Chelsea boss Emma Hayes calls for radical WSL change to boost "unpredictability"

06 October 2023 , 17:34

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Chelsea Head Coach Emma Hayes (Image: Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has called for the Women's Super League to be expanded to 18 teams to boost the "unpredictability" of the women's top-flight in England.

The WSL is currently comprised of 12 teams, with clubs managing a 22-match campaign along with two domestic cup competitions. Since the WSL's establishment in 2010, Chelsea have claimed six league titles. Arsenal have claimed three titles, while Liverpool have won two and Manchester City seized one.

Under Hayes, the Blues won their fourth title on the trot last season, though they were impressively pushed to the final day by runners-up Manchester United who finished two points behind the reigning champions.

Despite the welcomed increase in competition in the title race, Hayes believes the league is still too formulaic and has called for a six-team expansion to offset the league's predictable nature.

"It's time to grow. It's time to go from 12 to 16 or 18 teams," the Chelsea boss said in a press conference ahead of her side's league match with Manchester City on Sunday. "Lots of people said we weren't at our best last season but we had a record points total to win the league," she added. .

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"There is more unpredictability than ever [in the WSL]. The opening game demonstrates that. The question we should be asking is when are we going to make our league a bit bigger?"

The perceived stratification of the WSL has been a major talking point over the last few years, with Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United creating a near-insurmountable top four with the remaining eight clubs battling it out for a 'best of the rest' title.

This season's Carla Ward's Aston Villa are bidding to upset the entrenched status quo, though their bid of doing so has already proved a heady challenge after falling to a 2-1 defeat at home to Man Utd on the opening day of the season.

In the current women's football pyramid, only one team is relegated from the WSL and one team promoted from the Women's Championship, the second-tier of women's football in England.

Chelsea have run four successive WSL titles under manager Emma Hayes

Last season's Championship promotion race reached the penultimate game of the season before Bristol City emerged victorious.

But an influx of investment and commitment from respective club ownership has created a highly-competitive second division in which the gap between the bottom half of the WSL and the top half of the Championship is seen to be shrinking.

Nevertheless, broaching the top-flight's upper echelons will continue to pose a formidable challenge given the financial muscle of the league's top sides. Reigning champions Chelsea saw out a routine 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge to kickstart their title defence last weekend.

And while a mistake from Chelsea keeper Zecira Muscovic made for a nervier ending than Hayes might have preferred, Chelsea's dominance was evident despite the squad never truly easing out of third gear.

Hayes' side are expecting a different challenge come Sunday as they face Man City. Gareth Taylor's side recruited only Jill Roord in the summer, but the squad is chalk full of talent that will could produce a result against the Blues

Megan Feringa