2023–24 FA Women's National League

Football league season

The 2023–24 FA Women's National League is the 32nd season of the competition, and the sixth since a restructure and rebranding of the top four tiers of English football by The Football Association. Starting in 1991, it was previously known as the FA Women's Premier League. It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the Women's Championship and above the eight regional football leagues.^[1]

The league features six regional divisions: the Northern and Southern Premier divisions at level three of the pyramid, and Division One North, Division One Midlands, Division One South East, and Division One South West at the fourth level. The league consists of 72 teams, divided into six divisions of 12 each. In a change from previous seasons, both winners of the Northern and Southern Premier divisions will be promoted to the Women's Championship. The bottom two teams will be relegated to the appropriate fourth tier FA WNL Division One. The winner of each Division One will be promoted to the Northern or Southern Premier Division, with the bottom two teams in those leagues relegated to respective regional leagues.

Premier Division

Northern Division

Changes from last season:

• Despite winning the Northern Division, Nottingham Forest lost the Championship play-off and therefore remained in the Premier Division.
• Newcastle United were promoted from Division One North as champions.
• Stourbridge were promoted from Division One Midlands as champions.
• Boldmere St. Michaels were relegated to Division One Midlands.
• Loughborough Lightning were relegated to Division One Midlands.
• Brighouse Town rebranded as Halifax F.C. Women in May 2023.^[2]

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2024. Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Results

Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2024. Source: The Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

Southern Division

Changes from last season:

• Watford were promoted to Championship as National League champions.
• Coventry United were relegated from Championship and re-affiliated as Rugby Borough.^[3]
• Cardiff City Ladies were promoted from Division One South West as champions.
• Hashtag United were promoted from Division One South East as champions.
• Bridgwater United were relegated to Division One South West.
• Crawley Wasps were relegated to Division One South East.
• Gillingham re-affiliated as Chatham Town.^[4]

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2024. Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Results

Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2024. Source: The Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

Division One

Division One North

Changes from last season:

• Newcastle United were promoted to Northern Premier Division as Division One North champions.
• Doncaster Rovers Belles were realigned from Division One Midlands.
• Chester-le-Street Town were promoted from North East Regional Women's Football League as champions.
• F.C. United of Manchester were promoted from North West Women's Regional Football League as champions.
• Bradford City were relegated to North East Regional Women's Football League.
• Merseyrail were relegated to North West Women's Regional Football League.

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2024. Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Top scorers

Division One Midlands

Changes from last season:

• Stourbridge were promoted to Northern Premier Division as Division One Midlands champions.
• Boldmere St. Michaels were relegated from Northern Premier Division.
• Loughborough Lightning were relegated from Northern Premier Division.
• Doncaster Rovers Belles were realigned to Division One North.
• Notts County were promoted from East Midlands Regional Women's Football League as champions.
• Sutton Coldfield Town were promoted from West Midlands Regional Women's Football League as champions.
• Long Eaton United were relegated to East Midlands Regional Women's Football League.
• Wem Town were relegated but were not allocated to a division by The FA.

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 9 May 2024. Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Division One South East

Changes from last season:

• Hashtag United were promoted to Southern Premier Division as Division One South East champions.
• Crawley Wasps were relegated from Southern Premier Division and merged to become Haywards Heath Town.^[5]
• Worthing were promoted from London and South East Women's Regional Football League as champions.
• AFC Sudbury were promoted from Eastern Region Women's Football League as champions.
• As a result of Wymondham Town and Hounslow both withdrawing during the 2022–23 season, no teams were relegated from Division One South East.

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2024. Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Division One South West

Changes from last season:

• Cardiff City Ladies were promoted to Southern Premier Division as Division One South West champions.
• Bridgwater United were relegated from Southern Premier Division.
• Torquay United were promoted from South West Regional Women's Football League as champions.
• Abingdon United were promoted from Southern Region Women's Football League as champions.
• Larkhall Athletic were relegated to South West Regional Women's Football League.
• AFC St Austell were relegated to South West Regional Women's Football League.

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2024. Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

See also

• 2023–24 FA Women's National League Cup
• 2023–24 FA Women's National League Plate
• 2023–24 Women's Super League (tier 1)
• 2023–24 Women's Championship (tier 2)

References

1. "Women's league restructure". The Football Association.
2. "Brighouse Town Women as we knew it rebrand to become Halifax FC". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 21 May 2023.
3. "Coventry Utd renamed Rugby Borough and to relocate". BBC Sport.
4. "Dan Logue: Chatham Town statement". www.chathamtownfc.com.
5. "Crawley Wasps gain new home following merger with local Sussex non-league outfit". Sussex World. 27 February 2023.

External links

• Official website of the FA Women's National League