2017–18 FA WSL

The 2017–18 FA WSL 1 was the seventh edition of the FA WSL since it was formed in 2010. It was the first season of WSL which ran as a winter league.^[1] It started in September 2017 and ended in May 2018, with ten teams competing in both leagues.^[1][2][3]

FA WSL 1

Season	2017–18
Champions	Chelsea
Champions League	Chelsea Manchester City
Matches played	90
Goals scored	282 (3.13 per match)
Top goalscorer	Ellen White (15 goals)
Biggest home win	Liverpool 8–0 Yeovil Town (6 January 2018)
Biggest away win	Sunderland 0–6 Chelsea (30 September 2017)
Highest scoring	Liverpool 8–0 Yeovil Town (6 January 2018)
← Spring Series 2018–19 →

The Football Association removed promotion and relegation between the two tiers for the end of the season. The league was instead restructured, with clubs required to apply for licenses under new criteria for the top tier in the 2018–19 season.^[4]

A one-off competition, the FA WSL Spring Series, ran from February to May 2017 to bridge the gap from the 2016 FA WSL season.^[5]

Ten teams competed this season.^[1] Following the closure of Notts County Ladies in April 2017, the FA announced that one place in the league would be given to a team which competed in the Spring Series, based on an evaluation by the FA of applicant clubs' business plans, budget, youth development, facilities and on-pitch performance.^[3] The place was subsequently given to Everton.^[6]

There was no relegation based on results at the end of the season due to the league's restructure.^[4]

Teams

With the collapse of Notts County Ladies just prior to the Spring Series, the ten clubs of WSL 2 were invited to apply for a place in the 2017–18 season. Two sides, champions Everton and runners-up Doncaster Rovers, applied. On 9 June 2017, subject to appeal, Everton were awarded the position.^[6]

Arsenal

Birmingham City

Bristol City

Chelsea

Everton

Liverpool

Manchester City

Reading

Sunderland

Yeovil Town

Locations of the 2017–18 WSL 1 teams

Team	Location	Ground	Capacity	2016 season	Spring Series
Arsenal	Borehamwood	Meadow Park	4,502	3rd	3rd
Birmingham City	Solihull	Damson Park	3,050	5th	7th
Bristol City	Filton	Stoke Gifford Stadium	1,500	2nd, WSL 2	8th
Chelsea	Kingston upon Thames	Kingsmeadow	4,850	2nd	1st
Everton	Widnes	Select Security Stadium	13,350	3rd, WSL 2	1st, WSL2
Liverpool	Widnes	Select Security Stadium	13,350	4th	4th
Manchester City	Manchester	Academy Stadium	7,000	1st	2nd
Reading	High Wycombe	Adams Park	9,617	8th	6th
Sunderland	South Shields	Mariners Park	3,000	7th	5th
Yeovil Town	Yeovil	Huish Park	9,565	1st, WSL 2	9th

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Chelsea (C, Q)	18	13	5	0	44	13	+31	44	Qualification for the Champions League
2	Manchester City (Q)	18	12	2	4	51	17	+34	38
3	Arsenal	18	11	4	3	38	18	+20	37
4	Reading	18	9	5	4	40	18	+22	32
5	Birmingham City	18	9	3	6	30	18	+12	30
6	Liverpool	18	9	1	8	30	27	+3	28
7	Sunderland (R)	18	5	1	12	15	40	−25	16	Did not apply for a licence, Relegated to the FA Women's National League
8	Bristol City	18	5	1	12	13	47	−34	16
9	Everton	18	4	2	12	19	30	−11	14
10	Yeovil Town	18	0	2	16	2	54	−52	2

Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated

Results

Home \ Away	ARS	BIR	BRI	CHE	EVE	LIV	MCI	REA	SUN	YEO
Arsenal	—	3–2	1–1	1–1	1–0	3–0	2–1	3–1	3–0	4–0
Birmingham City	3–0	—	2–0	0–2	2–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	3–0
Bristol City	1–6	0–2	—	0–2	2–1	0–2	1–6	0–5	1–2	1–0
Chelsea	3–2	2–1	6–0	—	1–0	1–0	0–0	2–2	2–1	6–0
Everton	0–2	0–3	1–2	0–1	—	0–2	2–3	2–1	5–1	3–1
Liverpool	0–3	1–0	2–0	2–3	1–1	—	1–0	0–3	3–1	8–0
Manchester City	5–2	3–1	4–0	2–2	3–0	4–0	—	0–2	3–0	5–0
Reading	0–0	2–2	4–0	2–2	3–0	3–0	2–5	—	0–1	3–0
Sunderland	0–2	3–0	1–2	0–6	1–1	1–4	0–3	0–2	—	2–1
Yeovil Town	0–0	0–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	0–1	—

Updated to match(es) played on 15 May 2018. Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

As of 20 May 2018^[7][8]

Rank	Player	Team	Goals
1	Ellen White	Birmingham City	15
2	Nikita Parris	Manchester City	11
3	Beth England	Liverpool	10
4	Remi Allen	Reading	9
	Isobel Christiansen	Manchester City
6	Brooke Chaplen	Reading	8
	Fran Kirby	Chelsea
	Beth Mead	Arsenal

See also

• 2017–18 FA WSL 2
• 2017–18 FA WSL Cup