Blackburn Rovers’ women’s team have been relegated from Women’s Super League 2 (English football’s second tier) after the club decided against meeting the league’s requirements on facilities, player welfare and staffing.
The Lancashire club was given until Monday to state its intention to the Women’s Super League Football (WSL Football) — the organisation in charge of running the top two divisions of English women’s football) — to finance their women’s team’s licensing criteria and retain their tier-two status.
Rovers finished second from bottom in the Championship, rebranded as WSL2 for the 2025-26 season, ahead of relegated Sheffield United.
A meeting with members of the club’s hierarchy took place on Monday May 12 and players and staff were left in limbo since being informed of the situation last Tuesday, May 13. Many within the team were said to be “devastated” by the unfolding situation.
But on Tuesday, they were informed by the club that no financing would be provided.
Regulations for the women’s pyramid state that any club which withdraws from a league can only re‑enter at least two tiers lower. Precedent was set when Reading were relegated to the fifth tier of English football ahead of the 2024-25 season after financial uncertainty and the…
