Women's Premier League (Singapore)

The Women's Premier League (WPL), currently known as the Deloitte Women's Premier League due to sponsorship reasons with audit firm Deloitte, is the top-flight women's football league in Singapore. It is run by Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and features seven amateur teams.

History

The WPL started in August 2000 in Singapore.

In 2004, in a similar move to S.League, the WPL invited a foreign team to join the league. Guangzhou Sunray Cave from China joined the WPL.

Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced that the league will be reorganised to form a two-division structure from 2017. The 2017 Women’s Premier League will consist of the teams that finished in the top six positions of 2016 edition, while the new Women’s National League (WNL) will be made up of the teams that finished in the 7th-11th positions, along with any new teams.

Promotion and relegation will be introduced in the new structure. The champions of WNL 2017 will be promoted to WPL 2018, while the last placed team of WPL 2017 will be relegated to WNL 2018. The second-last placed team of the WPL 2017 will play against the first runners-up of WNL 2017 in a playoff. The winner of the playoff will be promoted to WPL 2018.

In 2019, WPL had 10 teams.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, WPL was suspended since 2019.

On 28 May 2022, WPL resumed competition and started the 2022 season.

Competition format

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored.

At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned league champion. If the points, goal difference, goals scored, and head-to-head results between teams are equal, head-to-head records between the teams are used, followed by a better fair play record.

There is no promotion system in the league but clubs with the least points will be relegated. For three seasons onwards from the 2022 season onwards for three seasons, there will be no relegation to the second-tier Women’s National League.

Clubs

The following eight clubs are competing in the league during the 2022 season. The majority of the matches will be played at Choa Chu Kang Stadium with the rest being played at Yishun Stadium and Our Tampines Hub.

Former clubs

• Bishan Arsenal
• Young Women (2004-)
• Redhill Rangers
• Paya Lebar Punggol
• Sengkang Marine
• Sengkang Punggol FC
• Ang Mo Kio Utd
• Middle Rangers
• Eunos Crescent
• GFA Sporting Westlake
• Warriors FC
• Woodlands Wellington
• Police Sports Association

Invited clubs

• Guangzhou Sunray Cave (2004-)
• Borussia Zamrud

Players

The minimum age of players has been raised from 15 to 16. Exceptions are allowed subjected to club's request and FAS's approval. The foreign player quota increased to four from three per club.

Clubs need to register a minimum of 18 players, with a maximum of 25 players in their squads. Each team will be allowed maximum of nine substitutes per match, reduced from 14 substitutes.

Past champions

Sponsorship

On 4 May 2022, Deloitte became the title sponsor for the WPL for three years. The three-year sponsorship deal includes more than $300,000 with the prize money for the champion increased to $25,000.

Broadcasting

Games are broadcast on Deloitte's youtube page.

External links

• Women's Premier League on Instagram
• Women's Premier League on Facebook

References