Since its inception in 2009, and launch two years later, the Barclays Women's Super League has gone from strength to strength. Here's a rundown of the key moments that have helped shape it: 

December 2009

The FA's Entry Deadline

This was the deadline set for clubs to submit their applications into The FA for entry into the Barclays Women’s Super League. Sixteen clubs applied - with eight going on to be successful and contest the first season 15 months later.

April 2011

Barclays Women's Super League Launched

Barclays Women’s Super League launches with eight founding member clubs in April 2011. Chelsea’s Helen Ward kicks the first ball in the competition in the opening fixture that saw Arsenal defeat the Blues away from home 1-0 at Tooting and Mitcham Football Club, thanks to a goal from defender Gilly Flaherty. The game was also available on TV, having been screened live on ESPN.

March 2012

Alex Scott and Kelly Smith Return

Alex Scott and Kelly Smith returned from the U.S. to rejoin Arsenal after three years with Boston Breakers, following the suspension of the WPS league in the United States. “It feels like they’re ‘coming home’,” said former Arsenal head coach, Vic Akers.

March 2013

Full Membership Available for WSL Players

The PFA announces that full membership will be available for all registered Barclays WSL players from the start of the 2013 season. It also sees the inaugural PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year Award – won by Arsenal’s Kim Little – featured at the PFA Awards held on 28th April 2013. The Barclays WSL's presence was extended further at the 2014 PFA Awards adding Women's Young Player of the Year and also giving female players the chance to nominate their Barclays WSL Team of the Year.

April 2014

BT Sport Hosts the FA WSL 1 & 2 Launch

BT Sport hosts the launch of the Barclays WSL 1 & 2 after the league expands to add a second division that will see promotion and relegation between the two competitions (the Barclays WSL 2 is now known as the Barclays Women’s Championship). The launch is held at their studios to celebrate the unprecedented level of coverage they will offer the league going forward (with 14 live games and 17 review shows - one a week). BT Sport would act as a lead partner, of the Barclays WSL and a broadcast partner alongside the BBC.

October 2014

Dramatic League Finale

The most dramatic finale to the league yet witnessed as Liverpool retained their trophy, on +2 goal difference, with the Barclays WSL trophy hovering between three different locations and the three potential winners. The Reds started third – three points behind leaders Chelsea – but defeated Bristol Academy 3-0, while the Blues lost 2-1 at Manchester City. Birmingham began the day two points behind Chelsea, but could only draw 2-2 at home to Notts County. Blues’ agony included having a Karen Carney penalty saved in spectacular fashion by Carly Telford. The three-way fight to the title was available to watch on BT Sport 2 and via a special free-to-view live stream on BT Sport’s website. BBC Radio 5 Live covered all of the breathless action from ground-to-ground too.

September 2017

The Switch to Winter

The Barclays WSL’s seventh edition was the first to run as a winter league, starting in September and running till May. The transition aligned itself with the men’s calendar and importantly, the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

September 2018

New Full-Time Professional Era

Barclays Women’s Super League entered a new full-time, professional era. Manchester United reformed their women’s team and entered the second tier Championship, while the top three tiers of the women’s pyramid were rebranded. Barclays WSL was restructured to a one-tier, 11-team league. Brighton and West Ham United joined the top-flight after successful bids.

March 2019

Barclays Women's Super League

Barclays are announced as title sponsors of the Barclays Women’s Super League, the multi- million-pound deal marking the biggest ever investment in UK women’s sport by a brand. The partnership saw the introduction of an annual £500,000 prize fund for the league (to be distributed based on final league position) as well as increased marketing - games were advertised on billboards and digital screens across the country. There was also a commitment to drive the growth of grassroots football, with a focus on increasing opportunities for girls to play the game.

November 2019

Women's Football Weekend

The First Women’s Football Weekend launched, placing a spotlight on the women’s game during the men’s international window. With local derbies, fierce rivalries and matches in state-of-the-art stadia, Women’s Football Weekend promised to be another landmark moment in the rapid growth of the women’s game. During the weekend, a new Barclays WSL record crowd of 38,262 was achieved at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Arsenal won 2-0 in the North London derby.

March 2021

Sky Sports and BBC Broadcast Deal

The FA announce a groundbreaking broadcast deal with Sky Sports and the BBC that will see the Barclays Women’s Super League become more visible than ever. This will include 57 live games per season being shown across Sky’s football channels and BBC’s mainstream stations, bringing both significant investment and access.

April 2021

Barclays WSL Turns 10

The Barclays Women’s Super League reached one of its first significant landmarks on the 13 April 2021 by turning ten years old. On the 13 April 2011, Chelsea and Arsenal stepped onto the field at Tooting & Mitcham Football Club to kick-off the very first match in the league, with the Blues’ Helen Ward kicking the first ball in the competition, and Arsenal’s Gilly Flaherty scoring the first goal in a 1-0 win for the Gunners in front of 2,510 fans. What has followed has been a ten-year journey that started with an eight team, semi-professional competition, that has developed into a fully professional 12 team league with added exposure and an ever-increasing audience. Teams have gone full-time, players have become household names, and some of the best talent has come through the England pathway, as well as from abroad. In addition, the league was made more accessible than ever with the launch of the FA Player in August 2019, which provides live streams, highlights and features from across the Barclays Women’s Super League.

December 2023

WSL Record Attendances

The Barclays Women’s Super League has continued to grow following the ten-year anniversary of its creation. Following England Senior Women’s triumph at UEFA Euro 2022, the WSL saw attendances rise to an all-time high in September 2022 when 47,367 fans were in attendance at the Emirates Stadium to watch the North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, with the home side running out 4-0 winners. Since this fixture, the Gunners have twice broken the Barclays WSL attendance record they previously set, firstly on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 season as 54,115 packed into the same venue to watch Arsenal take on Liverpool, before 59,042 fans watched Arsenal beat Chelsea 4-1 in December 2023.

May 2025

A New Name and a New Look

It was the beginning of a new chapter for women's football in England as the Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) revealed new company and league names, new emblems and a new visual identity for the women's professional game. Women's Super League Football (WSL Football) became the name of the independent company overseeing the top divisions of women's professional football, the Barclays Women's Championship became the Barclays Women's Super League 2 (Barclays WSL2) from the 2025/26 season whilst the top tier of the competition, the Barclays Women's Super League (Barclays WSL), remained the same to bring both league names under one umbrella. 

April 2025

Chelsea Win Six in a Row

Chelsea were crowned Barclays Women’s Super League champions for the sixth time in a row with a 1-0 win over Manchester United. The dominant force in English woman's football in recent years, the Londoners would go on to become the fourth team to go unbeaten for the entire season. In fact, they became the first team to avoid defeat in a 22-league game season. Arsenal (2012), Manchester City (2016) and the Blues themselves (2017-18) had previoiusly completed an invincible campaign, but no side had done so over 22 games 

June 2026

League Announces Expansion

The Barclays Women's Super League clubs voted to expand the top tier Barclays WSL to 14 teams from the start of the 26/27 season. To expand the BWSL to 14 teams for the start of 26/27 season, it was agreed that up to three teams would be promoted from the Barclays Women’s Super League 2, which would remain a 12-team league.