Crystal Palace Women will play in the WSL for the first time next season; they drew 0-0 with Sunderland on the Women's Championship final day to win the league title; Crystal Palace's Elise Hughes won the Golden Boot, scoring 16 goals this season
Sunday 28 April 2024 21:51, UK
Crystal Palace Women have won the Women's Championship for the first time to earn promotion to the WSL for the 2024/25 season.
It has been an enthralling title race in the second tier of women's football in England, and the Eagles were three points ahead of Charlton heading into the final weekend.
However, they were also 22 ahead on goal difference and anything but a huge goal swing would confirm Crystal Palace as champions.
Ultimately, they secured their own spot in the WSL despite a goalless draw against Sunderland, winning the title by a point ahead of Charlton. The Addicks beat Southampton 2-0 on the final day.
It is the first time Crystal Palace have won the Championship and will play in the Women's Super League for the first time next season.
They finish the campaign as the top scorers in the Championship, scoring 55 goals - 16 more than the next closest side, Southampton. They won 14, drew four and lost four games during their title-winning season.
Crystal Palace forward Elise Hughes also won the Golden Boot with 16 league goals, although could miss much of the WSL season after she ruptured her ACL in the Eagles' penultimate Championship game against Lewes.
Earlier in the season, Crystal Palace defender Felicity Gibbons told Sky Sports: "I'd say we've exceeded our own expectations.
"With the season we had last year, which was so up and down, when Laura [Kaminski] came in, she wanted to steady the ship and build on what we did last year.
"In terms of our targets for this year, promotion was never one of them, so it's a pleasant surprise. The scoring record has also not really been part of the plan, but it's incredibly important.
"The games we've scored a lot of goals in is credit to the strength of our squad. We feel like we have a strong starting XI, but the options we have off the bench means we're able to maintain our performance levels over 90 minutes. So that's probably the key to that.
"I don't want to say it's happened by accident because there's a lot of thought that goes into it, but I think everything has come together really nicely for us."
Sky Sports will show up to 44 Women's Super League matches in the 2024/25 season - more than any other broadcaster - extending the partnership with the league.
Sky Sports first secured the rights to the WSL in 2021, signing a three-year deal alongside the BBC, and has now renewed terms for next season.
The games will be available to Sky Sports customers and streamed on Sky Sports with NOW.
Since 2021, viewing on pay TV has increased four-fold. Each season on Sky Sports, fans have watched in record-breaking numbers, with the Manchester derby on March 23, 2024 achieving a peak audience of nearly 600,000 and an average audience of 485,000.
Stream Sky Sports live with no contract on a Month or Day membership on NOW. Instant access to live action from the Premier League, EFL, F1, England Cricket and so much more.
