The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is an amateur women's soccer league in the United States.

History

WPSL is the top amateur league for women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, and considered the 2nd tier below only National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The WPSL is the longest-running active women's soccer league as it enters its 25th season in 2023. The WPSL is also the largest women's soccer league in the United States, North America and the world with 130 active teams as of 2023.

The WPSL started as the Western Division of the W-League, before breaking away to form its own league in 1998. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association, an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). WPSL players consists of collegiate and post-collegiate players, who currently or have played across all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA. Former players of the WPSL have taken their playing careers to the next level by signing professional in the NWSL and top leagues overseas. WPSL Alumnae have also reached international status by making international rosters seen in the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Olympics. Notable alumnae include Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, Heather Mitts, Julie Foudy, Shannon Boxx, Alex Morgan and Leslie Osborne. The Jerry Zanelli Cup is awarded to the champion of each WPSL season.

When Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) suspended play in 2012, WPSL moved forward with its ambitions toward professionalism and created the WPSL Elite League. The Elite League was a pro-am league, with at least four fully professional teams, including three former WPS teams. The Elite league operated for just the 2012 season, disbanding in 2013 with the formation of the NWSL, which the three former WPS teams joined.

WPSL U21

In 2021, the WPSL announced its second division, WPSL U21, which is scheduled to begin play in mid-2021.

WPSL PRO

On February 8, 2023, WPSL announced plans to create a Division III professional league named WPSL PRO. The league plans to start in 2025 with ten teams. In August 2023, five teams signed letter of intents to join the WPSL Pro. SouthStar FC, Sioux Falls City FC, Oklahoma City FC (WPSL), Austin Rise FC, and The Town FC will be five of the first ten teams to join WPSL Pro.

On February 6, 2024, the league announced the sixth team will be Georgia Impact FC. The league needs 6 teams to conform with US Soccer Division III Professional League Standards On February 20, 2024, the league announce the seventh team signing a letter of intent was AC Houston Sur for the 2025 season.

On February 22, 2024, the league announced the first team signing a letter of intent for the 2026 season was Dakota Fusion FC.

美国WPSL女子足球联赛(Women's Professional Soccer League)是女子足球联赛,成立于2009年,是美国女子足球联赛(WPSL)的分支,旨在推动女子足球的发展和提升其在美国的地位。联赛主要参与的队伍为美国的足球俱乐部,联盟与男子职业足球联赛(MLS)的合作关系密切,允许男足球员在赛季间参与女子足球联赛的比赛。

联盟初期设9支球队,包括亚特兰大银冠、费城844、芝加哥红星、迈阿密箭、纽约城市、洛杉矶银色、波士顿红魔、西雅图夜鹰和普罗维登斯。

2010年,女子足球联赛增加了新球队科罗拉多泉炽热和洛杉矶火鸟,总数达到10支。女子足球联赛与男子职业足球联赛的合作关系也扩展到2010年,包括多伦多FC和蒙特利尔冲击等MLS球队参与其中。

2011年,女子足球联赛从MLS租借了多支男队球员,以应对联赛球员短缺的问题。2012年,女子足球联赛新增了迈阿密荣耀和纳什维尔狂热两支新球队,总数达到12支。

2013年,女子足球联赛新增了波士顿革命和奥兰多荣耀两支新球队,总数达到14支。2014年,女子足球联赛新增了西华盛顿野猫和辛辛那提蛾蛹两支新球队,总数达到16支。

2015年,女子足球联赛新增了科罗拉多州立大学野猫和路易斯维尔女巫两支新球队,总数达到18支。然而,2017年7月27日,美国女足联合宣布,女子职业足球联盟将不再进行2017赛季比赛。该联盟在美国历史上只存在了短短的7年,但它对美国女子足球的发展产生了深远的影响。

女子职业足球联盟(WPSL)的目的是让更多的人参与到足球运动中来,提升女子足球在美国的地位,以及促进男女足之间的交流和合作。女子职业足球联盟的赛事形式是以主客场制为主,每个赛季每个队伍打10-18场比赛。在2015赛季前,每个赛季都有总决赛。女子职业足球联盟与男子职业足球联赛(MLS)的合作关系也得到了进一步加强。

总之,美国WPSL女子足球联赛是美国女子足球联赛的重要组成部分,它为推动美国女子足球的发展和提升其在美国的地位做出了重要贡献。