Football Tasmania has announced that the Women’s Super League (WSL) will be renamed the Women’s Premier League (WPL) from the 2027 season, following consultation with the football community as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening and growing women’s football across the state.
The new name was the preferred option following a consultation process that invited the football community to provide feedback on a range of proposed names for the competition.
Seven clubs will compete in the WPL in 2027, with Football Tasmania setting a target of returning to an eight-team competition for the 2028 season.
The seven clubs competing in 2027 are:
- Devonport City Strikers Football Club
- Glenorchy Knights Football Club
- Kingborough Lions United Football Club
- Launceston City Football Club
- Launceston United Soccer Club
- South Hobart Football Club
- Taroona Football Club
Football Tasmania CEO Tony Pignata OAM said the new name better reflected the competition’s standing and the organisation’s ambition for the future of women’s football in Tasmania.
“The Women’s Premier League (WPL) will be the highest level of women’s club football in the state, and we believe the new name better reflects the importance and status of the competition,” Pignata said.
“Our focus is on building a strong, competitive and sustainable league that provides opportunities for female players to develop and compete at the highest level in Tasmania.”
Alongside its immediate goal of expanding the competition to eight teams in 2028, Football Tasmania has a longer-term ambition to see the WPL become part of Australia’s National Premier Leagues (NPL) framework.
Pignata acknowledged that achieving this status would require the competition to meet specific criteria and standards, with Football Tasmania committed to working alongside clubs to strengthen structures and improve standards both on and off the field.
“Our goal is to provide Tasmanian female footballers with a genuine National Premier Leagues pathway here in Tasmania,” he said.
Over the next 12 months, Football Tasmania will work closely with clubs across the state to identify opportunities for expansion and support those with the ambition and capacity to compete at the highest level.
This work will focus on ensuring clubs have the playing numbers, coaching structures, facilities and resources required to compete sustainably, with future expansion aimed at strengthening the competition and creating greater opportunities for women and girls to progress through the football pathway.
Football Tasmania will continue working with the seven participating clubs to finalise competition arrangements ahead of the 2027 season, while engaging with other clubs interested in joining the WPL in 2028.