How can WSL avoid another messy postponement?

The decision to postpone a Women's Super League match between Chelsea and Manchester United with just a week’s notice has left everyone involved - clubs, fans and governing bodies - frustrated and at odds with each other.

Chelsea were set to host the televised game on Sunday, 6 October but it was postponed due to the Blues' involvement in the Women's Champions League.

The draw for the group stages of the European competition took place last Friday, pitting Chelsea against Real Madrid on Tuesday, 8 October - 48 hours after their planned match with United.

Chelsea and the new company which now runs the WSL - the Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) - had tried to persuade Uefa to reconsider their scheduling but were unsuccessful, leading to a messy situation which has left all parties feeling aggrieved.

For the first time, there are three English clubs competing in the Women’s Champions League group stages.

Uefa regulations state clubs from the same national member associations cannot face each other in the group stages, while among their key principles is an assurance that they must play on alternate evenings.

So when Uefa sent through their Champions League dates over a year ago, clubs and the WPLL could have been aware of a potential issue involving the schedule if more than one English club reached the group stages.

The first matchday was a Tuesday, which followed a WSL weekend, when the default day for a game is a Sunday.

Chelsea automatically qualified for the group stages as WSL winners, while Manchester City and Arsenal secured their spots after successfully negotiating qualifying last week.

Chelsea and the WPLL say they had been in regular discussions with Uefa, asking them to reconsider putting an English team in action on Tuesday - especially as it was just a principle and not an official regulation preventing it - but were unsuccessful in their requests.

That perceived lack of flexibility by Uefa has caused frustration.

It meant the WPLL had to rejig their schedule to help Chelsea, who said their priority was player welfare and it was unjust to expect athletes to play two matches in three days.

Moving the WSL match to Saturday, 5 October to give Chelsea an extra day to recover before their European match was out of the question for Manchester United, who didn't want to play three matches in seven days.

Chelsea could not swap their matchday in the Champions League with London rivals Arsenal because it would have caused similar issues for the Gunners in terms of scheduling. Their WSL match at Emirates Stadium on Sunday would have been very tricky to move with the men’s team playing there the day before.

Ultimately, the lack of wiggle room plays into a bigger discussion on scheduling in the women's game.

Several high-profile players and managers have questioned major organisations, such as Fifa and Uefa, with international calendars expanding, European competitions increasing and player welfare becoming a growing concern.

The Champions League group-stage draw only took place on 27 September, meaning clubs and their marketing teams have had little time to capitalise on ticket sales, with just over a week’s notice.

Chelsea, for example, face Real Madrid in their first group game – arguably the biggest tie of their group for both clubs – and they have 10 days to promote ticket sales for the Stamford Bridge tie.

Sky Sports have had programming and TV picks affected with the postponement of the Chelsea v Manchester United match due to be broadcast live on their channels.

That leads to a general loss of money for the broadcasters, as well as clubs, who will have put in place security measures and logistical plans to compensate the flagship fixture.

But the biggest losers are fans, who have paid for accommodation, travel and ticket costs to attend the WSL fixture and are now having to claim back for expenses, with not all of it guaranteed.

The greatest concern from all of this is the welfare of players.

If calendars and fixture scheduling continues to be congested, similar issues will keep arising and players will be asked to push their bodies to the limit.

In the men's game, several players including Manchester City midfielder Rodri, have said it could lead to players going on strike in order for major organisations to take notice.

Chelsea Women's Supporters Club and Chelsea Pride told BBC Sport in a statement they believe the "right choice" was made to protect players but have called for "accountability and measures to prevent this from happening again".

Uefa have been asked to reconsider their stance on clubs from the same nations all having to play on different evenings, while the WPLL - now fully in control of the WSL after a handover period with the Football Association - will likely be more aware of the calendar next season.

One of the WPLL's considerations could be scrapping the Women's League Cup, a competition which adds to the fixture congestion and is largely not supported by WSL clubs.

It has been a conversation that has existed for several seasons and had League Cup matches not been scheduled around the same time as this postponement - Manchester United play Liverpool on 2 October - then there may have been scope for more flexibility.

But to avoid this happening again in the future some of the parties involved, who all have competing priorities, will have to make concessions, or else it will be the players and fans who continue to lose out.