SINGAPORE, 13 JANUARY 2026 – The 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will kick off on Saturday, 24 January with a series of structural and regulatory adjustments designed to strengthen competition and provide clearer pathways for player development, while also supporting national teams’ preparations for key tournaments across the year.
These changes include a revised prize money framework, the return of promotion and relegation between the WPL and WNL, which was last initiated in 2019 and the introduction of WPL ‘B’ teams in the second-tier Women’s National League (WNL).
Prize money for the WPL has been revised to recognise performance across the season. The second-placed team will now receive $20,000, up from $10,000, while the third-place team will receive $17,000, up from $7,500. The champion prize remains at S$25,000.
Promotion and relegation will be a feature in the upcoming season. The 2026 WNL champion will automatically be promoted to the WPL in the following season, while the last-placed team in the WPL will automatically be relegated to the WNL. In addition, the second-last team in the WPL will face the WNL runners-up in a play-off match, with the winner securing a place in the WPL for the following season.
The 2026 WPL will feature nine teams competing across 18 match weeks, with matches scheduled to be played at Bukit Gombak Stadium and Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
The WPL season will start earlier than in previous years to strategically align with key competitions for the women’s national teams, including the AFF Women’s Cup 2026 (17 to 26 July) for the Lionesses, and the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers for the Women’s Under-16 National Team (3 to 11 October).
No WPL matches will be played during the FIFA Women’s International Windows in February, March, and May/June to allow players dedicated time for national team preparation.
The 2026 season will also see the introduction of WPL B-teams to allow WPL clubs to field a secondary squad in the WNL. This is aimed at providing additional opportunities for emerging players. Clubs may include up to five B-team players in their WPL matchday squad. These B-teams themselves are not eligible for promotion to the WPL.
The WNL season that will kick off on 31 January, will feature 11 teams – including two WPL ‘B’ teams of Still Aerion and Lion City Sailors.
All WPL matches will be livestreamed this season, with further details to be announced in due course. Matches during Ramadan will kick off at 7:45 pm, and admission to all matches at both stadiums are free. The full list of fixtures can be found here.
Fans can follow updates on the league through the WPL’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, as well as on the FAS website.
