The Football Association has decided not to press ahead with a proposal to expand tiers three to six of the English women’s football pyramid that would have led to B teams from Women’s Super League teams introduced into the lower leagues in 2026, the Guardian can reveal.
The governing body sent clubs a detailed proposal in January that would have brought WSL B teams into tier four of the pyramid from as early as the 2026-27 season, and meant a major reconfiguration of the leagues’ promotion and relegation structure, but on Wednesday, all lower‑league clubs were informed that the plan will not proceed, following extensive feedback.
