2016–17 FA Women's Premier League
The 2016–17 season of the FA Women's Premier League is the 25th season of the competition, which began in 1992. It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the two divisions of the FA Women's Super League and above the eight regional football leagues.
The league features six regional divisions: the Northern and Southern divisions at level three of the pyramid, and below those Northern Division 1, Midlands Division 1, South East Division 1, and South West Division 1. 72 teams were members of the league before the start of the 2016–17 season, divided equally into six divisions of twelve teams. At the end of the season Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively the champions of the Northern and Southern Divisions, qualified for a playoff match against each other which Tottenham Hotspur won 3-0 thus becoming the overall league champion, and winning them promotion to FA WSL 2.
Premier Division
Northern Division
Changes from last season:- Guiseley Vixens and Loughborough Foxes were relegated to Northern Division One and Midlands Division One respectively.
- Leicester City and Middlesbrough were promoted into the Northern Division from Midlands Division One and Northern Division One respectively.
- Preston North End was renamed Fylde Ladies after changing its affiliation to A.F.C. Fylde.
- Sporting Club Albion was renamed West Bromwich Albion.
- Nuneaton Town withdrew from the league the week before the season started.
| Team | Home ground | 2015–16 position |
| Blackburn Rovers | Sir Tom Finney Stadium, Bamber Bridge | 3rd |
| Bradford City | Plumpton Park, Bradford | 5th |
| Derby County | The Don Amott Arena, Derby | 7th |
| Fylde Ladies | Mill Farm, Wesham | 2nd |
| Huddersfield Town | The Stafflex Arena, Kirkburton | 8th |
| Leicester City | Riverside Pavilion, Leicester | 1st in Midlands Division One |
| Middlesbrough | Teesdale Park, Thornaby-on-Tees | 1st in Northern Division One |
| Newcastle United | Sport Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne | 9th |
| Nottingham Forest | Mill Street Playing Fields, Nottingham | 6th |
| Stoke City | Wellbeing Park, Stone | 4th |
| West Bromwich Albion | Dales Lane, Rushall | 1st |
League table
Results
Southern Division
Changes from last season:- League champions Brighton & Hove Albion was promoted to FA WSL 2.
- Plymouth Argyle was relegated to South West Division One.
- Swindon Town and Crystal Palace were promoted from South West and South East Division One.
- Forest Green Rovers withdrew from the league the week before the season started.
| Team | Home ground | 2015–16 position |
| C & K Basildon | The Frost Financial Stadium, Canvey Island | 8th |
| Cardiff City | CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach | 3rd |
| Charlton Athletic | Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London | 2nd |
| Coventry United | Park Meadow, Coleshill | 4th |
| Crystal Palace | Hayes Lane, Kent | 1st in South East Division One |
| Lewes | The Dripping Pan, Lewes | 7th |
| Portsmouth | Privett Park, Gosport | 5th |
| Queens Park Rangers | Honeycroft, West Drayton, London | 9th |
| Swindon Town | Barrington Park, Shrivenham | 1st in South West Division One |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Cheshunt Stadium, Cheshunt | 6th |
| West Ham United | Ship Lane, Aveley | 10th |
League table
Results
Championship play-off
The overall FA WPL champion was decided by a play-off match held at the end of the season. The winner earned promotion to the FA WSL 2.Division One
Northern Division One
Changes from last season:- Middlesbrough was promoted to the Northern Division.
- Guiseley Vixens was relegated from the Northern Division.
- Brighouse Town was promoted from the North East Regional League.
- Crewe Alexandra was promoted from the North West Regional League.
- Stockport County and Norton & Stockton Ancients were relegated to the regional leagues.
| Team | Home ground | 2015–16 position |
| Blackpool Wren Rovers | Brews Park, Blackpool | 8th |
| Brighouse Town | The Dual Seal Stadium, Brighouse | 1st in North East Regional League |
| Chester-le-Street | Moor Park, Chester Moor | 9th |
| Chorley | Jim Fowler Memorial Fields, Leyland | 3rd |
| Crewe Alexandra | Cumberland Arena, Crewe | 1st in North West Regional League |
| Guiseley Vixens | Nethermoor Park, Guiseley | 11th in Northern Division |
| Hull City | Hull University Sports Ground, Hull | 4th |
| Leeds | Genix Healthcare Stadium, Garforth | 5th |
| Liverpool Marshall Feds | I.M. Marsh Campus, Liverpool | 2nd |
| Morecambe | Lancaster & Morecambe College, Lancaster | 7th |
| Mossley Hill | Mossley Hill Athletic Club, Liverpool | 6th |
| Tranmere Rovers | Ellesmere Port Sports Village, Ellesmere Port | 10th |
League table
Results
Midlands Division One
Changes from last season:- Leicester City was promoted to the Northern Division.
- Loughborough Foxes was relegated from the Northern Division.
- The New Saints was promoted from the West Midlands Regional League.
- Long Eaton United was promoted from the East Midlands Regional League.
- Peterborough Northern Star and Leafield Athletic were relegated to the regional leagues.
| Team | Home ground | 2015–16 position |
| Birmingham & West Midlands | Shenley Lane Community Sports Centre, Birmingham | 5th |
| Leicester City L.F.C. | Linwood Playing Fields, Leicester | 8th |
| Long Eaton United | Grange Park, Long Eaton | 1st in East Midlands Regional League |
| Loughborough Foxes | Loughborough University Stadium, Loughborough | 12th in Northern Division |
| Loughborough Students | Holywell Park, Loughborough | 6th |
| Radcliffe Olympic | Wharf Lane Recreation Ground, Radcliffe-on-Trent | 3rd |
| Rotherham United | Roundwood Sports Complex, Rotherham | 9th |
| Solihull | Field Lane, Solihull | 4th |
| Sporting Khalsa | Aspray Arena, Willenhall | 10th |
| Steel City Wanderers | Thorncliffe Recreation Ground, Sheffield | 7th |
| The New Saints | Park Hall Stadium, Oswestry | 1st in West Midlands Regional League |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Keys Park, Hednesford | 2nd |
League table
Results
South East Division One
Changes from last season:- Crystal Palace was promoted to the Southern Division.
- Stevenage was promoted from the Eastern Region League.
- AFC Wimbledon was promoted from the London & South East Regional League.
- Bedford was relegated to the regional leagues.
- Old Actonians was renamed Actonians.
| Team | Home ground | 2015–16 position |
| Actonians | Berkeley Fields, Greenford, London | 10th |
| AFC Wimbledon | Borough Sports Ground, Sutton, London | 1st in London & South East Regional League |
| Cambridge United | Recreation Way, Mildenhall | 6th |
| Denham United | The Den, Denham | 9th |
| Enfield Town | Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Enfield | 7th |
| Gillingham | K Sports Cobdown, Aylesford | 2nd |
| Ipswich Town | Dellwood Avenue, Felixstowe | 5th |
| Lowestoft Town | Crown Meadow, Lowestoft | 11th |
| Luton Town | Stockwood Park Athletics Stadium, Luton | 4th |
| Milton Keynes Dons | Willen Road, Newport Pagnell | 3rd |
| Norwich City | Plantation Park, Blofield | 8th |
| Stevenage | Hertingfordbury Park, Hertford | 1st in Eastern Region League |
League table
Results
South West Division One
Changes from last season:- Swindon Town was promoted to the Southern Division.
- Plymouth Argyle was relegated from the Southern Division.
- Basingstoke was promoted from the Southern Region League.
- Brislington was promoted from the South West Regional League.
- Gloucester City and Swindon Spitfires withdrew from the league during the 2015–16 season.
| Team | Home ground | 2015–16 position |
| Basingstoke | The Ark Cancer Charity Stadium, Basingstoke | 1st in Southern Region League |
| Brislington | Ironmould Lane, Brislington | 1st in South West Regional League |
| Cheltenham Town | Petersfield Park, Cheltenham | 8th |
| Chichester City | Oaklands Park, Chichester | 2nd |
| Exeter City | Minster Park, Exminster | 5th |
| Keynsham Town | AJN Stadium, Keynsham | 3rd |
| Larkhall Athletic | Plain Ham, Larkhall | 4th |
| Maidenhead United | York Road, Maidenhead | 7th |
| Plymouth Argyle | Haye Road, Plymouth | 12th in Southern Division |
| Shanklin | County Ground, Shanklin | 9th |
| Southampton Saints | VT Group Sportsground, Sholing | 6th |
| St Nicholas | Lodge Road, Yate | 10th |
Shanklin withdrew from the league after playing 18 of 22 matches. All results involving Shanklin were expunged.