The 2022–23 FA Women's National League was the 32nd season of the competition, and the fifth since a restructure and rebranding of the top four tiers of English football by The Football Association. Starting in 1991, it was previously known as the FA Women's Premier League. It sat at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the Women's Championship and above the eight regional football leagues.
The league featured six regional divisions: the Northern and Southern Premier divisions at level three of the pyramid, and Division One North, Division One Midlands, Division One South East, and Division One South West at the fourth level. The league consisted of 72 teams, divided into six divisions of 12 each. At the end of the season the winners of the Northern and Southern Premier divisions qualified for a play-off match to decide the overall National League champion which was promoted to the Women's Championship. The bottom two teams from each were relegated to the appropriate fourth tier FA WNL Division One. The winner of each Division One were promoted to the Northern or Southern Premier Division, with the bottom two teams in those leagues relegated to respective regional leagues.
Premier Division Northern Premier Division
Changes from last season: Despite winning the Northern Division, Nottingham Forest lost the Championship play-off and therefore remained in the Premier Division. Boldmere St. Michaels were promoted from Division One Midlands as champions. Liverpool Feds were promoted from Division One North as champions. Middlesbrough were relegated to Division One North. Hull City were relegated to Division One North. Sheffield were relegated to Division One Midlands.
ClubHome groundPosition 2021–22AFC FyldeKelamergh Park, WartonBoldmere St. MichaelsTrevor Brown Memorial Ground, Sutton ColdfieldBrighouse TownYorkshire Payments Stadium, BrighouseBurnleyLancashire County Ground, Leyland Derby CountyDon Amott Arena, DerbyHuddersfield TownThe Stafflex Arena, KirkburtonLiverpool FedsJericho Lane, LiverpoolLoughborough LightningLoughborough University Stadium, LoughboroughNottingham ForestCoronation Park, EastwoodStoke CityNorton Cricket Club, Stoke-on-TrentWest Bromwich AlbionKeys Park, HednesfordWolverhampton WanderersNew Bucks Head, Telford
League table
Results
Southern Premier Division
Changes from last season: Southampton F.C. were promoted to Championship as National League champions. Watford were relegated from Championship. Billericay Town were promoted from Division One South East as champions. Cheltenham Town were promoted from Division One South West as champions. Cardiff City Ladies were relegated to Division One South West. Chichester & Selsey were relegated to Division One South West. Hounslow were relegated to Division One South East. Keynsham Town were relegated to Division One South West.
ClubHome groundPosition 2021–22Billericay TownNew Lodge, BillericayBridgwater UnitedFairfax Park, BridgwaterCheltenham TownCorinum Stadium, CirencesterCrawley WaspsCamping World Community Stadium, HorshamGillinghamRede Court Road, RochesterIpswich TownThe Goldstar Ground, FelixstoweLondon BeesThe Hive, EdgwareMilton Keynes DonsStadium MK, Milton KeynesOxford UnitedMarsh Lane, MarstonPlymouth ArgyleManadon Sports Hub, PlymouthPortsmouthWestleigh Park, HavantWatfordGrosvenor Vale, Ruislip
League table
Results
Championship play-off The overall FA Women's National League champion was decided by a play-off match held at the end of the season between the Northern Division and Southern Division winners. The play-off match also earned promotion to the Women's Championship subject to meeting licensing requirements.
Division One Division One North
Changes from last season: Liverpool Feds were promoted to Northern Premier Division as Division One North champions. Hull City were relegated from Northern Premier Division. Middlesbrough were relegated from Northern Premier Division. Merseyrail were promoted as North West Women's Regional Football League champions. York City were promoted as North East Regional Women's Football League champions. Alnwick Town were relegated to North East Regional Women's Football League. Chester-le-Street were relegated to North East Regional Women's Football League. F.C. United of Manchester were relegated to North West Women's Regional Football League.
ClubHome groundPosition 2021–22BarnsleyWombwell Recreation Ground, Wombwell Bradford CityPlumpton Park, WroseChorleyBlainscough Park, CoppullDurham CestriaThe Graham Sports Centre, DurhamHull CityHaworth Park, Kingston upon HullLeeds UnitedIngs Lane, TadcasterMerseyrailAdmiral Park, ToxtethMiddlesbroughBedford Terrace, BillinghamNewcastle UnitedDruid Park, WoolsingtonNorton & Stockton AncientsStation Road, Norton, County DurhamStockport CountyStockport Sports Village, StockportYork CityHaxby Road Sports Park, York
League table
Division One Midlands
Changes from last season: Boldmere St. Michaels were promoted to Northern Premier Division as Division One Midlands champions. Sheffield were relegated from Northern Premier Division. Northampton Town were promoted from East Midlands Regional Women's Football League as champions. Stourbridge were promoted from West Midlands Regional Women's Football League as champions. Bedworth United were relegated to West Midlands Regional Women's Football League. Burton Albion were relegated to West Midlands Regional Women's Football League. Despite finishing the 2021–22 season in a relegation place in 10th, Wem Town were handed a reprieve from relegation.
ClubHome groundPosition 2021–22Doncaster Rovers BellesIqbal Stadium, MoorendsLeafield AthleticDickens Heath Sports Club, SolihullLeek TownHarrison Park, LeekLincoln CityMoorlands Sports Ground, LincolnLong Eaton UnitedGrange Park, Long EatonNorthampton TownLarkhall Lane, HarpolePeterborough UnitedMick George Training Academy, OrtonSheffieldHome of Football Ground, DronfieldSolihull MoorsDamson Park, SolihullSporting KhalsaAspray Arena, WillenhallStourbridgeWar Memorial Ground, StourbridgeWem TownButler Sports Centre, Wem
League table
Division One South East
Changes from last season: Billericay Town were promoted to Southern Premier Division as Division One South East champions. Hounslow were relegated from Southern Premier Division. Chesham United realigned from Division One South West. Ashford Town were promoted from London and South East Women's Regional Football League as champions. Wymondham Town were promoted from Eastern Region Women's Football League as champions. Enfield Town were relegated to London and South East Women's Regional Football League. Harlow Town were relegated to Eastern Region Women's Football League. Kent Football United were relegated to London and South East Women's Regional Football League and rebranded to Ebbsfleet United. Stevenage were relegated to Eastern Region Women's Football League. Wymondham Town withdrew from the league on 14 October 2022 and their results were expunged. Hounslow withdrew from the league on 28 February 2023 and their results were expunged. As a result of two teams withdrawing, there was no longer any relegation from Division One South East.
ClubHome groundPosition 2021–22ActoniansRectory Park, NortholtAFC WimbledonPlough Lane, WimbledonAshford TownRobert Parker Stadium, StanwellCambridge CityThe Demcom Stadium, ElyCambridge UnitedRowley Park, St NeotsChesham UnitedThe Meadow, CheshamHashtag UnitedParkside, AveleyHounslowRectory Meadow, HanworthLondon SeawardHornchurch Stadium, UpminsterNorwich CityThe Nest, HorsfordQueens Park RangersPowerday Stadium, PerivaleWymondham TownKings Head Meadow, Wymondham
League table
Division One South West
Changes from last season: Cheltenham Town were promoted to Southern Premier Division as Division One South West champions. Cardiff City Ladies were relegated from Southern Premier Division. Keynsham Town were relegated from Southern Premier Division. Chichester & Selsey were relegated from Southern Premier Division and rebranded to Selsey. Chesham United realigned to Division One South East. AFC St Austell were promoted from South West Regional Women's Football League as champions. Moneyfields were promoted from Southern Region Women's Football League as champions. Poole Town were relegated to South West Regional Women's Football League.
ClubHome groundPosition 2021–22AFC BournemouthPotterne Park, VerwoodAFC St AustellPoltair Park, St AustellCardiff City LadiesCCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad MynachExeter CityCullompton Cricket Club, CullomptonKeynsham TownCrown Field, KeynshamLarkhall AthleticLarkhall Sports Club, LarkhallMaidenhead UnitedYork Road, MaidenheadMoneyfieldsMoneyfields Sports Ground, PortsmouthPortishead TownBristol Road, PortisheadSelseyThe High Street Ground, SelseySouthampton Women'sArlebury Park, New AlresfordSwindon TownCinder Lane, Fairford
League table
See also 2022–23 FA Women's National League Cup 2022–23 FA Women's National League Plate 2022–23 Women's Super League (tier 1) 2022–23 Women's Championship (tier 2)
References
External links Official website of the FA Women's National League