One of the most significant changes in modern football is the rapid rise in the adoption and popularity of women’s football. Even though women football competitions started in the 90’s, participation was minimal and mostly at the national levels.
New FIFA policies have driven women football at club level to new heights, as the footballing body made it a requirement for every club to have a female team along with their male sides. Now, with increased coverage and publicity, we see a rush of talent featuring in the women football leagues globally every season.
Every year, women football closes the enormous gap on their men counterparts. Considering their popularity and development, we have ranked the women football leagues in the world here for you.
1. Women Super League (WSL)
The WSL, called the Barclays Women’s Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of women football in England. It started in 2010, accommodating 8 teams before gradually increasing that number to the 12 teams it now runs per season.
Chelsea are current title holders, winning the WSL trophy a whopping 7 times already, as they sport one of the finest teams in the league. Apparently, the WSL showcases some of the world’s best female football talents, with players like Lauren Hemp, Khadija Shaw, Samantha Kerr, and Lauren James.
2. Première Ligue
The Arkema Première Ligue is the top division women’s football league competition in France, where the storied PSG and Olympique Lyonnais clubs originate. The league is older than most female league competitions, starting as the amateur Division 1 Féminine in 1975.
With the increasing trend of promoting women football at the professional level, the competition became a fully professional one in 2009. Olympique Lyonnais have won the league 17 times, racking up the silverware a record 14 consecutive times.
3. Liga F
The Primera Division de Liga de Futbol Femenino, or the finetwork Liga F, is the top division in Spanish women’s football. The league started in 1988, of course as a semi-professional competition, before gaining full professional status in 2020.
Liga F has undergone several changes in naming and structure since it started, playing in cup format in 1996/97 to decide the champions. Barcelona have won the title the most (8) of the 12 different clubs that have been crowned champions. They have now won it five times on the bounce, starting from the 2019/20 season.
4. Frauen-Bundesliga
The Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga (sponsorship reasons) represents the top division of women’s football in Germany. Created in 1990, the league was based on the existing men’s model, with an initial north and south division which later combined to form a uniform league. Next season will see some changes, however, as the DFB has expanded the league to 14 teams.
VFL Wolfsburg, 1. FFC Frankfurt, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, and Bayern Munich have been the most successful clubs in the league, with Wolfsburg and Frankfurt winning it the most times (7).
5. Serie A
The Serie A Femminile eBay, established in 1968, is the top division for Italian women’s football and has been run by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) since 2018. The status of the league players changed to full professional in 2022 after the salary cap on player wages was removed.
The league features only 10 teams, after a cut down from 12, and only the top two teams make it to the UEFA Champions League. The last team is relegated to the second division, while the second-last in Serie A plays off against the second-placed team in the second division to secure a place in the following Serie A season.
Torres is the most successful team in the top division, winning 7 times.
6. Brazilian Women’s National Championship
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Futbol Feminino Serie A is the national league tournament in Brazil. Unlike other leagues, it plays out in a format similar to the new UEFA Champions League, where its 16 teams will play in round robin fashion and the top 8 will go into a knockout stage.
The league as we know it today was created in 2013, and Corinthians has been the most successful team, winning the championship 5 times and finishing as runners-up twice.
7. Vrouwen Eredivisie
The top division for women’s football in the Netherlands is the Azerion Eredivisie Vrouwen, which started as a professional league in 2007. The Dutch and Belgian women’s leagues combined in 2012, although the arrangement folded in 2015, and the Eredivisie Vrouwen restarted for the 2015/16 season.
The league competition takes place in a double round robin format without promotion or relegation as there is no second division. FC Twente is the most successful team in the Eredivisie Vrouwen, with 9 trophies.
8. Liga BPI
The Campeonto Nacional Feminino, or the Liga BPI, is the first division of women’s football in Portugal. It was founded in 1993, and there are currently 12 teams in the league. The competition format here is in double robin fashion, with the last two teams relegated to the Campeonato Nacional II Divisao. The league winner qualifies for the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying rounds.
Benfica have won the league 4 times on the bounce now, but S.U. 1⁰ de Dezembro are the most successful side, winning it 12 times.
9. Liga MX Femenil
The Liga BBVA MX Femenil is the flagship division for women football in Mexico, hosting 18 teams that each correspond with a mens team in the Liga MX. It was founded in 2016, and it is divided into Apertura and Clausura tournaments.
Apertura runs from August to December, while Clausura runs from January to May. There are two separate champions, who then play for the Campeon de Campeonas the start of the new Apertura season. Tigres UANL have won six titles, while running up three times.
10. National Women’s Soccer League
The US women top division for soccer (not football!) is the National Women’s Soccer League. The league is a fully professional one and was created in 2012. There are 14 teams, and they play a double round robin competition to get a winner for the regular season, who will be the NSWL Shield winner.
The top 8 teams from the league will then progress to a knockout stage where the NSWL Champions winner will be decided. The two winners then end the season with a super cup match.
Portland Thorns have been the more successful side, winning three Championships and two Shields.
