The Football Association have confirmed that the termination of the 2019-20 WSL season is very likely, in a statement released on Monday afternoon. Challenges over clubs paying for the testing required and the financial issues of hosting games behind closed doors are likely to be some of the biggest obstacles.
The statement read, “Following an assessment of the protocols required to return to football and feedback from clubs, which is crucial to any decision-making process, it is clear that there will be significant challenges in completing the 2019-20 season.
“We’re continuing to consult with the clubs on the possibility of terminating the 2019-20 season and, in the event it is decided that this appears to be the only realistic way forward, to seek views on the most appropriate sporting outcome for the season.
“This includes identifying entries for the 2020-21 UEFA Women’s Champions League, which would be based on sporting merit from the 2019-20 Barclays FA Women’s Super League season.”
In the event of either points per game or weighted points per game, Arsenal would finish 3rd in the WSL table and outside of the Champions League qualification places. Arsenal are also in the Champions League quarter-finals with a tie against PSG, but there has been no decision on how the Women’s Champions League will be resolved yet by UEFA.
With the Olympics in 2021, Euros in 2022, World Cup in 2023, another Olympics in 2024 and another Euros in 2025, the elite women’s football calendar is about to become very crowded, so fitting in the end of the 2019-20 season is a significant challenge.
Get in the Pools Panel to determine the likely results of the remaining games. That means the Gunners would probably finish 2nd behind Chelsea in the WSL and qualify for CL football next season! The FA have been very canny with their wording; “sporting merit” whatever that means. To me Chelsea would probably have won the WSL and Conti Cup, Arsenal would run them a close 2nd in WSL, potentially winning the FA Cup and may progress a bit further in the Champions league leaving City with nothing for this season. On sporting merit Arsenal and Chelsea qualify but with… Read more »
Not sure about the last bit. In the top 3 we have all played each other twice:- Chelski – won 3, drew 1 MankC – won 1, drew 1, lost 2 AWFC – won 1, lost 3 So, on any criteria of “sporting merit” we finish 3rd and therefore do not qualify for WCL for next season. However, if the WCL is played to a conclusion and we win it we qualify for next season’s competition as holders. If the WCL is terminated at the last 8 stage it’s now at then the argument must be strong to get UEFA… Read more »
Yes you are right. Chelsea beat Man City at home last December which seems like a lifetime ago now. Still thinking in an unbiased way we deserve it more because we should have won the game we lost against City and we should have won the Conti Cup even by Emma Hayes’ admission so we have more sporting merit than City this season even if we cannot argue the same for Chelsea as they haven’t lost a game in WSL and have a another trophy already! As you say, UEFA are pushing domestic leagues for next season’s CL contestants when… Read more »
More seriously, we really need a few more teams in WSL because with the title decided by so few games you more or less have to be “invincible” to win it. Lose a game and you are pretty much stuffed until the likes of Man Utd and, dare I say, the Spuds close the gap to the top three. Unfortunately, in light of world events it is more likely that the league shrinks again with the likes of Liverpool appearing to lose interest (you saw the pitch they were expected to play on in between the postponements) and Reading relying… Read more »
The ultimate Catch 22.
The quest for a self sustaining women’s game in England is surely put on the back burner by the pandemic. Cap in hand to the mens’s clubs it will probably have to be for the foreseeable future.
I wonder what happens regarding the Barclays sponsorship money?