Women’s Professional Leagues Limited have completed their takeover of the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship.
This takeover will allow both leagues to further develop and grow to build upon the growth of women’s football, with each club participating in both leagues acting as a shareholder in the new company.
Nikki Doucet has been appointed as CEO of Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), which seeks to build ‘the most distinctive, competitive and entertaining women’s football club competition in the world for the players and fans of today and tomorrow.’
Upon her appointment as CEO, Doucet vowed to build upon the current foundations in partnership with every club across the top two divisions, in order to create sustainable progression.
“The next successful era of the women’s professional game will be built on the foundations of collaboration and we are excited to work together with all stakeholders to drive transformational and sustainable growth across our leagues by leveraging the distinctive qualities, values and principles which exist in the women’s game.”
Doucet also acknowledged the progress seen so far across fan engagement and rising match attendances, which this summer saw several clubs commit to select fixtures at their main stadiums.
“Women’s football in England has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years, marked by increased fan engagement, rising attendance at matches, and a surge in participation at all levels.
“We are fiercely committed to building on this momentum by creating a thriving landscape which prioritises the welfare and development of players, fosters and excites a vibrant fan community, and nurtures the sport’s growth.”
Chair of WPLL Board of Directors, Dawn Airey added that the new company is “… excited to harness the full potential of women’s football.
“We know that with a unified vision and collaborative effort, we can shape an exhilarating future for women’s football, inspiring and delighting both the current and next generation of players and fans.”
FA Chief Executive, Mark Bullingham spoke of his “proud” feeling at the completion of this deal, as he thanked “… everyone who has worked tirelessly to establish and evolve our leagues to be amongst the best in the world.”
Bullingham also iterated that Doucet is the right person to lead women’s football forward, as he concluded: “Now is the opportunity for Nikki to lead the next phase of growth, with an independent company purely focused on women’s professional football.
“I have no doubt that she and the team will take the leagues to new heights and we look forward to supporting them on this exciting journey.”
WPLL will receive support from the Premier League with a cooperation and funding agreement, which includes a £20m loan to ‘provide vital capital to build strong foundations and invest in areas such as recruitment and the development of long-term projects.’
Both parties will also engage in ‘extensive support and knowledge-sharing in a wide range of areas, including broadcasting, commercial and football operations.’
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