Brighton & Hove Albion’s promotion into The FA Women’s Super League (FA WSL) has been confirmed.
The club has successfully met on- and off-field licencing criteria, including finance and business management, facilities, playing and support staff, and marketing requirements.
Brighton beat Sporting Club Albion 4-2 in The FA Women’s Premier League (FA WPL) Championship play-off final on Sunday 29 May to make them eligible for promotion.
They finished champions of The FA WPL Southern Division to secure their place in the play-off final.
FA head of leagues and competitions Katie Brazier said: "Brighton thoroughly deserve their promotion after such a fantastic season in The FA WPL and for their development off the pitch in recent years.
"The club has demonstrated a real commitment to women’s football, fully integrating their support of the women’s side into the men’s club.
"It is also great for the league that we now have a club on the south coast, which will help us to develop a wider fanbase for the game in a different part of the country and hopefully inspire more young girls there to play football too.
"We are sure Brighton will be a real asset to the league and we wish them the best of luck for their first season.”
Brighton & Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber said: "We are very proud of the achievements of our women's team this season.
"They were worthy winners of The FA Women's Premier League Southern Division, and then followed that with an exciting win last Sunday in the play-off match.
"The club's initial ambition has been to reach the Women's Super League, and having achieved that aim, we are now very much looking forward to kicking off the new season in 2017."
