Charlton Athletic secured promotion to the Women's Super League for the first time in their history after defeating Leicester City 2-1 in a penalty shootout on Saturday.
The inaugural promotion and relegation play-off at The Valley ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, forcing a shootout where Charlton goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse saved four penalties.
A club-record home crowd of 3,979 spectators witnessed the historic moment, as Charlton bounced back from a late-season slump that saw them drop from first to third on the final day of the WSL2 season.
The victory marks Charlton's return to top-flight women's football for the first time since 2008, defying pre-season expectations despite competing against clubs with larger budgets.
The decisive moment came when Whitehouse blocked Noemie Mouchon's spot-kick, prompting teammates to swarm her in celebration while manager Karen Hills watched emotionally from the touchline.
Hills had earlier emphasized the significance of the play-off opportunity, calling it "another bite at the cherry."
Charlton controlled large spells of the game, particularly through winger Karin Muya on the right flank during a dominant first-half display.
Whitehouse protected the level scoreline by denying a close-range attempt from Shannon O'Brien just before halftime and later blocking a 93rd-minute header from Leicester substitute Ashleigh Neville.
Charlton nearly clinched the win during extra time when substitute Katie Lockwood hit the underside of the crossbar, but the subsequent rebound headed in by Lucia Lobato was disallowed for offside.
The result means Leicester City is relegated to the second tier after a five-year stint in the top division, concluding a difficult season where they scored only 11 goals in 22 league matches.
The defeat compounds frustration for Leicester fans, following the recent relegation of their men's senior team to League One.
Under revised competition rules for the upcoming season, the expansion from 12 to 14 teams will guarantee an automatic promotion spot for the WSL2 champion, while the bottom WSL club faces automatic relegation.
Leicester City will next participate in the World Sevens tournament in Brentford on Thursday as they prepare to restructure for life in the second division.
