Wessex Football League

Wessex Football League

Founded	1986
Country	England
Divisions	Premier Division Division One
Number of teams	41 20 (Premier Division) 21 (Division One)
Level on pyramid	Levels 9–10
Feeder to	Southern League Isthmian League
Promotion to	Level 8 Southern League Division One South Isthmian League Division One South Central
Relegation to	Hampshire Premier League Dorset Premier Football League Wiltshire Football League
Domestic cup(s)	Wessex League Cup
Current champions	Horndean (Premier Division) Andover New Street (Division One) (2022–23)
Website	Wessex League
Current: 2024–25 Wessex Football League

The Wessex Football League, known as the Velocity Wessex Football League for sponsorship reasons, is an English regional men's football league in southern England. Its members are primarily from Hampshire and Dorset, but clubs from adjoining counties such as Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey, and the Isle of Wight are also eligible. The Premier Division is one of the sixteen recognised leagues to form the ninth level of the English football league system (known as Step 5 of the National League System), and Division One is one of seventeen recognised leagues at level 10 (Step 6).

Champions of the Wessex League who meet the relevant ground and financial requirements are eligible for promotion to the Southern League Division One South or Isthmian League Division One South Central.

In the summer of 1986 the formation of a Wessex League was discussed. It was proposed to draw clubs from the Hampshire, Dorset, Berks and Bucks, Sussex and Wiltshire FAs. After long discussions the full Football Association approved the league, with the 1986-87 season featuring 17 teams in the league.^[1]

Bashley were first champions of the new league, with Brockenhurst finishing last. The 1987–88 season saw the number of teams increase from 17 to 19. Four teams joined the league, but two of the founding teams, Road-Sea Southampton and Portals Athletic, left in unfortunate circumstances.

In its third year of existence, the league was gaining in prestige and this was reflected by the fact that 17 of the 19 clubs remained in the league. 1990–91 saw the league reach previously untouched heights as 20 clubs participated.

In 2004, it absorbed most of the clubs from its feeder league, the Hampshire League, which formed a new Division Two and Division Three. In 2006 the divisions were renamed as the Premier Division and Divisions One and Two. At the end of the 2006–07 season, Division Two was disbanded, and most of the clubs formed a new Hampshire Premier League.^[2]

AFC Portchester

AFC Stoneham

Andover New Street

Baffins Milton Rovers

Blackfield & Langley

Bournemouth

Brockenhurst

Christchurch

Cowes Sports

Fareham Town

Hamble Club

Hythe & Dibden

Laverstock & Ford

Lymington Town

Moneyfields

Petersfield Town

Portland United

Shaftesbury

Sherborne Town

United Services Portsmouth

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Map showing the location of teams in Wessex Football League, Premier Division in 2023–24

In 2004, the league expanded to three divisions.

In 2006, the divisions were renumbered, with the top division being renamed the Premier Division.

After the 2006-07 season, Division Two was discontinued.

The Wessex League Cup, or Velocity Wessex League Cup for sponsor purposes, is a domestic cup which all the Wessex League teams participate in.

Source:^[3]

• Official website