When Women’s Sports Teams Find It Costs Too Much to Win

Becky Anderson of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring against West Bromwich Albion Women on March 23.Source: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC

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By Maddie Parker and David Hellier

May 3, 2025 at 11:47 AM UTC

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The women’s team of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club has spent the past eight months playing 22 games in a bid to compete in the second-highest league in England. They missed out on the top spot by four points, but it didn’t even matter: The bosses didn’t want them to get promoted.

After winning the final game of the season by a six-goal margin, the players were told the club decided not to file the paperwork for promotion because it would cost too much money.