Hope Powell's Brighton are hopeful of joining the top division for next season
Women's Super League clubs are set to learn on Wednesday which division they have been awarded a licence to play in during the 2018-19 season.
With England's top divisions being restructured, any sides wanting to play in next season's top tier had to meet new full-time, professional criteria.
All existing WSL clubs had until 10 November to reapply for their licence.
Of the 20 clubs currently in the two tiers of the WSL, 17 submitted bids to play in one of the top two divisions.
The FA women's board met on Tuesday to review the applications and decide which clubs to award licences to.
There are between eight and 14 slots available for next season's top tier, plus room for between 10 and 12 teams in the part-time second tier.
Should any spaces be available after the initial, closed application process, then teams from outside the WSL will have the chance to apply before early March 2018.
Any WSL clubs whose bids were unsuccessful in the first phase of applications will have until January to appeal.
The existing format
There are 10 teams in both WSL 1 and WSL 2, with the format having steadily expanded since the breakaway league began in 2011 with just eight clubs.
When WSL 2 was introduced in 2014, Doncaster Rovers Belles were controversially replaced by then WSL newcomers Manchester City because the Belles were not granted top-tier licence upon reapplication.
The WSL, which is run by the Football Association, recently transitioned from a summer season to a winter calendar.
Read more: FA approves new full-time top divisionListen: Brazier defends FA's plan to change WSL Which clubs did not apply?
WSL 1 side Sunderland opted not to apply during the first wave of applications, instead stating their intention to submit a collaborative bid in March for tier one, should any top-tier slots be available.
A Lady Black Cats statement on 9 November said: "Sunderland AFC are committed to supporting women's football and a joint approach, with combined resources, makes for a better and more sustainable model.
"We have been working with our partners to ensure that we continue to provide the opportunity for elite female footballers in the North East to compete at the top level."
Of the 10 WSL 2 clubs, Watford and Oxford United chose not to apply to play in either tier, but the U's - similarly to Sunderland - intend to reconsider their position in March.
Read more: Yeovil 'need to raise £350,000'Which clubs could move between the divisions?
Of the nine WSL 1 clubs to apply, Yeovil Town Ladies face the most nervous wait to learn if they will stay in the top flight.
The Lady Glovers had said they needed to raise £350,000 to meet the new criteria, which includes a requirement to run a youth academy.
Meanwhile, WSL 2 club Brighton - managed by former England Women national team boss Hope Powell - declared their hopes to join the top tier in November.
Doncaster Rovers Belles are top of WSL 2 after six games of the 2017-18 season, but said they would apply for a second-tier licence because the criteria for tier one was "beyond their means".
You can now add WSL 1 notifications for line-ups, goals, kick-off, half-time and results in the BBC Sport app. Visit this page to find out how to sign-up.
Source: bbc.com