FA announce date and venue for Women's Championship play-off final

The FA Women's National League (WNL) has announced the dates and venues for this season's competition cup finals and the Championship Play-Off Final.

The play-off final is the biggest event in the league's calendar, with the WNL Northern and Southern Premier Division champions forced to battle it out for the overall National League title and a spot in the Barclays Women's Championship.

This season's showpiece event will be staged at Stadium MK, home of Milton Keynes Dons FC, on Saturday May 20. Last year, Southampton narrowly beat Wolves to earn a place in the second tier with a 1,354-strong crowd watching on at Stockport's Edgeley Park.

With the Women's Super League and Women's Championship continuing to draw in record crowds off the back of the Lionesses' Euros success, the WNL will hope to break last season's attendance record when the final kicks off in Milton Keynes next spring.

The FA has also confirmed the WNL Plate Final will take place on Sunday, March 26 at ARMCO Arena, home of Solihull Moors Football Club, while The FA WNL Cup Final will take place on Sunday, April 23 at Pirelli Stadium, home of Burton Albion Football Club.

All 72 member clubs of The FA WNL have competed in either the WNL Cup or Plate this season, with an initial determining round taking place ahead of the competitions starting. The winning sides of the determining round were drawn into the Cup while the losing sides were entered into the Plate.

Neither competition has a defending champion this season, with Nottingham Forest, winners of the 2021/22 FA WNL Plate, competing in the Cup competition instead this year, and Southampton, winners of the 2021/22 WNL Cup, going onto also secure promotion to the Barclays Women's Championship.

Reflecting on the choice of venues for this season's finals, Carol West, Chair of The FA Women's National League, said: "The women's game has grown to new heights this year and we're truly seeing a new era for women's football. That's why we are delighted to have the backing of these clubs and their stadiums, providing our competition finals with the fitting setting they deserve for such big occasions.

"It's only with their support and the incredible football our clubs put on display that we can continue to ensure the advancements at the very top of the women's game are filtered down the pyramid too."

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