The landscape of women's football in England is set for a dramatic transformation as the Football Association unveils comprehensive new financial regulations for the Women's Super League. These groundbreaking rules, confirmed to take effect from the 2025-26 season, represent the most significant overhaul of the women's game's financial structure to date.
The Salary Floor: Ensuring Competitive Investment
At the heart of the new framework is the introduction of a mandatory salary floor, requiring clubs to commit to minimum spending on player wages. This revolutionary measure is designed to prevent underinvestment and ensure all WSL teams maintain competitive squads.
The regulations establish that clubs must spend at least 40% of their total revenue on player salaries, creating a clear benchmark for financial commitment to their women's teams. This percentage-based approach acknowledges the varying financial capacities of different clubs while maintaining a level playing field.
Squad Size Caps and Contract Security
Alongside the spending requirements, the FA has implemented crucial squad regulations:
- Maximum squad size of 25 players for the 2025-26 season
- Reduction to 23 players from the 2026-27 season onwards
- Enhanced contract protections including mandatory notice periods
- Clearer regulations around contract terminations
These measures address growing concerns about squad sizes and player welfare, ensuring clubs cannot stockpile talent while providing greater job security for athletes.
Financial Sustainability and Competitive Balance
The new rules strike a careful balance between encouraging investment and maintaining financial responsibility. Clubs will face restrictions on spending beyond the salary floor, with additional limits on squad costs to prevent excessive financial risk-taking.
This approach mirrors financial fair play principles from the men's game but is specifically tailored to the unique development stage of women's football. The regulations aim to foster sustainable growth while preventing the emergence of financial disparities that could undermine competition.
Implementation Timeline and Impact
With the 2025-26 season marked as the starting point, clubs now have clear runway to adapt their financial planning and squad strategies. The phased implementation allows for a smooth transition while sending an immediate signal about the professional standards expected in the WSL.
These regulations represent a landmark moment for women's football, establishing the WSL as a professionally regulated competition with financial structures designed to support long-term growth and competitiveness.
