Women's National League (Singapore)
| Organising body | Football Association of Singapore (FAS) |
|---|---|
| Founded | March 2017 |
| Country | Singapore |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | 10 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Current champions | Mattar Sailors (2 titles) |
| Most championships | Mattar Sailors (2 titles) |
| Website | fas.org.sg |
| Current: 2026 Women's National League | |
The Women's National League, commonly abbreviated as the WNL, is the second-tier women's football league in Singapore since 2017. It is run by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and currently features ten teams.
History
On 23 December 2016, FAS announced that the Women's Premier League (WPL) would be revamped to form a two-division structure from 2017. The 2017 Women's Premier League would consist of the teams that finished in the top six of the 2016 season,[1] while the newly-formed Women's National League (WNL) would be made up of teams that finished in the 7th-11th positions, along with any new teams.[2]
A new system of promotion and relegation was also introduced to allow for greater participation in women's football.[3] The champions of the 2017 WNL would be promoted to the 2018 WPL, while the last placed team of 2017 WPL would be relegated to 2018 WNL. The second-last placed team of the WPL would play against the runners-up of the WNL in a play-off.[2]
Five 2016 WPL teams were scheduled to participate in the 2017 season.[3] However, Tampines Rovers and Winchester Isla were the only 2016 WPL teams listed among the final list of nine participating teams.[4][5] Changi Village SRC became the champions of the inaugural National League.[6]
In 2019, both the Women's Premier League and National League were suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore.[7] While both leagues resumed in 2022, FAS announced that there will be no promotion or relegation between the two tiers for the next three seasons.[8][9]
For the 2022 season, eleven clubs were split into three groups, where the top three teams and the best second-placed team qualified for the semi-finals. Nine clubs, including Police SA – who were relegated from the 2019 WPL – and JSSL FC, made their competition debuts. Police lifted the trophy after beating JSSL 4–0 in the final.[10]
In 2023, eight clubs participated in a single round-robin format, and the top four teams advanced to the semi-finals, ultimately vying for a spot in the final. Royal Arion, boosted by Thai national team players,[11][12] beat Mattar Sailors 2–1 to clinch their first league title.[13]
On 21 February 2025, the FAS hosted the inaugural Amateur Leagues Awards Night 2024 at the SportSG Auditorium (BlackBox). This will mark a historic first for the WNL, with dedicated awards for Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Golden Boot, Golden Glove and Fairplay Award.[14]
In 2025, the league was played in a ‘home’ and ‘away’ round-robin league format. The team which accumulated the greatest number of points at the end of the 2025 season was declared Champion.[15] Mattar Sailors secured their second consecutive title after defeating Royal Arion 2–0 in their final game of the season.[16]
The 2026 season introduced a series of structural and regulatory adjustments designed to strengthen competition and provide clearer pathways for player development. Promotion and relegation between the Women's Premier League and National League would be reintroduced.[17] Premier League clubs were allowed to field a developmental B team in the second division. However, the B teams would not be eligible for promotion.[17][18]
Teams
Prior to the commencement of the National League, FAS will extend an invitation to non-member clubs and teams to participate in the league. Interested parties are required to fully comply to the Criteria of Purpose set forth by the association. The number of participating clubs and teams will determine the competition format for the season.[19]
In 2026, Women's Premier League clubs were allowed to field a developmental B team in the second division. However, the B teams would not be eligible for promotion.[17][18]
There are currently 10 clubs and teams participating in the 2026 season.
Former teams
| Club | Years active |
|---|---|
| Ayer Rajah Gryphons | 2022 - 2024 |
| Bussorah Youths SC | 2022 - 2023 |
| Changi Village SRC | 2017 |
| Commonwealth Cosmos | 2023 |
| JSSL FC[a] | 2020 |
| Middle Rangers FC | 2018 - 2019 |
| Phoenix Pride FC | 2019 |
| Republic FC | 2018 - 2019 |
| Simei United | 2018 |
| Singapore Cricket Club | 2022 |
| Singapore Football Club | 2022 |
| Singapore Khalsa Association | 2022 - 2024 |
| Tampines Changkat CSC | 2018 |
| Warriors FC | 2018 - 2019 |
| Westwood El'Junior FC | 2022 |
| Winchester Isla FC | 2017 - 2024 |
Note: This list excludes teams that has been promoted to WPL.
Past winners
| Season | Winners | Runners-up | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Changi Village SRC | Home United[b] | [10] |
| 2018 | Tampines Changkat CSC | Simei United | [10][22] |
| 2019 | Tanjong Pagar United | Tiong Bahru | [10] |
| 2020 | Competition not held due to Covid-19 Pandemic | [23] | |
| 2021 | |||
| 2022 | Police SA | JSSL FC | [10] |
| 2023 | Royal Arion | Mattar Sailors | [13] |
| 2024 | Mattar Sailors | Eastern Thunder | [24] |
| 2025 | Mattar Sailors (2) | Jungfrau Punggol | [16] |
| 2026 | |||
Performance by clubs
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mattar Sailors | 2
|
1
|
2024, 2025 |
| Royal Arion | 1
|
0
|
2023 |
| Police SA | 1
|
0
|
2022 |
| Tanjong Pagar United | 1
|
0
|
2019 |
| Tampines Changkat CSC | 1
|
0
|
2018 |
| Changi Village SRC | 1
|
0
|
2017 |
| Eastern Thunder | 0
|
1
|
|
| Home United[b] | 0
|
1
|
|
| JSSL FC[a] | 0
|
1
|
|
| Jungfrau Punggol | 0
|
1
|
|
| Simei United | 0
|
1
|
|
| Tiong Bahru | 0
|
1
|
Notes
- ^ a b JSSL is currently partnering Tampines Rovers to compete in WPL[20]
- ^ a b Home United is currently known as Lion City Sailors[21]
References
- ^ "Final 2016 FAS Women's Premier League Table". @womensfootballinsg/FB. 2 October 2016.
- ^ a b "Change to FAS Women's Premier League 2017". aseanfootball.org. AFF. 24 December 2016.
- ^ a b "2017 Women's National League Fixtures Confirmed". fas.org.sg. FAS. 8 March 2017.
- ^ "In less than two weeks, the 2017 FAS Women's National League (WNL) will kick off". @womensfootballinsg/FB. 26 February 2017.
- ^ "2017 FAS Women's National League fixtures". @womensfootballinsg/FB. 3 March 2017.
- ^ "Warriors FC Wins Women's Challenge Cup for Second Straight Year". fas.org.sg. FAS. 26 November 2017.
- ^ Tham, Ashley (7 January 2022). "Football: Women's game remains on the sidelines in Singapore". straitstimes.com. The Straits Times.
- ^ Deepanraj Ganesan (4 May 2022). "Football: Singapore's Women's Premier League launched". straitstimes.com. The Straits Times.
- ^ "FAS Women's National League 2022 Regulations" (PDF). FAS. p. 11. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e "Police SA crowned 2022 FAS Women's National League champions". fas.org.sg. FAS. 14 November 2022.
- ^ Tan, Jun (14 August 2023). "Royal Arion Signs Thai Women Footballers for New Season". junpiterfutbol.com. Junpiter Futbol.
- ^ Kwek, Kimberly (22 August 2023). "Thai quartet spice up S'pore's Women's National League". straitstimes.com. The Straits Times.
- ^ a b "Royal Arion are the 2023 FAS Women's National League champions champions". fas.org.sg. FAS. 16 October 2023.
- ^ "FAS to host inaugural Amateur Leagues Awards Night 2024". FAS. 18 February 2025.
- ^ "Women's National League Regulations 2025" (PDF). FAS. p. 11. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Mattar Sailors clinch second Women's National League title on close final day". fas.org.sg. FAS. 22 September 2025.
- ^ a b c Chang, Joel (13 January 2026). "Women's Premier League to have larger prize purse and promotion-relegation system in 2026". The Straits Times. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ a b "Women's National League Regulations 2026" (PDF). FAS. p. 11. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ "Invitation to participate in the Women's National League 2026". fas.org.sg. FAS. 1 December 2025.
- ^ Chia, Laura (22 July 2022). "Football: JSSL, Tampines Rovers to form team for 2023 Women's Premier League". straitstimes.com. The Straits Times.
- ^ Nyi Nye Thet (14 February 2020). "Shopee's parent company buys Home United, renames it 'Lion City Sailors'". mothership.sg. Mothership.
- ^ "FAS Annual Report (April 2018 – March 2019)" (PDF). FAS. p. 43. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ Tham, Ashley (7 January 2022). "Football: Women's game remains on the sidelines in Singapore". straitstimes.com. The Straits Times.
- ^ "Mattar Sailors are the 2024 Women's National League champions". fas.org.sg. FAS. 24 November 2024.