues were expanded from three to four and moved into the Scottish Women’s Football pyramid, which shows the phenomenal rate of growth in the competitive women’s game in Scotland.

In the season finale, the five winners will join the second-bottom side finishing in SWF League One in play-offs, with three spaces in the national leagues for the following season up for grabs.

Commenting ahead of the new season, SWF CEO Aileen Campbell said: “The growth in women’s football is nothing less than astonishing, making our regional SWFL more exciting than ever as it offers up new opportunities for women and girls across Scotland to be involved in structured, competitive football.

“It’s only a few short years since the current SWFL was three leagues with no progression to national football for the best and most sustainable clubs, but each year new teams emerge with new talent, new ambitions and new stories rooted in their communities. And we can see from the big crowds last season at places like East End Park and Gayfield that we are reaching new audiences too, as more people engage with the unique game and matchday experience women’s football provides.

“The fact that we have had to introduce a Central league, with teams from West Fife to the East end of Glasgow, shows that women’s football is only set to grow even further. 2024/25 will be the SWFL’s biggest season yet, and we can’t wait to watch the stories unfold. Good 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 make a return to senior women’s football. Glasgow Girls and Giffnock SC are to launch development sides. With Aberdeen FC taking full control of their women’s SWPL team, Aberdeen Ladies will relaunch a new team in SWFL North, joining Ross County who have developed a senior side through the ScottishPower Highlands and Islands league.

At the end of the season, the bottom-placed side in SWF League One will be relegated into their local regional SWFL, with the second bottom entering the play-off draw with the five SWFL winners. Development sides of senior teams elsewhere in the senior pyramid remain ineligible for promotion, so if one wins their respective division the play-off place will be offered to the runner-up.

The teams will begin the season playing SWFL Cup fixtures on 11 August, where each league is split into two groups of five. League games will commence following the group stages on the 29 September.

SWFL Divisions for 2024/25:

SWFL NORTH – Aberdeen Ladies, Arbroath, Buchan Ladies, Dyce, Elgin City, Grampian Ladies, Huntly, Ross County, Stonehaven, Westdyke Development

SWFL CENTRAL – Cumbernauld Colts, Cumbernauld United, Bayside, Dunfermline Athletic, Central Girls, Murieston United, Alloa Athletic, Carron Huskies, Linlithgow Rose, Glasgow Girls and Women

SWFL EAST – Blairgowrie & Rattray, Danderhall Miners, Dryburgh Athletic Development, East Fife Development, Edinburgh South, Edinburgh Uni Thistle (Dev), Glenrothes Strollers, McDermid Ladies, Musselburgh Windsor, Penicuik Athletic

SWFL SOUTH – Annan Athletic, Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Cambusdoon, Cumnock Juniors, Dalbeattie Star, Giffnock Development, Gretna 2008, Newton Stewart, Stewarton United

SWFL WEST – Benburb, Bishopton, Clydebank, Drumchapel United, Dumbarton United, Gleniffer Thistle, Harmony Row, Rossvale Development, St Anthony’s FC, West Park United

Ballymoney United Ladies and Greenisland beat higher division teams