The Women's England Hockey League is a field hockey league organised by England Hockey that features women's teams from England. From 2011–2020 it was sponsored by Investec and was referred to as the Investec Women's Hockey League.
Format
Regular season There are 62 teams in the league, the top tier consists of a Premier Division of 12 teams. Below this is tier two, which consists of two ten team Division One regional teams (North and South). The third tier consists of three regional conferences North, West, and East, all consisting of ten teams. The teams play each other home and away during an 18 week season from September to April. The league has a winter break between December and February. At the end of the season there are a series of play-offs that decide which teams are promoted and relegated and which team finish as champions. The winners of the Premier Division regular season automatically qualify to play in the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup.
League finals weekend The top four Premier Division teams from the regular season qualify for the League Finals Weekend. The team that wins this tournament will be overall champions of the Women's England Hockey League and will qualify to play in the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup. If the team finishing top of the Premier Division at the end of the regular season also wins the League Finals Weekend tournament, the tournament runners-up will qualify as England's second team in the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup.
2025–2026 teams
Past winners The Women's National League was introduced for the first time in 1989–90. and the inaugural Women's National League title sponsored by Typhoo was won by Slough.
Premier Division Season Champions Runners-up 1989–90 Slough (1) Leicester 1990–91 Slough (2) Leicester 1991–92 Slough (3) Leicester 1992–93 Ipswich (1) Hightown 1993–94 Leicester (1) Ipswich 1994–95 Slough (4) Hightown 1995–96 Hightown (1) Ipswich 1996–97 Slough (5) Ipswich 1997–98 Slough (6) Clifton 1998–99 Slough (7) Ipswich 1999–2000 Hightown (2) Ipswich 2000–01 Leicester (2) Ipswich 2001–02 Slough (8) Olton & West Warwicks 2002–03 Slough (9) Canterbury 2003–04 Hightown (3) Chelmsford 2004–05 Leicester (3) Ipswich 2005–06 Leicester (4) Canterbury 2006–07 Leicester (5) Slough 2007–08 Slough (10) Bowdon Hightown 2008–09 Bowdon Hightown (4) Olton & West Warwicks 2009–10 Slough (11) Leicester 2010–11 Reading (1) Leicester 2011–12 Leicester (6) Reading 2012–13 Reading (2) Leicester 2013–14 Surbiton (1) Canterbury 2014–15 Surbiton (2) Canterbury 2015–16 Surbiton (3) Canterbury 2016–17 Surbiton (4) Holcombe 2017–18 Surbiton (5) Holcombe 2018–19 Surbiton (6) Holcombe 2019–20 Surbiton (7) East Grinstead 2020–21Cancelled due to COVID-19 2021–22 Surbiton (8)Hampstead & Westminster 2022–23East Grinstead (1)Surbiton2023–24Surbiton (9)Hampstead & Westminster2024–25Reading (3)Surbiton
Premiership Tournament/Super Cup Season Champions Runners-up 1998–99 Slough Clifton 1999–2000 Hightown Ipswich 2000–01 Slough Ipswich 2001–02 Olton & West Warwicks Slough 2002–03 Slough Canterbury 2003–04 Hightown Chelmsford 2004–05 Canterbury Leicester 2005–06 Leicester Canterbury
Champions By club ClubChampionRunners-upWinning seasons Slough 11 1 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2007–08, 2009–10 Surbiton 9 2 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2023–24 Leicester 6 6 1992–93, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011–12 Hightown/Bowdon Hightown 4 3 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2003–04, 2008–09 Reading 3 1 2010–11, 2012–13, 2024–25 Ipswich 1 7 1992–93 East Grinstead 1 1 2022–23 Canterbury 0 5 Holcombe 0 3 Olton & West Warwicks 0 2 Hampstead & Westminster 0 2 Clifton 0 1 Chelmsford 0 1
See also England Hockey Women's Championship Cup Men's England Hockey League England Hockey Men's Championship Cup
References