The Football Association Women's Championship is the second-highest division of women's football in England.
The division was established in 2014 as FA Women's Super League 2 (WSL 2).
WSL 2 replaced the previous level 2 division, the FA Women's Premier League (WPL) National Division, which ended after its 2012–13 season.
The WPL's last national division champions, Sunderland A.F.C.
Women, were not promoted and also became the first winners of WSL 2 in the 2014 season.
As well as Sunderland, other WPL clubs that joined WSL 2 in 2014 were Watford L.F.C. and Aston Villa L.F.C..
From 2014–2016, WSL 2 ran a summer-based season calendar before reverting to the winter season in 2017–18, as WSL 1 did.
FA WSL 2 was renamed the Women's Championship prior to the 2018–19 season.FA Women's Championship: New name chosen for England's second tier BBC Sport, 26 February 2018 History
thumb|300px|Sunderland AFC Ladies won the FA WSL 2 in 2014 For the 2014 season, the FA Women's Super League was expanded to create a second division with nine new teams added and one team being relegated from the WSL 1.
WSL 1 remained as eight teams, with one new team inserted, with the WSL 2 having ten teams.
The new WSL 1 licence was awarded to Manchester City in 2014.
Doncaster Rovers Belles were relegated to WSL 2, with nine new licences awarded to London Bees, Durham, Aston Villa, Millwall Lionesses, Yeovil Town, Reading, Sunderland, Watford, and Oxford United.
Doncaster Belles appealed against their demotion, but were unsuccessful.
In December 2014, the FA WSL announced a two-year plan to expand WSL 1 from an eight to ten-team league.
Two teams would be promoted from WSL 2, while one team would be relegated to WSL 2.
Also, for the first time, a team would earn promotion to WSL 2 from the Women's Premier League (now National League), effectively connecting the WSL to the rest of the English women's football pyramid.
This left WSL 1 with nine teams and WSL 2 with ten teams for the 2016 season, and with the process repeated the following year, both WSL 1 and WSL 2 consisted of ten teams each for the 2017–18 season.
In addition to being able to prove their financial solvency, clubs applying for entry to the WSL had to show they would attract an average of 350 spectators in 2016, increasing to at least 400 in 2017.
FA WSL 2 was renamed the Women's Championship prior to the 2018–19 season.
Clubs
The following twelve clubs are competing in the 2021–22 season.
Winners
Unless noted, teams in first and second were promoted to the FA WSL.
Notes
a.Not promoted
b.Withdrew from league and relegated
thumb|300px|London Bees v Millwall Lionesses, 15 April 2017 Attendances
In the 2014 season there were 251 fans at a WSL 2 match on average.
In 2015 it increased to 341 with thirteen matches reaching attendances of more than 500 spectators.
Notes
References
External links
Official website
Eng Category:Sports leagues established in 2014 2 2 Category:2014 establishments in England
