The 2021–22 FA Women's National League was the 31st season of the competition, and the fourth 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 FA Women's Championship and above the eight regional football leagues.
The league featured 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 consisted of 76 teams, divided into six divisions of 13 teams apart from the Southern Premier Division which contains 14 teams, Division One North which contains 12 teams, and Division One South West which contains 11 teams. At the end of the season the winners of the Northern and Southern Premier divisions qualified for a play-off match to decide the overall National League champion. Southampton beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in the final and were promoted to the FA Women's Championship.
Premier Division Northern Premier Division
Changes from last season:
Following the second consecutive curtailment of the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021, it was decided that upward club movement within the women's football pyramid would be done via application. All clubs from tiers 3 to 6 were eligible to apply to move into the league immediately one tier above where they currently played with applications marked against a criterion weighted 75% on-field and 25% off-field. Sunderland were promoted to FA Women's Championship via application. Brighouse Town were promoted from Division One North via application. Wolverhampton Wanderers were promoted from Division One Midlands via application. Loughborough Foxes merged with Loughborough University's performance team to become Loughborough Lightning.
ClubHome groundPosition 2020–21AFC FyldeKelamergh Park, WartonBrighouse TownYorkshire Payments Stadium, BrighouseBurnleyCrown Ground, AccringtonDerby CountyDon Amott Arena, DerbyHuddersfield TownThe Stafflex Arena, KirkburtonHull CityHaworth Park, Kingston upon HullLoughborough LightningLoughborough University Stadium, LoughboroughMiddlesbroughBedford Terrace, BillinghamNottingham ForestCoronation Park, EastwoodSheffieldHome of Football Ground, DronfieldStoke CityNorton Cricket Club, Stoke-on-TrentWest Bromwich AlbionCentral Ground, Sutton ColdfieldWolverhampton WanderersCastlecroft Stadium, Wolverhampton
League table
Results
Southern Premier Division
Changes from last season:
Following the second consecutive curtailment of the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021, it was decided that upward club movement within the women's football pyramid would be done via application. All clubs from tiers 3 to 6 were eligible to apply to move into the league immediately one tier above where they currently played with applications marked against a criterion weighted 75% on-field and 25% off-field. Watford were promoted to FA Women's Championship via application. London Bees were relegated from FA Women's Championship on sporting merit. Ipswich Town were promoted from Division One South East via application. Southampton were promoted from Division One South West via application. Yeovil United became Bridgwater United W.F.C. after merging with men's club Bridgwater Town.
ClubHome groundPosition 2020–21Bridgwater UnitedFairfax Park, BridgwaterCardiff CityCCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad MynachChichester & SelseyThe High Street Ground, SelseyCrawley WaspsCamping World Community Stadium, HorshamGillinghamRede Court Road, RochesterHounslowRectory Meadow, HanworthIpswich TownThe Goldstar Ground, FelixstoweKeynsham TownCrown Field, KeynshamLondon BeesThe Hive, EdgwareMilton Keynes DonsStadium MK, Milton KeynesOxford UnitedMarsh Lane, MarstonPlymouth ArgyleManadon Sports Hub, PlymouthPortsmouthWestleigh Park, HavantSouthamptonSnows Stadium, Totton
League table
Results
Championship play-off The overall FA WNL champion was decided by a play-off match held at the end of the season between the Northern Division and Southern Division winners. The play-off match winner also earned promotion to the FA Women's Championship subject to meeting licensing requirements. The game was broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Division One Division One North
Changes from last season:
Following the second consecutive curtailment of the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021, it was decided that upward club movement within the women's football pyramid would be done via application. All clubs from tiers 3 to 6 were eligible to apply to move into the league immediately one tier above where they currently played with applications marked against a criterion weighted 75% on-field and 25% off-field. Brighouse Town were promoted to Northern Premier Division via application. Alnwick Town were promoted from North East Regional Women's Football League via application. F.C. United of Manchester were promoted from North West Women's Regional Football League via application. Bolton Ladies folded and withdrew from the league prior to the start of the 2021–22 season.
ClubHome groundPosition 2020–21Alnwick TownSt James Park, AlnwickBarnsleyBarnsley FC Academy, BarnsleyBradford CityPlumpton Park, WroseChester-le-StreetMoor Park, Chester MoorChorleyBlainscough Park, CoppullDurham CestriaThe Graham Sports Centre, DurhamF.C. United of ManchesterBroadhurst Park, MostonLeeds UnitedIngs Lane, TadcasterLiverpool FedsJericho Lane, LiverpoolNewcastle UnitedDruid Park, WoolsingtonNorton & Stockton AncientsStation Road, Norton, County DurhamStockport CountyStockport Sports Village, Stockport
League table
Division One Midlands
Changes from last season:
Following the second consecutive curtailment of the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021, it was decided that upward club movement within the women's football pyramid would be done via application. All clubs from tiers 3 to 6 were eligible to apply to move into the league immediately one tier above where they currently played with applications marked against a criterion weighted 75% on-field and 25% off-field. Wolverhampton Wanderers were promoted to Northern Premier Division via application. Leek Town were promoted from West Midlands Regional Women's Football League via application. Peterborough United were promoted from East Midlands Regional Women's Football League via application. Holwell Sports folded on 3 January 2022 and their results were removed from the league table.
ClubHome groundPosition 2020–21Bedworth UnitedThe Oval, BedworthBoldmere St. MichaelsTrevor Brown Memorial Ground, Sutton ColdfieldBurton AlbionHillsfield, RocesterDoncaster Rovers BellesOxford Street, RossingtonHolwell SportsWelby Road, Asfordby HillLeafield AthleticDickens Heath Sports Club, SolihullLeek TownHarrison Park, LeekLincoln CityMoorlands Sports Ground, LincolnLong Eaton UnitedGrange Park, Long EatonPeterborough UnitedMick George Training Academy, OrtonSolihull MoorsDamson Park, SolihullSporting KhalsaAspray Arena, WillenhallWem TownButler Sports Centre, Wem
League table
Division One South East
Changes from last season:
Following the second consecutive curtailment of the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021, it was decided that upward club movement within the women's football pyramid would be done via application. All clubs from tiers 3 to 6 were eligible to apply to move into the league immediately one tier above where they currently played with applications marked against a criterion weighted 75% on-field and 25% off-field. Ipswich Town were promoted to Southern Premier Division via application. Harlow Town were promoted from Eastern Region Women's Football League via application. Queens Park Rangers were promoted from London and South East Women's Regional Football League via application. Leyton Orient were rebranded London Seaward after Leyton Orient severed ties with the club.
ClubHome groundPosition 2020–21ActoniansRectory Park, NortholtAFC WimbledonNew Plough Lane, WimbledonBillericay TownNew Lodge, BillericayCambridge CityThe Demcom Stadium, ElyCambridge UnitedRowley Park, St NeotsEnfield TownQueen Elizabeth II Stadium, EnfieldHarlow TownThe Harlow Arena, HarlowHashtag UnitedPark Lane, Canvey IslandKent Football UnitedGlentworth Sports Club, KentLondon SeawardHornchurch Stadium, UpminsterNorwich CityThe Nest, HorsfordQueens Park RangersPowerday Stadium, PerivaleStevenageHertingfordbury Park, Hertford
League table
Division One South West
Changes from last season:
Following the second consecutive curtailment of the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021, it was decided that upward club movement within the women's football pyramid would be done via application. All clubs from tiers 3 to 6 were eligible to apply to move into the league immediately one tier above where they currently played with applications marked against a criterion weighted 75% on-field and 25% off-field. Southampton were promoted to Southern Premier Division via application. Brislington took voluntary relegation to South West Regional Women's Football League. Bournemouth were promoted from Southern Region Women's Football League via application. Portishead Town were promoted from South West Regional Women's Football League via application. Buckland Athletic withdrew from the league on 7 December 2021 and their results were removed from the league table.
ClubHome groundPosition 2020–21BournemouthPotterne Park, VerwoodBuckland AthleticHomers Heath, Newton AbbotCheltenham TownCorinum Stadium, CirencesterChesham UnitedThe Meadow, CheshamExeter CityCullompton Cricket Club, CullomptonLarkhall AthleticLarkhall Sports Club, LarkhallMaidenhead UnitedYork Road, MaidenheadPoole TownDorset County Ground, PoolePortishead TownBristol Road, PortisheadSouthampton WomenArlebury Park, New AlresfordSwindon TownCinder Lane, Fairford
League table
See also 2021–22 FA Women's National League Cup 2021–22 FA Women's National League Plate 2021–22 FA WSL (tier 1) 2021–22 FA Women's Championship (tier 2)
References
External links Official website of the FA Women's National League