France/FFF: a development plan for top-level women's football (play-offs, professional league...)

• The introduction of play-offs to decide the D1 Arkema champions;
• A women's second division with a single group of 12 clubs, compared to two 12-club groups at present;
• The creation of a women's third division (composed of two 12-club groups) to which the reserve teams of professional clubs will have access;
• The implementation of a three-level licence for women's club (Elite, Excellence and Accession);
• The creation of a women's professional league to manage the first and second divisions.

These are some of the main measures resulting from the French Football Federation's "development plan for top-level women's football" which was unveiled by Philippe Diallo, interim president, and Jean-Michel Aulas, member of the executive committee and president of the women's top-level football commission, at the body's headquarters in Paris (FRA) on 13/04/2023.

All these new features will be effective from the 2023-24 season, with the exception of the new women's professional league, which must first be approved by the Federal Assembly on 10/06/2023, before it can be implemented "on…