London City Lionesses

London City Lionesses stand apart in the English top flight as its only fully independent club, unattached to any men's team. They were founded in 2019 when the management of Millwall Lionesses — one of the oldest and most important women's sides in the country, twice Women's FA Cup winners and the club where England legends Hope Powell and Kelly Smith featured — broke away to form an independent entity, taking the Championship licence with them. Many doubted a standalone club could survive, but the story turned in December 2023 when American businesswoman Michele Kang, owner of a multi-club network including Washington Spirit and Lyon, took over. Her investment and ambition transformed the club: based at Hayes Lane in Bromley, they won the second-tier title and, in 2025, reached the Women's Super League for the first time — the first fully independent club ever promoted to the top flight.