Women’s Premier Division Standings 2025: SSE Airtricity

If you’ve been following the twists and turns of the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division this season, you already know it’s a table that refuses to sit still. As of early August 2025, Shelbourne and Athlone Town are locked in a race that has already seen the lead change hands more than once, with just goal difference separating the top two.

Current leaders: Shelbourne FC (goal difference) ·
Number of teams: 12 ·
Current season: 2025 ·
Most recent champion: Athlone Town AFC (2024) ·
Governing body: Football Association of Ireland ·
Level on pyramid: Tier 1 (women’s)

What are the women’s premier division standings?

Current SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division table

As of August 10, 2025, Shelbourne FC sit top of the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division on goal difference after a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Waterford (RTÉ Sport, Ireland’s national broadcaster). The table earlier in the season showed Athlone Town as the only unbeaten side after nine games, with eight wins and one draw (The42, Irish sports news outlet). A retrieved standings snapshot from Wikipedia listed Athlone Town first with 55 points, Shelbourne second with 48 points, and Galway United third with 45 points (Wikipedia, community-maintained reference).

Shelbourne’s goal difference was reported as +33 on August 2, five better than second-placed Athlone Town at that point (RTÉ Sport). Kelly Brady of Athlone Town was leading the scoring chart with 20 goals in the same Wikipedia snapshot.

How to read the standings

The league uses a standard three-points-for-a-win system. The table includes goals for and against, goal difference, and total points. A closed system with no promotion or relegation means all 12 teams—including Cork City, who were listed last with 8 points in the retrieved standings—remain in the division regardless of performance.

The pattern: Shels and Athlone have pulled clear of the chasing pack, with the mid-table gap to Galway United and Shamrock Rovers significant enough that a top-two finish looks locked unless form collapses.

Is the Women’s League of Ireland professional?

Semi-professional status of the league

The SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division is classified as a semi-professional league. Most players train part-time, often balancing football with full-time jobs or studies. The Football Association of Ireland has invested in improving standards, including the 2020 rebranding and sponsorship deal with SSE Airtricity, but the league has not yet transitioned to full professionalism.

• Most players receive modest stipends rather than full salaries
• Training schedules are typically evenings and weekends to accommodate other commitments
• The FAI has not publicly disclosed a target date for full professional status

Player contracts and compensation

Player salaries in the Women’s Premier Division are not publicly disclosed by the FAI or individual clubs. What is known is that the league operates on a semi-professional model, meaning compensation typically falls far below living-wage levels for full-time work. This contrasts with the English Women’s Super League, where top players earn between £30,000 and £200,000 per year.

The implication: For an Irish player with professional ambitions, the domestic league offers a platform but not a livelihood. The gap between Ireland’s semi-pro structure and fully professional leagues like the WSL or France’s Division 1 Féminine is a key reason talented Irish players increasingly move abroad.

Where is Ireland ranked in women’s soccer?

Current FIFA Women’s World Ranking for Ireland

As of the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking, the Republic of Ireland women’s national team is ranked 24th in the world. This position reflects the team’s progress following their historic qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, their first appearance at the tournament.

• Ireland’s ranking has improved from the mid-30s in the 2010s to their current 24th position
• The FIFA ranking algorithm uses a weighted points system based on match results, opponent strength, and competition importance
• Rankings are updated monthly

Historical ranking trends

Ireland’s upward trajectory is directly linked to better results in competitive fixtures since 2020. The 2023 World Cup qualification included wins over Scotland and Finland, which earned significant ranking points. However, ranking 24th places Ireland behind all top European women’s football nations, including England (3rd), Spain (1st), Germany (4th), and France (5th).

The pattern: Ireland has closed the gap on mid-tier European nations but still sits well behind the top 10. The semi-professional domestic league is a limiting factor—players from fully professional leagues have year-round training and match fitness that part-time Irish players cannot match.

Who is ranked number 1 in women’s soccer?

Current top-ranked women’s national team

As of the most recent FIFA ranking update, the United States women’s national team holds the number 1 position. Spain, the reigning world champions, are ranked 2nd, followed by Germany at 3rd, England at 4th, and Sweden at 5th. The top 5 have remained stable over the past two years, with the USWNT holding its lead even after a fourth-place finish at the 2023 World Cup.

The FIFA ranking system awards points based on match outcomes, with higher weight given to World Cup and continental championship matches. A win against a top-10 ranked team is worth significantly more points than a win against a lower-ranked opponent.

How the FIFA ranking works

The FIFA Women’s World Ranking was revised in 2018 to use a sum-of-weighted-points system. Each match awards or subtracts points based on: match result (win/draw/loss), importance of the match (friendly, qualifier, World Cup), and relative strength of the two opponents. An expected-result formula means beating a much weaker team earns few points, while a draw against a stronger team earns significant points.

For Ireland, the path to improving their ranking involves consistent performances in European Championship qualifiers and maintaining their position in Nations League competition, which was introduced for women’s football in 2023.

How much do Premier league women’s players get paid?

Salary ranges in the English Women’s Super League

Salaries in the English Women’s Super League vary widely depending on the club and the player’s profile. Top-tier stars at clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City earn between £30,000 and £200,000 per year. Chloe Kelly, the England international who scored the winning goal in Euro 2022, reportedly earns a salary estimated at £100,000 or more.

However, the median WSL salary is estimated to be lower, with many squad players earning between £20,000 and £40,000 annually. The league’s minimum wage is not publicly mandated, and there remains a large gap between the top earners and the rest of the squad.

Comparison with the Irish Women’s Premier Division

By contrast, players in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division earn significantly less, with stipends often below €10,000 per year for even the most established players. The league’s semi-professional structure means most players do not rely on football as their primary income.

The trade-off: Irish players get competitive match minutes and a visible platform in a growing league, but the financial reality means many top Irish talents—like Katie McCabe (Arsenal) and Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage)—have needed to move to fully professional leagues to make a living from the sport.

Frequently asked questions

For Irish football stakeholders, the path forward is clear: invest in full-time contracts and training infrastructure, or watch the best talent continue to leave for leagues where the women’s game is treated as a profession, not an afterthought.

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