Sheffield United get reprieve to stay in WSL 2 after Blackburn withdrawal

Sheffield United are to be given a reprieve from relegation and remain in the second tier, WSL 2, next season, the Guardian understands.

The decision, made by the Football Association, follows Blackburn Rovers’ decision to withdraw from the English women’s pyramid’s second tier for financial reasons.

Sheffield United had finished bottom of tier two last season but have met all the requirements for a WSL 2 licence. Burnley, a third-tier club also applied to fill the vacancy left by Blackburn afrer pledging to move to full-time status, but it is understood guidance in the FA handbook led to the decision to select Sheffield United instead.

It means there will be 12 teams in WSL 2 next term, avoiding a repeat of the 2024-25 campaign which only saw 11 teams participate following last summer’s eleventh-hour withdrawal of Reading.

Confirming the news later on Wednesday afternoon, a statement from WSL Football – the independent company that runs England’s top two women’s divisions – said: “Following Blackburn’s decision to withdraw from the Women’s Super League 2, WSL Football decided that the resulting vacancy should be filled.

“After careful consideration of all the options in accordance with the FA Women’s Football Pyramid Regulations, WSL Football requested that Sheffield United be given a reprieve from relegation to take what would otherwise have been the vacant space. The FA approved the request and gave permission to WSL Football to not relegate a club. The promotions of Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town from the Women’s National League are unaffected by this process.”

The news comes on the same day that the fourth-tier women’s club Barnsley FC have withdrawn from their league with the club chairman, Neerav Parekh, saying that “funding does not trickle down sufficiently” from the top leagues when citing the club’s reasons for their decision. They finished eighth in Division One North of the FAWNL this season.

With Blackburn dropping down the divisions, Halifax are also expected to be given a reprieve from relegation in the third tier and stay in the Women’s National League Northern Premier League.

Blackburn Rovers confirmed their withdrawal from the WSL 2 on 20 May and that they will re-enter at least two tiers below. The owners had been unwilling to provide the funding to meet the division’s new minimum licence requirement.

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Nikki Doucet, the WSL Football chief executive, said at the time: “This is a sad day for women’s football and our hearts go out to the players, staff and fans at Blackburn Rovers FC Women affected by this decision to withdraw from the Women’s Super League 2. We have been working with the club all season to prevent this outcome and we are disappointed it has come to this.”

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