FA make major announcement that will impact Sunderland's Championship season under head coach Mel Reay

Sunderland Women will play fewer games next season after a major announcement by the Football Association.

The FA and the Women’s Professional Game have confirmed that Reading have withdrawn from the Championship for the 2024-25 season, leaving just 11 teams in the second-tier. The Royals have applied to re-enter the women’s football pyramid at tier five.

Reading have dropped out of the club Championship after confirming that they would not be able to meet the ongoing compliance requirements needed to continue to operate in the division, meaning Sunderland will play two fewer games in the league during 24-25.

The FA states that the league will operate with 11 clubs next season, and will only have one relegation place. They add that they intend the Championship to return to 12 clubs and two relegation places from the start of the 2025-26 campaign.

Dawn Airey, chair of the Super League and Championship, said: “We are very disappointed that Reading FC Women have decided to withdraw from the Barclays Women’s Championship. We have been working closely with the club throughout the season and have made every effort to find a solution and to prevent this outcome.

“We are deeply saddened by the impact this will have on the Reading FC Women players, staff and fans, as they have all played a key role in women’s football and within their wider community. It was also very important to us to find a way to ensure that Reading FC Women could continue to participate in the women’s football pyramid next season.

Our priority now is to focus on supporting the current players and staff members at the club, including the Professional Game Academy, to ensure that they have every opportunity to continue to participate in the women’s game.”

An FA statement added: “The FA and the Women’s Professional Game will continue to work with Reading FC Women during this transition period and will now focus on providing support to players and staff at the club to ensure that they can continue to play and work in the women’s game. This includes supporting players and staff at Reading’s Girls Professional Game Academy [PGA], who will also be impacted by the club’s decision.”