Fan Survey · Round One
WSL Football
Fantasy Survey
Fantasy Survey
R1 Results: You and the format
Here's what you told us.
4.7/5
BWSL awareness strength
2.5/5
BWSL2 awareness strength
86%
Played fantasy before
14%
New to fantasy
If both BWSL & BWSL2 included. how do you feel?
38% open to or excited about both leagues
35% prefer BWSL only
Very excited or open to including both leagues (45%)
Want the leagues kept separate (42%)
Neutral (13%)
Strong views on both sides. We hear you, and we will keep working on a format the whole community can get behind.
About you
How closely do you follow the BWSL?
4.7 / 5
avg awareness score
5
81%
4
12%
3
6%
2
1%
1
0%
How closely do you follow BWSL2?
2.5 / 5
avg awareness score
5
12%
4
10%
3
26%
4
21%
1
30%
Fantasy games played before (select all that apply)
343
Aerial Fantasy
56% of respondents
313
Fantasy Premier League
51% of respondents
198
Champions League Fantasy
32% of respondents
110
Another football game
18% of respondents
83
Other sport
14% of respondents
Game format
Squad size preference
15 with bench: 88%
15 players with bench (88%)
No preference (7%)
11 players, no bench (5%)
Captain multiplier
2x clear winner
1
2x
58%
2
3x
14%
3
2.5x
7%
4
No preference
3%
5
1.5x
3%
Free transfers per gameweek
2 transfers (53%)
3 transfers (26%)
1 transfer (21%)
Penalty for extra transfers
-4pts edges ahead
1
-4 pts per extra
36%
2
-2 pts per extra
33%
3
Not sure
6%
4
-6 pts per extra
6%
5
No penalty
5%
Auto-subs if bench selected
82%
Yes, auto-subs
10%
No, I'll manage
9%
Don't mind
Scoring
Which actions should earn points? (select all that apply)
1
Clean sheets
81%
2
Saves
72%
3
Cards (neg)
71%
4
Tackles
39%
5
Key passes
38%
6
Interceptions
35%
7
Big chances created
32%
8
Crosses
16%
9
BC missed (neg)
11%
How important are clean sheets? (1-5)
4.2 / 5
avg importance score
5
35%
4
32%
3
15%
2
2%
1
1%
H2H / mini-league importance (1-5)
3.8 / 5
avg importance score
5
28%
4
21%
3
23%
2
5%
1
4%
Anything to add on scoring? (ideas, thoughts)
01
Bonus points for low-ownership picks
The most mentioned specific mechanic. Extra points for picking players owned by a small percentage of managers. A feature seen in Champions League Fantasy, LaLiga Fantasy, Aerial Fantasy. Rewards genuine knowledge and stops every squad looking identical.
02
Player of the match bonus
An extra 1-2 points for the POTM award. Consistently raised as a simple, satisfying addition that rewards outstanding individual performances.
03
Defensive contributions beyond clean sheets
Tackles, interceptions, blocks and clearances. The aim: make defenders from mid- and lower-table teams worth picking, not just the back lines of the top four.
04
Tiered clean sheet points
Strong consensus: GK gets the most, defenders second, midfielders less. A goalkeeper clean sheet should feel meaningfully different from a midfielder one.
05
Keep it simple
A consistent counter-voice worth respecting. Goals, assists and clean sheets. Do not add so many scoring categories that casual managers feel lost in week one.
Both leagues
If both BWSL & BWSL2 included. how do you feel?
38% open to or excited about both leagues
35% prefer BWSL only
229
Very excited or open to including both leagues
45% of experienced fantasy players
218
Want the leagues kept separate
42% of experienced fantasy players
67
Neutral
13% of experienced fantasy players
Strong views on both sides. We hear you, and we will keep working on a format the whole community can get behind.
Familiarity with BWSL2 players (1-5)
2.2 / 5
avg familiarity score
5
4%
4
8%
3
16%
2
26%
1
30%
If both leagues were included. what data would help you play the game?
01
Detailed player stats for all players
Goals, assists, minutes played, clean sheets, cards and form over the last five games. People know they cannot find BWSL2 data elsewhere. It has to be built into the game.
02
Previous season data at launch
A retrospective view so managers can evaluate BWSL2 players before the first gameweek. Without it, everyone defaults to BWSL-only picks and BWSL2 becomes invisible.
03
Injury status and availability
Considered essential. Managers know when BWSL players are unavailable because it makes the news. BWSL2 availability is nearly impossible to track without the game surfacing it.
04
Fixture difficulty ratings
For both leagues. Managers want to plan around fixture swings and make smarter captain and chip decisions. A hard ask without it.
05
Player discovery content
Weekly spotlights, team roundups, ones to watch. People want to be introduced to BWSL2 players, not just handed raw stats. Help them learn who they are.
Season structure
What would keep you playing all season? (select all that apply)
1
Running leaderboard
59%
2
Friends / mini-league
58%
3
Regular prizes
50%
4
Badges / recognition
46%
5
Exclusive content
34%
6
Shorter competitions
17%
What kind of prizes would excite you most?
01
Signed shirts and memorabilia
The dominant ask across all 478 responses. Signed jerseys, boots, balls. Something tangible to keep. The closer it is to a specific player or club, the better.
02
Match tickets and hospitality
Tickets to games, especially big occasions like the FA Cup final. VIP hospitality and box experiences were called out specifically as something that feels genuinely special.
03
Player access and experiences
Meet and greets, training ground visits, watching a session, behind-the-scenes matchday access. Things money cannot easily buy, and strongly preferred over cash by many.
04
Regular smaller prizes through the season
A single end-of-season prize does not sustain engagement. Weekly or monthly prizes, even modest ones, keep managers invested across all 30-plus gameweeks.
05
Prizes that work internationally
A consistent thread from non-UK fans. Video messages from players, digital badges, club store vouchers with international shipping. Anything that does not require you to be in England to use.
Interest in shorter mini-competitions
49%
Yes, love it
31%
No, prefer long season
20%
Unsure
Overall winner vs multiple chances
Overall winner (40%)
Both equally (35%)
Multiple chances (25%)
Features
Chips/boosters used in other fantasy games (select all that apply)
424
Triple Captain
70% of respondents
408
Bench Boost
67% of respondents
367
Wildcard
60% of respondents
275
Free Hit
45% of respondents
53
Never used chips
9% of respondents
Do you want boosters in the game at all?
68%
Keep traditional
27%
Keep it simple
5%
Remove entirely
New to fantasy
14% of respondents have never played fantasy before
72%
want a simple,
easy-to-learn format
easy-to-learn format
67%
want a game built around
a league they already follow
a league they already follow
47%
would spend as long
as it takes to learn
as it takes to learn
34%
want guides
and tutorials
and tutorials
What put them off before
1
Didn't know enough about the players
34%
2
Looked too complicated
32%
3
Just never got around to it
29%
4
Never had anyone to play with
22%
5
Didn't know it existed
13%
6
Too much time commitment
11%
They want in. They just need a way in
The biggest barriers are knowledge and perceived complexity, not lack of interest. Nearly half said they would spend as long as it takes to learn. The BWSL connection is what makes them willing to try.
I would just enjoy the competitive nature of the game.
Getting more involved with the BWSL experience. Something fun to take part in.
I have no idea as I've never played, but it needs to be easy to pick up and understand.
Simplicity is non-negotiable
72% want a simple, easy-to-learn format. This group will leave at the first moment of confusion. Clear rules, an intuitive app, and no jargon are what keep them.
Easy to understand rules and easy to navigate app. I'd like something interesting, but I don't want to spend my entire life having to do it.
Learning more about it as I go along. Not getting confused about what to do next.
Quick feedback and an easy to understand scoring system.
Fun and competition are the hook
When asked what would keep them playing all season, the answers were consistent: fun, friendly competition, and seeing how they are doing. They are not chasing complexity. They are chasing that feeling of being in it.
Having fun and connecting with other BWSL fans.
I think having that level of friendly competition is really important as it will enhance engagement, while still maintaining a high level of fun.
An easy to follow format that doesn't matter if you miss a few days.
Prizes mean BWSL access, not cash
New fans are not asking for money. They want tickets, signed shirts, meet and greets, and experiences that bring them closer to the game they are already passionate about. One person noted they quit a previous fantasy game when told prizes would not ship internationally. Accessibility matters too.
Money can't buy experiences. Merchandise for my favourite team.
Shirts, one to one meetings with players to inspire my daughter who plays football and wants to be a Lioness when she grows up.
Tickets, merch, meet and greets, anything BWSL.
They need someone to play with
63% want to play in public or private leagues. For new players especially, social hooks are what sustain engagement beyond the first few gameweeks. Without a friend group or community to compete against, there is little reason to keep coming back.
Having fun and connecting with other BWSL fans.
Competition with friends, trying to beat them, learning more about new players' strengths and weaknesses.
To make friends and win the competitions.
Community Comments · Round One
What you're telling us
Here are the key themes the Fantasy community has shared so far.
Most requested features
01
Bonus points for low-ownership picks
Extra points for picking players owned by a small percentage of managers. Seen in Champions League Fantasy, LaLiga Fantasy, Aerial Fantasy. It rewards genuine knowledge of the league and stops every squad looking identical.
02
Real player data
Injury status, form, fixture difficulty, minutes played, points breakdowns. Enough information to make smart decisions on players you do not watch every week.
03
Live points and notifications
Real-time scoring during matches, push alerts when your player scores or gets booked, and deadline reminders so you never miss a gameweek.
04
Easy, front-and-centre access
The game should be immediately accessible in the app. Open it, be in the game. Not buried under other content.
05
Transparent pricing
Players priced on output, not profile. Price changes that follow a clear, published logic rather than a black box.
Key themes
You want a game that rewards knowledge
The most consistent theme: you want to be rewarded for actually knowing the league, not just picking the Lionesses and the Arsenal XI. Fantasy, done right, turns followers into superfans.
Stats on players so you're not just choosing the ol' reliables. It gives smaller players more attention and recognition.
I barely watched the BWSL before I started playing fantasy, and it turned me into a superfan. Please give new players the tools to get there too.
An opportunity to immerse myself in women's football even more than I already do.
You're excited about women's football at both tiers
The appetite for both leagues is real and strong. Most of you want dedicated games for each league. That is a vote of confidence in BWSL2, not a rejection of it. The opportunity to grow both leagues through fantasy is enormous.
Separate games means I'd play both. One game means I'd play neither.
I'd love a BWSL2 game and would play it. I just think it deserves its own dedicated game.
I would potentially use mini competitions to incorporate WSL and WSL2 together. Best of both worlds.
What no other fantasy game has given you
Milestone bonuses, player involvement, a genuinely different chip, international prizes, carry-over transfers and a draft league were all raised unprompted. You want something built for this league.
More reward for players invested in with low ownership. It gives an incentive to have them in your squad.
I'd love to know what players like Lucy Bronze or Millie Bright were picking for their own teams.
Genuinely reflect the uniqueness of the women's game rather than copying FPL.
What you're asking us to avoid
One squad spanning both leagues
Views are sharply divided. Many feel the leagues cannot meaningfully combine since the teams never face each other, and managing two divisions feels more overwhelming than exciting. Others argue it could deepen interest in BWSL2 and add genuine strategic depth. We are still working through the right answer.
Overpricing players by name rather than output
You do not want every team built around the same obvious picks. Competitive prices force better decisions.
Making it too complicated
Keep chips manageable. Explain everything clearly. Do not try to do too much too soon.
A glitchy, slow or unreliable app
You would rather wait for something that works than get something rushed. You have been very clear on this.
A paywall
Keep it free. Do not worry. We never will.
Adverts
You want the app to be clean to use.
In your own words
I don't always want new and inventive. I just want reliable, easy to use and fun to play.
Make it good. Make it competitive. Above all, make it fun to play.
Don't focus on the fact it's women's and make it pink and fluffy. The game is full of football fans. Align to that.
This is long overdue. Everyone watches women's football. Let's go.