However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 14 teams considered pulling out of the league before nine confirmed it was not financially viable to compete while supporters were not allowed into football grounds.
The league decided not to penalise teams who chose to withdraw due to the pandemic and introduced proposals to have no promotion and relegation in the inaugural season.
[1][2][3] On 11 January 2021 the league was suspended by the Scottish Football Association due to the escalating pandemic situation.
[5] The Premier Division initially consisted of all 16 teams from the 2019–20 West Region Premiership, the top 3 teams based on points per game from the 2019–20 West Region Championship, and Bonnyton Thistle from the 2019–20 South of Scotland Football League.
Due to the start of the season being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the division was split into two groups so that the number of games played by each team would be reduced from 38 to 28.