The FA’s head of women’s competitions, Katie Brazier, has announced the Women’s Super League could be expanded to 24 teams in the near future.
The league has already undergone a transformation this season with the top team in the Women’s Premier League earning promotion to the top flight for the first time since its inception – an honour achieved by Sheffield FC Ladies in May.
The current format of 18 teams across both WSL 1 and WSL 2 is already planned to be increased to 20 sides by 2017, but Brazier is keen for the league to grow even further.
“Where we really want to get to is 24 fully-professional women’s teams playing in the league,” she told BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.
“But we need to do that slowly, so the clubs can become sustainable.”
All new sides applying for entry in to the WSL, alongside proving their financial solvency, will also have to show they can attract an average of 350 spectators in 2016, increasing to at least 400 the following year.
In an interview with BBC Sport Notts County’s Leanne Crichton stated the women’s game is already generations ahead of where she envisioned it would be as a child growing up.
The 27-year-old midfielder will take to the Wembley turf with her teammates this weekend in the first Women’s FA Cup final to be played at the famous stadium in another historic day for women’s football.
“I don’t even know if it [playing at Wembley] would have been a dream because I’m more of a realistic person,” Crichton said.
“The event and day itself will be one to remember. There will be a lot to take away from it, win or lose. It will change the game for the better for the future.”
