Inverness Caledonian Thistle to compete in new-look National Championship for 2022/23 as Scottish Women's Football unveil restructure of remaining leagues
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Scottish Women's Football have announced a restructuring of their remaining performance pathway leagues, confirming that a national Championship and League One will be brought in for the 2022/23 season.
Previously, all divisions below the Scottish Women's Premier League One and Two were regionalised, with a Championship North and South making up the remainder of teams in the SWF arm.
With the SWPL moving under the governance of the SPFL, though, SWF have taken the opportunity to revitalise their remaining competitions.
The top tier under SWF's governance will become the Championship, which will be made up of eight sides from across Scotland for the 2022/23 campaign – determined by specific criteria including commitments to youth pathways and player well-being.
There will also be an obligation for teams to provide sanitary products at matches.
Caley Thistle have a strong youth set-up after the Inverness outfit absorbed the former Thistle Girls, with more girls now in the ICT academy than boys, and the club have big plans in place for a new facility across from Inverness Royal Academy that would serve as a dedicated home for the women's team.
Below the Championship will sit a 14-team League One. For the first season, there will be no relegation from the Championship, but two teams who have met the minimum requirements will be promoted from League One to create a Championship League of 10 criteria-compliant teams.
A meeting of the new league structure will take place on Monday, July 4.
Scottish Women’s Football chief executive officer Aileen Campbell said of the developments: “Women’s football in Scotland is growing and reaching every part of the country.
“Our new Championship will represent an exciting and competitive contest among eight teams from right across Scotland, culminating in a prestigious trophy in its own right. I’m delighted that participating clubs have shown a commitment to the wellbeing of their players – things like ensuring sanitary products are available at training facilities – and providing player pathways, to give girls opportunities to play at a grassroots level.
“League One will also be a fiercely competitive league, with the prize of two places in the Championship up for grabs. As professionalism grows at the top of the game we need to ensure a route is there for every woman in the country to have the opportunity to participate and reach the top, and I’m confident the new structure will showcase the best our clubs have to offer.”
The following teams will compete in the new SWF Championship:
Ayr United
Dryburgh Athletic
Hutchison Vale
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Livingston
Morton
Rossvale
Renfrew Ladies
The following teams will compete in the new SWF League One:
Airdrie
Bishopton
BSC Glasgow
Buchan
Dundee City West
Edinburgh Caledonia
Edinburgh City
Falkirk
Giffnock SC
Grampian
Gleniffer Thistle
St Mirren
Stenhousemuir
Westdyke
