Fulham Women Make History With Domestic Double
As the 2025/26 season concludes, Fulham Women have celebrated a remarkable achievement, securing a domestic double by winning Division One South East, the fourth tier of women’s football, alongside the Capital Cup.
This success marks Fulham’s second league title in consecutive seasons, enabling the team to achieve back-to-back promotions. Impressively, they have maintained an unbeaten league streak that spans 47 matches over three seasons.
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While Fulham’s dominance is apparent, some supporters were surprised by the speed of their success. Sarah Keig, Chair of the Fulham Lillies Supporters’ Group, termed the title win a ‘shock.’
“While we’ve had an amazing season, the priority was to consolidate and stay in this league. Not going up to come back down. It’s all credit to the team, Steve Jaye, and the staff they’ve got around them,” she noted.
The swift progression surprised Jaye as well, who managed his team in Tier 5 last season and is now preparing for the challenges of Tier 3.
“From a club perspective, we had a slightly different target to what we had with the players,” he said. “The players drove us to be competitive to win promotion.”
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Jaye has overseen the women’s first team since 2018. Initially, promotion from the London and South East Regional Division was challenging, with the team finishing mid-table from 2018 to 2021. However, after three consecutive third-place finishes, Fulham finally achieved promotion in the 2024/25 season, and this year took home the fourth-tier title.
“Promotion is huge for us, because from the club’s perspective, we want to move through the pyramid. The speed of that will be dictated by a lot of factors. So to do it back-to-back means a lot, because we’ve put a lot of work in to get to this place and that’s been showcased,” he said.
‘Confidence’ Key to Early-Season Form
Striker Ellie Olds, who joined the club in 2021, has been pivotal this season, scoring 23 goals. Her contributions include a decisive goal against MK Dons to secure the title and another that delivered the Capital Cup victory over AFC Wimbledon. She also netted critical goals throughout the season, such as a late winner against Cambridge and a brace versus Chatham Town.
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“I’m a player that depends on confidence. If I’m confident and playing with a smile, I always play a lot better,” she expressed. “I went on a run where I kept scoring, so I went into every game knowing I could.”
The team’s confidence grew significantly after winning early matches in the season.
“Winning the first few games was massive [because] the division, for most of us, was completely unknown,” Olds said, referring to a key game against Norwich. “So to get that win and the way we did it filled the team with so much confidence knowing we could compete.”
“Having gone unbeaten last season, we all had the mentality to continue and take it one game at a time. That hasn’t stopped at all this season.”
Action during the Womens National League Division One South East match between Fulham and Luton at Craven Cottage on April 12, 2026, in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Pedro Soares/Fulham FC)
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Fulham Eyes Return to Past Glory
For many long-time fans, Fulham’s resurgence evokes memories of the club’s earlier years when it set the benchmarks in women’s football, becoming England’s first professional outfit in 2000.
The club secured four titles between 2000 and 2006 and achieved a domestic treble in the 2002/03 season, with prominent players such as Rachel Yankey and Katie Chapman marking this era.
However, the lack of a professional top-flight league led to the withdrawal of financial backing from ownership, resulting in the team becoming semi-professional and eventually disbanded in 2006. Fulham only reformed in 2014.
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The latest successes are gradually restoring the club to its former status, with a professional structure growing incrementally.
“Everything we do is so different to when we started,” said Jaye. “We started off with one training night a week, an hour and a half on the pitch, and now we train three times a week with a team of 15 to 20 staff members. This growth has been significant.”
Olds added, “There’s been investment, allowing us support in many aspects, which contributes to our professionalism on and off the pitch. Personal care, strength and conditioning, as well as nutrition all help us perform better.”
Action during the Womens National League Division One South East match between Fulham and Luton at Craven Cottage on April 12, 2026, in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Pedro Soares/Fulham FC)
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Bridging the Gap Between Divisions
As Fulham prepares for the challenges of Tier 3, they aim to continue their growth. Last season, the team faced Tier 3 opposition three times, suffering losses to Exeter City and Bournemouth, but Jaye is optimistic about overcoming these hurdles.
“Results haven’t gone the way we wanted against Tier 3 teams, but we’ve been pleased with some performances against those sides,” he stated. “On another day, if some players were available, we might have had different outcomes.”
Fulham’s win against Wimbledon in the Capital Cup final serves as an example of their improvement, but Jaye acknowledges that adapting to the new tier will take time and specific goals for next season remain unfinalized.
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“It starts with setting realistic expectations. We weren’t arrogant in thinking we’d win the league last year, but we believed we could compete in the top two or three positions.”
“These discussions will continue across various groups. We need everyone on board to understand our direction at the start of the season.”
Action during the Womens National League Division One South East match between Fulham and Luton at Craven Cottage on April 12, 2026, in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Pedro Soares/Fulham FC)
Fulham aims for the Women’s Super League, but prioritizes professionalization first. Supporters hope for growth both on and off the pitch.
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“This is really the first season that the women’s team has had a dedicated social media presence and operational staff,” Keig stated. “We played our first game at The Cottage this season and even had a night game. It’s a gradual process towards building.”
Keig expressed optimism about the dialogue between the supporters and the club, but highlighted the need for better communication regarding long-term plans. “I’m hopeful that being in Tier 3 will prompt more clarity about the future plans. It’s challenging to say the club doesn’t invest because they provide facilities, yet there is room for improvement in operational aspects, such as game-day services.”
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Professionalization remains part of a broader vision, with Jaye outlining high aspirations for the club. “Getting to the WSL is incredibly challenging as many clubs are making similar advancements with investment. However, I’m confident we wouldn’t be where we are without our long-term vision to compete with the country’s best teams.”
Looking ahead, Olds is excited about the journey: “It’s an exciting time to be in women’s football, and to be part of Fulham because we’re on such a good trajectory. Having those longer-term plans is critical for all players to see the club succeed.”
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