A new independent company owned by the clubs which has taken control of the top two tiers of English women’s football has been chosen, its chief executive says, to take the sport to “unprecedented levels”.
The Women’s Professional League Limited (WPLL) now controls the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship, and says this will mark the start of a “new era” for the sport.
The WPLL – known as NewCo before the deal was struck – will be led by former Nike director Nikki Doucet, who said there has been “phenomenal growth” in English women’s football but it could go further.
Doucet added: “We are fully committed to maintaining this momentum by building a thriving landscape that prioritises player welfare and development, fosters and energises a vibrant fan community, and promotes the growth of the sport.”
Now that the ownership change is complete, BBC Sport takes a look at what has changed and what might happen in the future.
What are the immediate changes?
Dousset now manages England’s top two leagues and chairs a body which is owned by the clubs competing in each division.
There are other differences too, including the funding the Premier League provides to the WPLL.
-
The WPLL is completely independent of the Football Association and has full control of both divisions
-
Each of the 23 clubs – 12 in the WSL and 11 in the Championship – has a stake
-
The Premier League has given the WPLL £20 million in interest-free loans
-
The Premier League will provide support in areas including broadcasting, commercial and football operations
-
A new board has been set up to manage the body
-
The FA has a “special share” which entitles it to a portion of revenues once a threshold is reached, so it can reinvest in women’s and girls’ football projects at grassroots level.
What else is coming?
Firstly, the company is unlikely to be called WPLL for long and will be renamed in the near future.
The Premier League has received a seat on the new board, but this seat will only last until the £20 million debt is repaid.
The WPLL is in charge of negotiating a new broadcast deal. The current rights agreement with BBC Sport and Sky Sports expires at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Since it now has full control, the WPLL can also make changes to the league’s structure, invest in new technology and umpiring, and implement rule changes.
Who are the new board members?
Don Airey, who has overseen the two leagues within the FA since 2019, is a member of the new board of directors.
The FA and the Premier League both have seats, while there are also three non-executive directors:
-
Sean Cornwell – former chief executive of magazine publisher Immediate Media
-
Maria Raga Francis – Former CEO of online marketplace Depop
-
Malcolm Kpedekpo – a former professional footballer who is a non-executive director of the Scottish Football Association
There is also a new leadership team that reports to Doucet.
That team includes a chief operating officer, interim chief marketing officer, chief football officer and chief revenue officer.