It has been a few weeks since Tom Garry of The Guardian revealed that The Football Association (FA) is considering proposals that would allow four Women’s Super League (WSL) Professional Game Academy (PGA) teams to join the FA Women’s National League (WNL) Premier Divisions, the third tier of the women’s football pyramid, from 2027.
The PGAs would be selected on the strength of their academies and their contribution to developing English talent.
Garry’s report suggested that this is intended to “enhance competitiveness, better prepare clubs for the WSL and provide more compelling competition to attract fans and media to the league.”
Many elements of the reform could be positive for the women’s game; however, the introduction of PGA teams into the third tier has caused significant concern among supporters and clubs within the WNL.
Many of those we have spoken to simply do not believe that the model seen elsewhere in Europe should be adopted here.
Supporters groups believe that it could undermine the efforts of clubs that have worked hard to reach and sustain their place in the WNL.
Many argued that, at the very least, academy teams should be required to work their way up through the pyramid.
With so many against the proposal, I wanted to ask why this was being considered and whether this might actually be a good thing for the growth of women’s football in England.
Could PGA Teams Boost Attendances?
Given the calibre of teams competing in the WNL, attendances are often disappointingly low; however, there is some evidence that, during the WNL Cup, where the PGA teams already compete, attendances are boosted when they feature in the fixture.
During 2025/26, four clubs broke their record attendance in matches with PGA teams.
Most notably, Stockport County welcomed just over 100 supporters through the turnstiles in matches either side of their WNL Group Stage fixture against Liverpool’s PGA side, yet attracted more than 1,600 for the visit of The Reds.
Similarly, Wythenshawe drew four times as many spectators through the gate when hosting Manchester United PGA than they did for other matches played around the same period.
Bridging the Gap Between Academy and Senior Football
Speaking with a parent of an Arsenal PGA player, they explained that a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Rugby Borough provided the group with a valuable learning experience.
The Northern Premier Division side presented a challenge they do not often encounter unless playing against one of the country’s strongest academies.
They observe that there are too many games where the physical, tactical and technical demands simply are not high enough to push players to the next level.
For the very best young players, academy football can become a victim of its own success. They may dominate opponents physically and technically, but in doing so are not always exposed to the realities of senior football.
The jump from youth football to the WSL is not simply a step up in quality; it is often an entirely different game.
There is the wider question about England’s ability to produce the next generation of Lionesses.
If the objective is to develop more players capable of making the leap to the WSL and international football, then exposing elite young talent to senior competition at an earlier age may be a logical step.
Many of the game’s leading nations already provide pathways that place talented teenagers in senior environments sooner, and England risks being left behind if it fails to evolve.
I don’t think anyone can argue that increased competitiveness would accelerate the development of these players.
What Does the Data Actually Show?
Prior to the proposal being made, the FA conducted a detailed tactical analysis of fixtures for which footage was available, with the aim of assessing whether there were gaps in quality between academy and senior football.
Results for PGA clubs in the WNL Cup have been mixed, with academy sides winning only 33 per cent of matches against WNL opposition. However, that statistic does not tell the whole story.
The analysis showed that, based on performance metrics including possession and chance creation, the probability of a PGA victory increased to 47.5 per cent.
The data also contradicted the belief that academy players would be overpowered in physical contests.
While it might be reasonable to expect a significant gap in duels between youth and senior players, the evidence suggested otherwise.
PGA teams won a greater proportion of aerial duels, while there was no significant difference in tackle success rates between academy and WNL sides.
That is not to suggest there are no differences between the levels, but more indicates that the gap may be less about physical capability and more about experience, decision-making and game management.
As the performance data showed, WNL teams often proved more effective at turning periods of possession and territorial dominance into meaningful chances and, ultimately, positive results.
The Loan System Problem
One alternative option that I have seen suggested is for PGA teams to utilise the loan and dual signing options, and I also like this.
History does not support this being a viable option, as the current loan system is not providing enough meaningful senior minutes for many academy players.
Across the past four seasons, 146 U19 players have spent time on loan or dual registration from PGAs. However, the outcomes have been mixed. Forty-four players averaged fewer than one appearance per month, while half played fewer than 100 minutes of football per month.
Those figures raise an important question about whether the existing pathway is delivering the regular senior exposure that young players need.
Is this because of a lack of quality or not being as trusted as existing senior players? That is a hard question and will vary, but it must be recognised that it can be difficult to force your way into a team as part of a short-term move.
We have seen the likes of Ria Bose and Erica Parkinson who have gone abroad to broaden their horizons and accelerate their development. Off the back of it, Bose has earned a move to West Ham United, while Parkinson has been recognised with a call-up to the Lionesses senior team.
Parkinson made her senior debut for Valadares Gaia at the age of 15. In England, players under 16 are not permitted to play in open-age football, meaning she would not normally have been eligible to make a comparable senior debut until turning 16.
So, Is the FA Right?
Supporters of the proposals would argue that integrating PGA teams into the WNL could provide a more controlled and consistent bridge between academy football and the senior game.
This also ensures that talented young players experience the demands of competitive adult football weekly rather than relying on a loan system that can often be hit and miss.
If the evidence shows that senior football accelerates player development, then the debate should perhaps focus less on whether academy teams belong in the pyramid and more on how their inclusion can be implemented fairly.
As ever, there is always two sides to a debate, so before you all come at me in the comments, I will also be providing the counterargument to follow shortly.
