The 2024–25 Women's Championship season (known as the Barclays Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the seventh season of the rebranded Women's Championship, the second tier of women's football in England, and the tenth season since the creation of the WSL 2.
Ahead of the season, it was announced that selected league matches would be streamed live globally on the league's YouTube channel. The transition followed the creation and subsequent takeover of the running of the league by NewCo, now known as WSL Football, an independent, club-owned entity which replaced The Football Association after recommendations from a government-backed review into the women's game in 2023.
Teams
Twelve teams were originally due to compete in the Championship for the 2024–25 season, the same number as the previous season, although this was later reduced to eleven prior to the start of the season. Crystal Palace were promoted to the Women's Super League as 2023–24 Women's Championship winners. They will be replaced by Bristol City who returned to the division following relegation from the Women's Super League after one season. Following a switch to a two down, two up system with the FA Women's National League, the 2024–25 season marks the first time more than one newly promoted team will contest the Championship. Lewes and Watford were relegated to the FA Women's National League, Lewes after a six-season spell and Watford after one season following their promotion the previous year. They were replaced by Newcastle United, winners of the 2023–24 FA Women's National League North, and Portsmouth, winners of the 2023–24 FA Women's National League South. Both these clubs are making their Championship debuts.
On 30 June 2024, it was announced Reading had withdrawn from the Championship and would re-enter at the fifth tier (Southern Region), citing financial issues. The FA confirmed the league would instead operate with eleven teams for the season, reducing from two relegation spots to one. The league will return to a twelve team league at the beginning of the 2025–26 season.
Team Location Ground Capacity 2023–24 season Manager Birmingham City Birmingham St Andrew's 29,902 Amy Merricks Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Ewood Park 31,367 Simon Parker Bristol City Bristol Ashton Gate 27,000 Stephen Kirby Charlton Athletic London The Valley 27,111 Karen Hills Durham Durham Maiden Castle 1,800 (League) 2,400 (Cup) Adam Furness London City Lionesses Bromley Hayes Lane 5,000 Jocelyn Prêcheur Newcastle United Newcastle upon Tyne Kingston Park Stadium 10,200 Becky Langley Portsmouth Havant Westleigh Park 5,300 Jay Sadler Sheffield United Sheffield Bramall Lane 32,050 Ash Thompson Southampton SouthamptonSt Mary's Stadium Remi Allen Sunderland Hetton-le-Hole Eppleton CW 2,500 Melanie Reay
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentSouthampton Marieanne SpaceyChange of role30 April 2024Pre season Remi Allen12 July 2024London City Lionesses Remi AllenEnd of contract9 May 2024 Jocelyn Prêcheur27 June 2024Sheffield United Luke Turner (interim)End of interim period19 July 2024 Ash Thompson19 July 2024Bristol City Lauren SmithResigned27 August 2024 Loren Dykes (interim)27 August 2024 Loren Dykes (interim)End of interim period19 September 20246th Stephen Kirby19 September 2024
Table
Results
Season statistics Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Isobel GoodwinLondon City Lionesses162 Shania HaylesNewcastle United153 Lexi Lloyd-SmithBristol City104 Ellie BrazilCharlton Athletic8 Eleanor DaleSunderland6 Katie BradleyCharlton Athletic7 Jodie HuttonCharlton Athletic Mollie LambertDurham Beth LumsdenNewcastle United10 Chantelle Boye-HlorkahLondon City Lionesses6 Beth HeppleDurham Ffion MorganBristol City13 Kosovare AsllaniLondon City Lionesses5 Aimee ClaypoleDurham Rianna DeanSouthampton Katie KitchingSunderland Simone MagillBirmingham City Molly PikeSouthampton Sophie QuirkPortsmouth
Top assists
Rank Player Club Assists1 Kosovare AsllaniLondon City Lionesses82 Beth HeppleDurham5 Megan HornbyPortsmouth Sofia JakobssonLondon City Lionesses Lois JoelNewcastle United Emily MurphyNewcastle United7 Freya GregoryNewcastle United4 Jodie HuttonCharlton Athletic Lucia KendallSouthampton Katie KitchingSunderland Ffion MorganBristol City Jamie-Lee NapierBristol City Rachel RoweSouthampton Mari WardBristol City15 Sophie BarkerPortsmouth3 Kayleigh BartonCharlton Athletic Natasha FentonSunderland Melisa FilisCharlton Athletic Freya GodfreyLondon City Lionesses Isobel GoodwinLondon City Lionesses Christie Harrison-MurrayBirmingham City Mollie LambertDurham Lexi Lloyd-SmithBristol City Karin MuyaCharlton Athletic Tegan McGowanBirmingham City Lucy QuinnBirmingham City Gloria SiberCharlton Athletic Amber-Keegan StobbsNewcastle United Emily SymeBristol City
Clean sheets
Rank Player Club Clean Sheets1 Lucy ThomasBirmingham City62 Fran StensonSouthampton4 Fran BentleyBristol City4 Tatiana SaundersDurham3 Claudia MoanNewcastle United
See also 2024–25 Women's FA Cup 2024–25 Women's League Cup
References
External links Official website