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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Robbie Hanratty

Celtic and Rangers could make English football switch, talks still at an early stage

Celtic and Rangers have reportedly held talks about the prospect of leaving the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL).

That’s because the Glasgow duo are keen to explore joining the English pyramid, which has been under new ambitious ownership since August 2024. 

Both clubs have taken their women’s team more seriously in recent years, with 16-times champions Glasgow City, who have dominated the game for so long, now experiencing much-needed new rivalries.

That’s added to the competitiveness of the division as Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian are also operating full time.


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(Image: Ross MacDonald - SNS Group)

The SWPL was established in 2022, changing the top two divisions into a new structure.

Scotland’s 2019 Women’s World Cup campaign boosted support for women’s football.

However, the SWPL has yet to match the growth in attendance and commercial success seen in England's Women's Super League (WSL).

And that’s something The Times claim Celtic and Rangers are eager to catch onto. 

Although, talks remain at a preliminary stage, so the Scottish FA and all other relevant bodies have not yet been officially informed. 

The current notice period for leaving is two clear seasons.(Image: Ross MacDonald - SNS Group)

(Image: Ross MacDonald - SNS Group) Last year, informal dialogue took place over the possibility of Rangers joining the WSL.

In his piece for The Herald, Henry Winter revealed talks occurred at a very basic level over the feasibility of the Jo Potter’s team joining the league system down south.

However, discussions at that point were only exploratory and not in anticipation of any move in the near future.

It seems that if Scotland's largest clubs ever compete in England, it will likely be the women's teams that are trialed first.

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