In a move that has shaken the core of English women’s football, Blackburn Rovers Women will not compete in the Women’s Championship next season. Their owner, Venky’s, has refused to meet the league’s updated requirements for facilities, staffing, and player welfare. The result? A proud club with a rich legacy of developing England internationals like Keira Walsh, Ella Toone, and Georgia Stanway has been forced to retreat at least two tiers below its current standing. It is a gut-punch, not only for the players and fans, but for the integrity of the game itself.
This decision is not just about one club’s financial troubles. It is a stark reflection of the growing pains in women’s football and an indictment of the fragile infrastructure that still props it up, despite the sport’s remarkable progress in recent years.
The Cost of Compliance, and the Cost of Failure
To retain a place in the Women’s Championship, clubs must meet specific licensing criteria set by the FA. These include:
A fully professional model, meaning all players on full-time contracts
Increased contact hours, with extended training and welfare support
Higher staffing levels, from medical teams to performance coaches
Upgraded facilities, including training pitches and stadiums that meet professional standards
These are not frivolous demands; they are essential to building a safe, competitive, and professional environment. But for clubs operating on limited budgets, like Blackburn where the average player earns just £9,000 a year, these requirements represent a financial mountain. The rise in operating costs, particularly wages, training facilities, and support staff, has created a gap that many clubs cannot cross without sustained backing.
And Blackburn is not alone. Just last year, Reading voluntarily dropped from the Championship to the fifth tier, citing similar financial pressures.
A Profit on Paper, A Loss in Purpose
Blackburn’s decision is even more jarring when juxtaposed with their broader financial picture. The club posted a £3.3 million profit this year, thanks largely to an £18 million sale of Adam Wharton from the men’s side. But the same accounts show the club spends 119% of turnover on wages, with a £20 million annual shortfall bridged only by Venky’s financial injections.
So while the men's team benefits from transfer windfalls, the women’s side, who played matches at Ewood Park this season to boost visibility, remains an afterthought. This is not just an oversight; it is a failure of vision and values.
Cultural Investment vs. Corporate Convenience
The Venky’s decision is not merely about numbers. It is about priorities. It is about choosing not to invest in a future where women’s football is sustainable and respected on equal footing. At a time when women's football is attracting record attendances, sponsorships, and broadcast deals, with more than 3 million fans attending WSL matches across 2023-24, the idea that it is still "unsustainable" speaks to a lack of long-term commitment, not market failure.
Blackburn Women’s fans, players, and staff deserved more than a vague HR email and delayed Zoom calls. They deserved transparency, respect, and above all, belief. Belief that a second-tier women’s club in the heartland of English football is worth fighting for.
The Bigger Picture: A System on the Brink
What makes this episode culturally relevant is its exposure of the uneven terrain women’s sport still occupies. It forces a confrontation with the uncomfortable truth that women's football is growing faster than the structures designed to support it. While the FA rightly pushes for higher standards, it must also provide the resources, financial and logistical, to help clubs reach them.
There is a contradiction here. We celebrate the Lionesses, invest in WSL broadcast rights, and push for girls’ access to school football. Yet, the domestic ecosystem that nurtures future stars remains precarious.
The solution is not to lower standards but to create pathways and safety nets for clubs transitioning to professional models, through phased financial support, shared facilities, and incentives for owners to invest long-term. Clubs must also be held accountable to support both their men's and women’s sides equitably. Token gestures are not enough.
The Future Must Be Different
Blackburn Rovers’ exit from the Championship should not be another footnote in the story of underfunded women’s teams. It should be a catalyst, a wake-up call, and a reason for collective action from the FA, the clubs, sponsors, fans, and yes, owners, to back words with action.
Women’s football in England stands at a crossroads. Growth without support is collapse in slow motion. If we want a future where young girls in Blackburn can dream of playing top-tier football without fear of financial abandonment, that future must be built now with courage, vision, and fairness.
Because this is not just about one team. It is about the soul of the game.