Grassroots women’s game expands again as development leagues join four-division SWFL

Scottish Women’s Football will introduce two development leagues alongside their regional pyramid divisions as the opportunities for women to play competitive football across Scotland continues to grow.

In the 2024/25 season, the emergence of ten new teams saw 49 teams contest Scotland’s fifth tier of women’s football. Further growth for the new season has required further structural development.

With more girls continuing to play football as they age out of the youth game and with increasing competition from ambitious clubs to develop and progress up the pyramid, the new season will see club development teams now compete in East and West divisions, allowing the Scottish Women’s Football League to return to four regional North, South, East and West divisions of 11 or 12 teams.

Affiliation for the reserve leagues closes on Friday, and the new development divisions will kick off league games in January, allowing girls who have just aged out of 18s to join.

The new growth comes just two full seasons after the leagues were expanded from three to four and moved into the Scottish Women’s Football pyramid, with nine teams already having been promoted to the national leagues since.

Full promotion and relegation will continue this season between the Barclays Scottish Women’s League One and the regional leagues via end-of-season play-offs.

Commenting ahead of the new season, SWF operations and competitions manager Kirsty Fowler said: “The growth in women’s grassroots football is astonishing, as once again new teams have emerged to provide new opportunities for women and girls across Scotland to be involved in structured, competitive football.

“As these new teams emerge with new talent, new ambitions and new stories rooted in their communities, it’s easy to forget that it has been only a few short years since the current SWFL was three leagues with no progression to national football. We’ve seen that with nine teams promoted to the national leagues in just three years, and with no team folding mid-season for the first time in ages, that SWF’s development of the national pyramid is ensuring sustainable growth.

“And with more girls continuing to play as they age out of our youth game, it is also vital that we provide a platform for those clubs with development teams to ensure these girls have a place where they can continue to learn and progress.”

New teams for 2025/26 in SWFL North include Buckie Ladies, who move into the pyramid from the ScottishPower Highlands and Islands League, Dundee West, who were relegated from Barclays League One, and Jeanfield Swifts, who have launched their own senior women’s team.

New teams for 2025/26 in SWFL East include Loanhead Miners, Thornton Hibs and HFC Community Club.

The teams will begin the season playing ScottishPower Regional League Cup fixtures on 10 August. Based on feedback from clubs, each league is split into two sub-regional groups to minimise travel costs where possible. The top three in each group progress to the ScottishPower Regional League Cup knockout stage, with the remaining teams entering the ScottishPower Regional League Plate.

League games will commence following the cup group stages on 28 September.

At the season’s conclusion, the four SWFL champions will meet in two play-offs for two spots in Barclays Scottish Women’s League One.

All fixtures will be published soon.

League and league cup groups are in full below:

SWFL 2025/26:

SWFL North: Aberdeen City, Arbroath, Blairgowrie & Rattray, Buchan Ladies, Buckie Ladies, Dundee West, Dyce, Grampian, Huntly, Jeanfield Swifts, Ross County, Stonehaven

SWFL East: Bayside, Danderhall Miners, Dunfermline Athletic, Edinburgh South, Edinburgh University, HFC Community, Loanhead Miners, Murieston United, Musselburgh Windsor, Penicuik Athletic, Thornton Hibs

SWFL Central/West: Alloa Athletic, Bishopton, Carron Huskies, Central Girls, Cumbernauld Colts, Cumbernauld United, Drumchapel United, Dumbarton, Gleniffer Thistle, Linlithgow Rose, West Park United

SWFL South: Annan Athletic, Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Benburb, Cumnock Juniors, Dalbeattie Star, Giffnock Soccer Centre, Gretna 2008, Harmony Row, Newton Stewart, St Anthony’s, Stewarton United

ScottishPower Regional League Cup Group stages: