Football Tasmania has announced licenses for the next three Women’s Super League seasons, with
the league expanding from six to seven teams and becoming truly state-wide with the addition of a
team from Launceston.
Clarence Zebras Football Club, Devonport City Soccer Club, Kingborough Lions United Football Club,
Launceston United Soccer Club, Olympia Football Club Warriors, South Hobart Football Club and
Taroona Football Club have all been offered a WSL license for the 2021-23 seasons.
Devonport, Launceston United and Taroona have been invited to join or re-join the league after
competing in the Northern and Southern Championships last season. Ulverstone were unfortunately
unsuccessful and have not been offered a license. University chose not to apply after competing in
the WSL last year.
Football Tasmania President Bob Gordon said football was now one of only two sporting codes to
offer a state-wide competition for females in Tasmania, predicting participation rates among women
and girls to spike as Australia prepares to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“Female football has a long and proud history in Tasmania spanning more than forty years after the
first female-only league was established in 1977,” Mr Gordon said.
“Women and girls now make up 27 per cent of Tasmania’s registered players, the highest proportion
of any state or territory in Australia, and our goal is to continue to build this percentage as work
towards a 50/50 participation split between males and females in football.
“In a competition review conducted in 2019 the FT Board accepted the recommendation to consult
with WSL clubs to develop a minimum set of criteria for the WSL competition. These criteria were
developed to reflect the ambition for a Tasmanian NPLW (National Premier League Women’s) team
in the future.
“The announcement of Australia and New Zealand as hosts of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
brings with it the possibility of World Cup Football on Tasmanian soil which will be a game changer
for all football – especially for women and girls. The WSL, building on the introduction of criteria, will
help us maximise the legacy benefit offered by the World Cup.
Mr Gordon said the possibility of adding an eighth team before the licence period ended in 2023
remained.
“While we have made the decision to proceed with a seven-team competition in 2021 and all clubs
have been offered a three-year license, we believe an important strategic priority will be to work
towards an eight-team competition as we lead into the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023,” Mr
Gordon said.
“This may well see an additional team added in either the north west or north – subject of course to
the club being able to meet the criteria.
“This will help ensure we are providing important pathway opportunities for girls and young women
throughout the state and build on the participation growth we have experienced, in particular in
junior football.
“On behalf of the board, I’d like to acknowledge the work of the assessment panel, as well as the
work of all clubs that applied.
“We look forward to making further exciting announcements in relation to the WSL in the coming
weeks.”
The WSL application process commenced in late August 2020 and the WSL Assessment Panel was
formed to review and assess applications.
The objectives of the process were to:
- Create the strongest, most competitive women’s and girls’ competition in Tasmania;
- Build premier clubs by setting standards and benchmarks in areas of youth development, coaching, governance, facilities, reporting and financial responsibility; and
- Implement a sustainable competition structure which maximises opportunities for aspiring players