A Quick Guide to the 2025/26 SWPL
Want to get into the best league in the world but don't know where to start? Here's your comprehensive guide to the SWPL ahead of the 2025/26 season, condensed into one neat article.
The SWPL should be the most popular league in the world. It’s got drama, it’s got competitiveness, it’s got cult heroes. It is the best league in the world (according to us).
Whether you’ve been captured by the magic of the EUROs (and were wondering what Scottish women’s football is up to), are a fan from another league, or are a dedicated SWPL fan, we’re here to guide you through women’s football in Scotland.
The Structure
The Leagues
This season is the first of a new structure for the SWPL. The top flight (SWPL 1) has been reduced from 12 clubs to 10, while the second tier (SWPL 2) has grown from 8 to 10. In both leagues teams will play each other twice, home and away, before The Split.
The Split signals the end of season run-in with the top six and bottom four in each league separated for the final games of the season, playing home and away in their respective groups. The top six playing against each other for a final 10 games for the title, UWCL (SWPL 1), and promotion (SWPL 2); while the bottom four have a further six games to fight to avoid relegation. Point totals remain from the regular season, but, teams cannot move between the two groups after The Split.
In SWPL 1 teams are fighting to be crowned the SWPL’s best, earning a route to UWCL Champions Path qualifying in the process. The runners-up also enter UWCL qualifying in the League Path. The last placed side are directly relegated, while 9th place enters a playoff at a neutral venue.
In SWPL 2 the 1st placed side earns automatic promotion, as well as a nifty trophy for the collection. 2nd to 4th all enter the promotion playoffs with 3rd playing 4th, followed by the winner of that game playing 2nd, and then the winner of that goes to the final against 9th place in SWPL 1. Last place is relegated to the SWF Championship while 9th plays the Championship runner-up in a playoff to determine who plays in SWPL 2 next season.
The Cups
SWPL sides play in two domestic cup competitions throughout the season, the SWPL Cup and the Scottish Cup.
The Sky Sports SWPL Cup is contested by the 20 member clubs of the SWPL. The eight SWPL 2 teams that finished the previous season with the lowest ranking compete against each other in the first round, with the winners of those ties being matched up with the remaining 12 teams in the second round. It’s a straight knockout competition from there to the final.
The Scottish Cup is open to all senior teams affiliated with the Scottish FA. SWPL teams join the competition at round three, meeting up with the 12 round two winners. The final of the competition is traditionally the last game of the Scottish football season.
The Favourites
SWPL 1
Last season’s title was won by Hibernian, despite being the second most successful club in the country it was their first league honours in 18 years and they will be determined not to wait that long next time. With eight Scottish Cups and seven SWPL Cups to their name, Grant Scott’s side will be hoping to add to their domestic cup collection this season too.
The most successful manager in Rangers history, Jo Potter, may have left the club this summer to move to Crystal Palace but their determination to win their second league title remains. Winners of the double both last season and the season before, they have been pipped to the league with final day losses in both of the last two seasons. Third time could be the charm for them as they move to Ibrox and Leanne Crichton takes the reigns.
Scotland’s most successful club are Glasgow City, a fully independent women’s team founded in 1998 by Laura Montgomery and Carol Anne Stewart, who remain the club’s leaders. They have won 16 league titles, nine Scottish Cups, and six SWPL Cups since inception, but are on their longest title drought since the 2006/07 season (two seasons). They haven’t gone three seasons without a trophy for over 20 years and will be eager to make sure that record remains.
SWPL 2
Spartans suffered relegation on the final day of action last season after a drawn out battle with Montrose that saw them both put in impressive post-Split performances. With the club having played SWPL 1 football every season since 2004 there will be a strong desire to right the wrong of relegation and return to the top flight as soon as possible.
Jim Chapman was Kilmarnock manger when they won the top flight twice alongside three domestic cups in the early 2000s. He returned to the club in 2022 in largely different circumstances as the club themselves in the second tier. They were close runners-up to Hamilton Accies in last season’s SWPL 2 and will be aiming to go one better this season.
Dark Horses
SWPL 1
The North-East’s Aberdeen have certainly raised eyebrows this summer as Scott Booth has overseen some very impressive recruitment (on paper). Katie Cox joins on loan from Chelsea, Jess Broadrick and Kerry Beattie return permanently after loans from Hearts last season, Holly Daniel moves up from Montrose, and that’s not even half of it. They’re still perhaps a few years off of challenging for the title, but they are looking good to add to the season’s drama.
Hearts have improved year-on-year under Eva Olid and after watching their city rivals Hibernian win a dramatic title this season they will be bursting to lift silverware of their own. A first trophy for the cabinet has been on the cards for a number of years now, will this be the season they get it over the line?
SWPL 2
Scotland’s largest academy and another of our independent women’s teams, Boroughmuir Thistle, may have had a lot of squad turnover this summer but are not quiet about their desire for their league status to match their ambition. The club have brought in a number of new recruits who are both young, and have top division experience, as they hunt for promotion.
Where to Watch
Football is best viewed in the stands, but for those of you who can’t make it or are further afield: BBC Alba, BBC Sport Scotland, and Sky Sports hold the broadcast rights for the SWPL.
26 games per season are broadcast live on BBC Alba (usually with Gaelic commentary but some games have English alternate commentary options). One SWPL 2 fixture will also be broadcast live per season on BBC Alba as part of the new broadcast agreement. Additional games are broadcast by BBC Sport Scotland on the iPlayer, and there is a highlights show on BBC Scotland on Monday evenings recapping all the events of the past weekend.
Sky Sports have the rights to show a minimum of five fixtures from the SWPL or SWPL Cup. This usually includes the SWPL Cup final as well as the title deciding fixture.
As well as this, many clubs stream their games on their own channels. Some pay per view, others for free, so make sure you are following your club for all the details.
Not Got a Team?
You’re in luck, we’ve put together these handy flowcharts so you can find out who you are destined to support.
Hungry for more? Why not read this next…
Signings to Watch
In the afterglow of three major international tournaments, the SWPL is making its return from the summer break. It hasn’t been all lounging around in the Scottish summer, drinking cans in the park, and generally enjoying the weather though. Transfer business has been going on across the leagues as teams look to bolster their squads, cement their success…