Women's Premier League (Singapore)

Women's Premier League (Singapore)
Organising body	Football Association of Singapore (FAS)
Country	Singapore (9 teams)
Confederation	AFC
Level on pyramid	1
International cup(s)	AFC Women's Champions League
Current champions	Lion City Sailors (2nd title)
Most championships	Tampines Rovers / Warriors FC (4 titles)
Website	spl.sg
	Current: 2024 Women's Premier League

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.^[1]

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.^[2]

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.^[3]

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.^[3]

In 2019, WPL had 10 teams.^[4]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, WPL was suspended since 2019.^[4]

On 28 May 2022, WPL resumed competition and started the 2022 season.^[5]

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.^[1]

Clubs

The following eight clubs are competing in the league during the 2022 season.^[1]^[6] 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.

Team	Founded
Albirex Niigata (S)	2022
Balestier Khalsa	2022
Hougang United	2022
Geylang International	2023
Lion City Sailors
Still Aerion	2005
Tampines Rovers
Tanjong Pagar United
Tiong Bahru

Former clubs

Bishan Arsenal^[2]
Young Women (2004-)^[2]
Redhill Rangers^[7]
Paya Lebar Punggol^[8]
Sengkang Marine^[2]
Sengkang Punggol FC
Ang Mo Kio Utd^[7]
Middle Rangers
Eunos Crescent
GFA Sporting Westlake
Warriors FC
Woodlands Wellington
Police Sports Association^[9]

Invited clubs

Guangzhou Sunray Cave (2004-)^[2]
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.^[10]

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.^[10]

Past champions

Season	Winners	Runners-up	Ref
2000	Tampines Rovers	Singapore American School "A"	^[11]
2001	Tampines Rovers	Home United	^[11]
2002	Tampines Rovers	Home United "A"	^[11]
2003	Tampines Rovers	Home United	^[11]
2004	Guangzhou Sunray Cave	Home United	^[11]
2005	Paya Lebar Punggol	Bishan Arsenal	^[11]
2006	Young Women	Paya Lebar Punggol	^[11]
2007	Bishan Arsenal	Young Women	.^[11]
2008	Young Women	Arion	^[11]
2009	Sengkang Punggol	Middle Rangers "A"	^[11]
2010	Ang Mo Kio	Middle Rangers	^[11]
2011	Borussia Zamrud	Police	^[11]
2012	Tanjong Pagar United	Middle Rangers	^[11]
2013	Middle Rangers	Young Women	^[11]
2014	Eunos Crescent	Police	^[11]
2015	GFA Sporting Westlake	Police	^[11]
2016	Warriors	Arion	^[11]
2017	Warriors	Woodlands Wellington	^[11]
2018	Warriors	Woodlands Wellington	^[11]
2019	Warriors	Home United	^[12]
2020	Cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic		^[11]
2021	Cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic		^[11]
2022	Lion City Sailors	Albirex Niigata (S)	^[13]
2023	Lion City Sailors	Albirex Niigata (S)	^[14]

Sponsorship

On 4 May 2022, Deloitte became the title sponsor for the WPL for three years.^[1] The three-year sponsorship deal includes more than $300,000 with the prize money for the champion increased to $25,000.^[1]