The Women's National League South, currently known as the FA Women's National League Southern Premier is a league in the third level in the women's football pyramid in England, along with the Northern Premier division. These two divisions are part of the FA Women's National League and below the Women's Super League and Women's Super League 2.
The league is played on a home and away basis, with each team playing each other twice, and points being awarded in the standard three points for a win format. The bottom two clubs are relegated, also on a geographical basis, to the Division One South West, and Division One South East.
For the 2023/24 season, changes were made meaning that two clubs would be relegated from the Women's Championship allowing one team each from National League Northern Premier and Southern Premier to be promoted to the Championship rather than having to play a season end playoff. This change resulted in two teams being relegated from the Championship at the end of the season.
Southern Premier Division teams are eligible to play in the Women's National League Cup as well as the Women's FA Cup.
Name It was known as the 'Women's Premier League Southern Division' before the 2018–19 season.
Current teams (2025–26 season)
ClubHome groundPosition 2024–25AFC BournemouthLong Lane, RingwoodAFC WimbledonGrand Drive, Raynes ParkBillericay TownNew Lodge, BillericayCheltenham TownKayte Lane, Bishop's CleeveExeter CityCoach Road, Newton AbbotGwalia UnitedNewport Stadium, NewportHashtag UnitedParkside, AveleyLewesThe Dripping Pan, LewesOxford UnitedMarsh Lane, MarstonPlymouth ArgyleHome Park, PlymouthReal BedfordMcMullen Park, BedfordWatfordGrosvenor Vale, Ruislip
Previous winners
SeasonClub1991–92Arsenal1992–93District Line1993–94Bromley Borough1994–95Maidstone Tigress1995–96Southampton Saints1996–97Berkhamsted Town1997–98Ilkeston Town1998–99Reading Royals1999–2000Barry Town2000–01Brighton & Hove Albion2001–02Fulham2002–03Bristol Rovers (later Bristol Academy, now Bristol City)2003–04Bristol City (later AFC Team Bath, now defunct)2004–05Chelsea2005–06Cardiff City2006–07Watford2007–08Fulham2008–09Millwall Lionesses2009–10Barnet2010–11Charlton Athletic2011–12Portsmouth2012–13Reading2013–14Coventry CityPromotion to Women's Championship via NL play-off2014–15Portsmouth2015–16Brighton & Hove Albion2016–17Tottenham Hotspur2017–18Charlton Athletic2018–19Coventry United2019–20not awarded2020–21not awarded2021–22Southampton F.C.2022–23WatfordAutomatic promotion to Women's Super League 22023–24Portsmouth2024–25Ipswich Town2025–26Watford
From the 2014–15 season until the 2023–24 season, the winning team from the National League South took part in a play-off game against the winning team of the Northern Division of the National League. The overall winner of this match was promoted to the Women's Championship. The overall champions of the FA Women's National League, the teams promoted in this period, are marked in bold.
From the 2023–24 season onwards, the English FA decided to remove the play-off between the two winners of the National League divisions, with both teams being promoted to the Women's Championship.
See also Women's association football List of women's football teams International competitions in women's association football
References
External links The FA Women's Page