What the players used to do in the Winter period...

Whilst we’re now very familiar with the current WSL setup, it’s easy to forget just how different the league once looked.

Before aligning with the traditional European football calendar, the WSL operated as a summer league, running from March through to October. While that suited the British climate, it also meant that once autumn arrived, the season wrapped up, leaving a long winter gap in the calendar. And while fans were layering up and settling in for cold, dark evenings, some players were doing the opposite: jetting off for a winter in the sun.

With the WSL paused, a number of players headed to Australia to play in the then W-League (now the A-League Women), swapping rain-soaked training pitches for sunshine, palm trees, and Christmas fixtures in summer heat. The Australian league runs from October to April/May, making it the perfect off-season destination, and a chance to stay match-sharp while spending December far from frosty mornings and frozen pitches.

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One of the standout examples came after the 2015 WSL season, when Scottish international Jen Beattie joined Melbourne City, Manchester City’s sister club. Arriving before round three, Beattie became part of a side that didn’t just dominate but rewrote the record books. Melbourne City went on to win both the W-League Premiership and Grand Final, completing the league season with a perfect 100% record. 

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Beattie wasn’t alone. That same season, Kim Little arrived on loan from Seattle Reign, joined by Welsh international Jess Fishlock. Little’s time in Melbourne saw her rack up nine goals in 12 appearances, helping drive the team all the way to the Grand Final. Fishlock, meanwhile, took on a unique dual role as both starting midfielder and player-assistant coach, balancing tactical meetings with dictating play from the midfield.

That Melbourne City side went on to win all 12 of their league games, sealing the championship with a dominant 4-1 Grand Final win over Sydney FC, making it one of the most iconic seasons in Australian women’s football history.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

The A-League Women continues to play through the festive period to this day, offering fans Christmas football in the sunshine, a sharp contrast to the modern WSL, which now takes a three-week winter break, while the men’s Premier League famously powers on regardless.

So as the WSL pauses this December, it’s worth remembering a time when players headed overseas during the winter break, trading a quiet spell in the calendar for competitive football elsewhere.

It’s also a reminder of just how much the women’s game has evolved. These kinds of mid-season loans are now rare; contracts are more robust, squads are deeper, and calendar congestion is a real and growing issue. With European competition, international windows and increased domestic demands, there’s little room for players to step away mid-season.

What was once a practical solution to stay match-fit now feels like a snapshot of a different era. The game is more professional, more demanding, and more tightly structured - a sign of progress, even if it comes with new challenges.

Are you a fan of the WSL Christmas Break?

• Yes - Rest and recovery for me and the players!
• No - Miss it too much!
• Torn - Necessary, but I miss it!