It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the two divisions of the FA Women's Super League and above the eight regional football leagues.

[1] 72 teams were members of the league before the start of the 2016–17 season, divided equally into six divisions of twelve teams.

At the end of the season Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively the champions of the Northern and Southern Divisions, qualified for a playoff match against each other which Tottenham Hotspur won 3-0 thus becoming the overall league champion, and winning them promotion to FA WSL 2.

The winner earned promotion to the FA WSL 2.

[13] All results involving Shanklin were expunged.