This afternoon the FA Women’s National League (FA WNL) have shared the next phase of their Cup and Plate competitions. On Sunday, the 15th, both competitions will hold Preliminary Rounds ahead of the First Round. Additionally, several teams will receive byes, advancing directly to the First Round.
In the Cup, Moneyfields are rewarded after their dramatic 4-3 victory over AFC Bournemouth on Thursday with a Preliminary Round trip to face either Bournemouth Sports or Southampton Women, whose postponed Determining Round match is being settled on September 5th.
Plymouth Argyle are “rewarded” with a 470 mile round trip to take on London Bees.
While in the Northern section, Stourbridge hosts Middlesbrough and York City welcome Huddersfield Town to the York Sports Stadium.
The Cup Preliminary Round Draw
Plymouth Argyle vs London Bees
Bournemouth Sports/Southampton Women vs Moneyfields
Stourbridge vs Middlesbrough
York City vs Huddersfield Town
Clubs that received a bye into the First Round include Lewes, Maidenhead United, Gwalia United, Exeter City, Dulwich Hamlet, Ipswich Town, Oxford United, Swindon Town, Billericay Town, Queens Park Rangers, Rugby Borough, Chesham United Or Watford, Hashtag United, Real Bedford, Northampton Town, Stoke City, Peterborough United, Derby County, Barnsley FC, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool Feds, Burnley, Worcester City, West Bromwich Albion, Sutton Coldfield Town, Leeds United, Hull City and Cheadle Town Stingers.
The biggest talking point in the Plate is the introduction of the Professional Game Academies (PGA) into the competition.
Professional Game Academy Licences are granted as part of the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) and Barclays Women’s Championship (WC) licence criteria.
PGAs allow players to be part of a professional club programme that will combine football development with their education. The FA website states the system “focuses on players aged 14-20 (U15-U21s), who show potential, with a high-performance club training and playing environment that supports a dual career focus.”
Until now we’ve not known which clubs will take up the option to compete but we will see big names such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
The Plate Preliminary Round Draw
AFC Bournemouth v Portishead Town
AFC Wimbledon v Arsenal Academy
AFC Fylde v Chorley
Actonians v Abingdon United
Boldmere St Michaels v Lincoln City
Chelsea Academy v Bristol City Academy
Chesham United Or Bye v Tottenham Hotspur Academy
Keynsham Town v Bristol Rovers
Leafield Athletic v Stockport County
Norton & Stockton Ancients v Doncaster Rovers Belles
Norwich City v Brighton and Hove Albion Academy
Halifax v Sheffield United Academy
Clubs that received a bye into the First Round include Ashford Town, London Seaward, Charlton Athletic Academy, Worthing, Cheltenham Town, Milton Keynes Dons, Crystal Palace Academy, Southampton Women, Chatham Town, Lincoln, Durham Cestria, Cambridge United, Leicester City Academy, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Notts County, Manchester United Academy, Sporting Khalsa, Aston Villa Academy and Loughborough.
The First Round ties will be played on September 29th and in the case of the Cup there will be prize money offered to the teams competing but for more information, read here.
