[1] Glasgow City were the defending champions, having won the last completed championship in 2019.
[2] The previous season, 2020, was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic and was subsequently declared null and void.
[3] Following this cancellation, Scottish Women's Football reverted to the winter-season format last used in 2008–09.
[5] The 2020–21 season was interrupted for more than three months by the pandemic; SWPL 1 played no games between January and March.
[12][13] Partick Thistle were later added as a third promoted club, after Forfar Farmington withdrew from the SWPL.