…as dates set for 2026/27 campaign
Leemisa Thuseho
THE National Women’s Football Committee (NWFC) is set to introduce a new format for the Women’s Super League (WSL) in the 2026/27 season, with the competition to be played over three rounds.
Traditionally, the WSL has been played over two rounds, with each team facing every other team twice in a season.
Under the new format, however, each team will face the others three times, resulting in first, second and third rounds.
The League Management Committee (LMC) said the move is aimed at increasing competitiveness by giving teams more matches during the campaign.
Newly elected WSL chairperson, Tšeliso Mashea, told the Sunday Express on Friday that the new three-round fixture system will increase the number of league matches from 180 to 270.
With 10 teams competing, each club previously played 18 matches a season. That number will now increase to 27.
“It is true we are going to have a new format in an effort to improve our league competitiveness,” Mashea said.
“It will be a three-legged fixture where teams will play one another three times in one season, and the more games, the more our players will get game time.”
Mashea said the decision was also prompted by the relatively short duration of the women’s league, which has only 10 teams.
“We have been having a very short season. One would see that our league always ends early before the men’s league ends,” he said.
“That means our teams were having to stay too long away from competitive games before the international games. So, this time we want to make sure they rest just two to three weeks before international matches to avoid them getting rusty.”
The 2026/27 WSL season is scheduled to kick off on 27 September, although the fixtures have yet to be announced.
LDF Ladies will enter the new campaign as defending champions after winning the league title last season.