Hibs, Hearts, Spartans and Boroughmuir Thistle among 20 teams to join SPFL as new women's set up takes shape

Hibs, Hearts, Spartans and Boroughmuir Thistle have officially joined the SPFL ahead of the 2022/23 season, with the women’s game coming under the control of the SPFL from next term.

A total of 17 clubs took part in the SWPL1 and SWPL2 divisions during the 2021/22 campaign and they will be joined by new teams East Fife, Gartcairn, and Montrose in the new edition.

Twelve teams – Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Glasgow City, Glasgow Women, Hamilton, Hearts, Hibs, Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Rangers, and Spartans – will contest SWPL1 while Boroughmuir Thistle, East Fife, Gartcairn, Kilmarnock, Montrose, Queen’s Park, St Johnstone, and Stirling University will make up the eight-team second tier.

The reorganisation came about after a majority of the 17 original clubs voted to come under the SPFL umbrella following months of talks between the SPFL, Scottish Women’s Football, the SFA, and the clubs, and the publication of an SFA review carried out between April 2020 and mid-2021 that looked at governance of elite competitions.

It is hoped that the shake-up will help improve the league’s commercial standing and broadcasting deal.

The top two tiers of women’s football in Scotland will be controlled by a separate board within the SPFL with five representatives from the women’s clubs appointed: Chris Duffy of Celtic, Andrew McKinlay of Hearts, Rangers’ Amy McDonald, Glasgow City co-founderLaura Montgomery, and Zola McGoldrick of Boroughmuir Thistle.

Fiona McIntyre, interim managing director of the SWPL, said: “This is an historic day for Scottish women’s football.

“I am delighted to welcome the first 20 clubs to the new league and to congratulate the first club-appointed directors on their election to the board of the SWPL.

Hibs Women are one of 20 teams to have joined the SPFL

“It is important to recognise all the hard work that has taken place to get us to this place. Scottish women’s football can now look forward with confidence as a result of that hard work, and the commitment of so many people over so many years.”

Hibs Women finished fourth in SWPL1 at the end of the 2021/22 season and are expected to be playing out of a stadium in Edinburgh from next term, after spending the last year playing most home games at Livingston’s Tony Macaroni Arena.