Lexi Lloyd-Smith (centre) scored Palace's winner and was one of the four players substituted by the home side. Sarah Ray-Gain / Getty ImagesSept. 6, 2026 Updated The team of officials for Crystal Palace Women’s win over Everton in the Women’s Super League (WSL) have been stood down from the next round of fixtures while the league investigates how Palace were allowed to make substitutes during four different windows during Sunday’s match.WSL sides are allowed to make five substitutes across three different windows but Palace introduced players in the 62nd, 83rd, 90th and 97th minutes of the 1-0 win over Everton at Gander Green Lane.Their final substitute – forward Kirsty Howat – was introduced in seventh of 13 minutes of stoppage time.
Sources with knowledge of the situation, speaking anonymously because they were not authorised to do so publicly, said referee Megan Wilson and her team of officials will not be assigned games in the next round of fixtures in WSL and WSL 2, which will be announced at 4pm BST on Monday.The WSL said in a statement: “We can confirm there was a breach of competition rules in the Crystal Palace versus Everton match. Crystal Palace used a fourth substitution opportunity during a fourth stoppage in play, when the rules permit a maximum of three substitution opportunities per match. We will now conduct an investigation alongside both clubs and Pro Ref and update in due course.”Pro Ref – formerly PGMOL – is the newly rebranded body in England responsible for overseeing match officials across the Premier League, EFL, WSL and FA Cup.Newly-promoted Crystal Palace won on their WSL return thanks to Lexi Lloyd-Smith’s first half strike.
