Campeonato Nacional Feminino

The Campeonato Nacional Feminino (English: Women's National Championship), also known as Liga BPI for sponsorship reasons, is the top-tier women's association football league in Portugal. It is run by the Portuguese Football Federation and began in 1993. An initial ten teams compete in the league, which replaced the Taça Nacional as the highest level of women's football in Portugal. The current champions are Benfica, who won their third consecutive title in 2023. The most successful team is S.U. 1º de Dezembro, with 12 titles.

Campeonato Nacional Feminino
Organising bodyFPF
Founded1993 (1993)
CountryPortugal
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams12 (from 2022–23)
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toCampeonato Nacional II Divisão
Domestic cup(s)Taça de Portugal
Taça da Liga
Supertaça
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
Current championsBenfica (3rd title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsS.U. 1º de Dezembro (12 titles)
Websitefpf.pt
Current: 2023–24 Campeonato Nacional

History

One of the first women's football national championship in Portugal began in 1985, under the title Taça Nacional. It included all clubs interested in participating and comprised two stages, in the first stage clubs were divided in different zone groups with the top clubs from each zone advancing to the second stage to decide the champion. Boavista dominated this competition, winning all its eight editions. The competition was renamed Campeonato Nacional for the 1993–94 season though keeping the same format. On the 1998–99 season, more matches were added to the competition as clubs not advancing to the championship stage played would play again between them. In 2001, the UEFA Women's Cup was created with the previous season winners of this competition qualifying to play on it. The Portuguese cup started on the 2003–04 season with all clubs competing on it.

In 2005, the Campeonato Nacional II Divisão was created, leaving only the top 6 teams on the first tier, each one playing the others 4 times with the bottom team being relegated. The competition was expanded for the 2009–10 season to 10 teams, playing each other twice, with top clubs advancing to a championship group and bottom teams to a relegation group. A supercup, played between the championship winners and cup winners, started in 2015.

For the 2016–17, the Portuguese Football Federation granted direct entrance to the first tier to four Primeira Liga teams, with Sporting CP, Braga, Estoril and CF Os Belenenses taking the spots. This teams had to keep the women's team for at least three seasons and introduce Under-19 sides to promote youth football. This way, Sporting CP and Braga became the first professional women's football teams in Portugal. That same season, the format was reverted to a single stage, where the 14 teams (reduced to 12 on the following season) play each other twice. The league cup was introduced for the 2019–20 season with teams qualifying through mid-season standings on the championship. That season was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal with no title awarded and no teams relegated. This was the first time no title was awarded since the creation of the competition. This led to a total of 20 teams on the first tier on the following season, requiring a format change for that season, with a first stage where teams are divided in two groups playing each other once with top teams advancing to a championship group and bottom teams to relegation groups.

Competition format

Competition

As of 2016–17, there are 12 clubs in the Campeonato Nacional. During the course of a season (from September to May) each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents', for 22 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, goal difference, matches won, and goals scored. If still equal, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank. The two lowest placed teams are relegated into the Campeonato Nacional II Divisão, and the top two teams from the Campeonato Nacional de Promoção are promoted in their place.

Qualification for European competitions

The winner of Campeonato Nacional qualifies for the UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying round.

Teams
Location of teams in 2023–24 Campeonato Nacional Feminino. (Mainland)
Location of teams in 2022–23 Campeonato Nacional Feminino (Madeira).

12 teams contest the Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino in 2023–24.

Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Atlético Ouriense Ourém Campo da Caridade 260
Benfica Seixal Benfica Campus 2,721
Lisbon Estádio da Luz 64,642
Braga Braga Estádio 1º de Maio 28,000
Clube de Albergaria Albergaria-a-Velha Estádio Municipal António Augusto Martins Pereira 1,500
Damaiense Amadora Complexo Desportivo Municipal Monte da Galega 2,000
Famalicão Vila Nova de Famalicão Academia do F.C. Famalicão 500
Länk Vilaverdense Vila Verde Estádio Municipal de Vila Verde 3,000
Marítimo Funchal Campo Adelino Rodrigues 2,000
Racing Power Seixal Complexo Municipal de Atletismo de Setúbal 3,000
Sporting CP Alcochete CGD Stadium Aurélio Pereira 1,128
Lisbon Estádio José Alvalade 50,095
Torreense Torres Vedras Parque Desportivo Maximino Santos 2,000
Valadares Gaia Vila Nova de Gaia Complexo Desportivo Valadares 750

List of champions

The following teams won the league:[1]

Taça Nacional
Season Champions Runners-up Third-place
1985–86 Boavista Académico de Alvalade União de Coimbra
1986–87 Boavista (2)
1987–88 Boavista (3)
1988–89 Boavista (4) Costa do Estoril União de Coimbra
1989–90 Boavista (5) Costa do Estoril União de Coimbra
1990–91 Boavista (6) Costa do Estoril União Ferreirense
1991–92 Boavista (7) União Ferreirense Sporting CP
1992–93 Boavista (8) 9 Abril Trajouce Sporting CP

Campeonato Nacional
Season Champions Runners-up Third-place
1993–94 Boavista (9) 9 Abril Trajouce Lobão
1994–95 Boavista (10) Lobão 1º de Dezembro
1995–96 Lobão 1º de Dezembro Boavista
1996–97 Boavista (11) 1º de Dezembro Lobão
1997–98 Gatões Boavista 1º de Dezembro
1998–99 Gatões (2) Boavista 1º de Dezembro
1999–2000 1º de Dezembro Gatões Boavista
2000–01 Gatões (3) 1º de Dezembro Boavista
2001–02 1º de Dezembro (2) Gatões Futebol Benfica
2002–03 1º de Dezembro (3) Futebol Benfica Boavista
2003–04 1º de Dezembro (4) Várzea Futebol Benfica
2004–05 1º de Dezembro (5) Várzea Marítimo Murtoense
2005–06 1º de Dezembro (6) Marítimo Murtoense Várzea
2006–07 1º de Dezembro (7) Boavista Várzea
2007–08 1º de Dezembro (8) Boavista Várzea
2008–09 1º de Dezembro (9) Boavista Beira-Mar Almada
2009–10 1º de Dezembro (10) Escola Clube de Albergaria
2010–11 1º de Dezembro (11) Cadima Escola
2011–12 1º de Dezembro (12) Boavista Clube de Albergaria
2012–13 Atlético Ouriense Clube de Albergaria 1º de Dezembro
2013–14 Atlético Ouriense (2) A-dos-Francos Futebol Benfica
2014–15 Futebol Benfica Valadares Gaia Atlético Ouriense
2015–16 Futebol Benfica (2) Clube de Albergaria Valadares Gaia
2016–17 Sporting CP Braga Futebol Benfica
2017–18 Sporting CP (2) Braga Estoril
2018–19 Braga Sporting CP Futebol Benfica
2019–20 abandoned [nb 1] [nb 2]
2020–21 Benfica Sporting CP Braga
2021–22 Benfica (2) Sporting CP Braga
2022–23 Benfica (3) Sporting CP Braga

Teams by titles

Performance by club
Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasons Runner-up seasons
1º de Dezembro 012 03 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12 1995–96, 1996–97, 2000–01
Boavista 011 06 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97 1997–98, 1998–99, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2011–12
Gatões 03 02 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01 1999–2000, 2001–02
Benfica 03 00 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23 —
Sporting CP 02 04 2016–17, 2017–18 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
Futebol Benfica 02 01 2014–15, 2015–16 2002–03
Atlético Ouriense 02 00 2012–13, 2013–14 —
Braga 01 02 2018–19 2016–17, 2017–18
Lobão 01 01 1995–96 1994–95
Costa do Estoril 00 03 — 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91
9 Abril Trajouce 00 02 — 1992–93, 1993–94
Várzea 00 02 — 2003–04, 2004–05
Clube de Albergaria 00 02 — 2012–13, 2015–16
Académico de Alvalade 00 01 — 1985–86
União Ferreirense 00 01 — 1991–92
Marítimo Murtoense 00 01 — 2005–06
Escola 00 01 — 2009–10
Cadima 00 01 — 2010–11
A-dos-Francos 00 01 — 2013–14
Valadares Gaia 00 01 — 2014–15

Notes
  1. On 8 April 2020 the Portuguese Football Federation cancelled all non-professional competitions in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal. No titles were awarded, and no teams will be promoted or relegated.[2]
  2. Benfica was later appointed to the UEFA Champions League qualifying round as table leaders at the time of interruption.[3]

References
  1. "Portugal – List of Women Champions and Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  2. "Comunicado FPF". FPF (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  3. Lusa, Agência. FPF indica Benfica na 'Champions' feminina e Sporting e 'águias' no futsal". Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-07-29.
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