Crystal Palace

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The club's journey began in earnest with their formation in 1992. By the 2003–04 season, they secured their first major title by winning the South East Combination Women's Football League. Their ascent continued through cup success in 2011, where they defeated Chelsea to claim the Surrey FA County Cup. A pivotal moment arrived in 2013–14 when they won the London and South East Women's Regional Football League, earning promotion to the FA Women's National League. The team reached new heights in 2015–16, going undefeated to win the South East Division One title while also securing another Surrey FA County Cup against AFC Wimbledon. In 2018, the club adopted semi-professional status and became a founding member of the FA Women's Championship. A significant rebranding occurred in 2019 when they dropped 'Ladies' from their name to align with modern trends. By June 2022, the team officially joined the CPFC Limited group.

In Their Own Story

The summer of 2023 marked a turning point with the appointments of Grace Williams as Head of Women's Football and Laura Kaminski as Head Coach. Under their leadership, Palace achieved back-to-back top-five finishes in previous seasons before securing promotion to the Women's Super League as champions at the end of the 2023–24 Championship season. The team scored 55 goals while conceding just 20 across 22 matches, sealing the title with a final-day draw against Sunderland at Selhurst Park in front of a record crowd of 6,796. However, the inaugural WSL campaign proved difficult; the club finished in bottom place and was relegated back to the second tier. On 24 June 2025, Jo Potter was appointed manager. Potter swiftly guided the team back to the top flight by finishing as runners-up in the WSL2 during the 2025–26 season.

Reader's Guide

For fans tracking the club's progression, key dates include the 2018 shift to semi-professional status and the 2019 name change. The most significant statistical achievement occurred in the 2023–24 Championship season, where a goal difference of +35 (55 scored, 20 conceded) secured the title. The record attendance of 6,796 at Selhurst Park during the promotion-clinching draw against Sunderland remains a high-water mark for the club. Honours include league titles in 2003–04, 2013–14, and 2015–16, alongside Surrey County Cup victories in 2010–11 and 2015–16. In popular culture, the team featured in the first episode of 'Harry's Heroes: The Full English' in 2019, losing 1–0 to a squad of male former professionals.

Did You Know?

• The club played at Hayes Lane, home of Bromley F.C., between 2014 and 2023 before moving to the VBS Community Stadium.
• In 2023–24, Palace scored 55 goals and conceded only 20 in 22 matches to win the Championship title.
• A record crowd of 6,796 witnessed the promotion-clinching draw against Sunderland at Selhurst Park.
• The team dropped 'Ladies' from their name in 2019, changing from Crystal Palace Ladies F.C. to Crystal Palace F.C.
• Jo Potter was appointed manager on 24 June 2025 and immediately guided the club back to the top tier as WSL2 runners-up.