The Women's Football Association Super League.
The FA have announced the names of the eight clubs that have been successful with their applications to be part of the new FA Women's Super League, launching in March 2011.
Arsenal Ladies FC
Birmingham City Ladies FC
Bristol Academy Women's FC
Chelsea Ladies FC
Doncaster Rovers Belles
Everton
Lincoln Ladies FC
Liverpool Ladies FC
All the above clubs will be offered a two-year licence for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
The FA's Chief Executive, Ian Watmore, said "We are delighted to be in a position to announce the eight clubs that will take part in the new Women's Super League. With England's International Women's teams doing so well on the world stage and participation levels here at such a high, it's vital we have a competitive, well structured and commercially sustainable league at the top of the women's game. We want to ensure our talented players can play their football here without having to look overseas."
The FA believes the Super League will be the key platform to drive the women's game forward in England. The Super League concept was developed to enable players in this country to earn a good living from the game whilst allowing Super League clubs to develop new revenue streams and support for women's football.
With participation levels of women's football at an all time high - currently 1.1 million females play football in England - the Super League will play a pivotal role in ensuring the player pathway leads to competitive, elite structure at the very top of the women's game.
The Super League will put the spotlight on the women's game, encourage more females to take up the sport and help develop stars that will represent the England International Women's teams in the future.
