Campeonato Nacional Feminino Explained

Pixels:150
Organiser:FPF
Country:Portugal
Confed:UEFA
Teams:12 (from 2023–24)
Relegation:Campeonato Nacional II Divisão
Levels:1
Domest Cup:Taça de Portugal
Taça da Liga
Supertaça
Confed Cup:UEFA Champions League
Season:2023–24
Top Goalscorer:Diana Silva
(113 goals)
Tv:Canal 11
Sport TV
Benfica TV
Sporting TV
Website:fpf.pt
Current:2024–25 Campeonato Nacional

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 fourth consecutive title in 2023–24. The most successful team is S.U. 1º de Dezembro, with 12 titles.

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

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

Stadia and locations

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Atlético OurienseOurémCampo da Caridade
BenficaSeixalBenfica Campus
LisbonEstádio da Luz
BragaBragaEstádio 1º de Maio
Clube de AlbergariaAlbergaria-a-VelhaEstádio Municipal António Augusto Martins Pereira
DamaienseAmadoraComplexo Desportivo Municipal Monte da Galega
FamalicãoVila Nova de FamalicãoAcademia do F.C. Famalicão
Länk VilaverdenseVila VerdeEstádio Municipal de Vila Verde
MarítimoFunchalCampo Adelino Rodrigues
Racing PowerSeixalComplexo Municipal de Atletismo de Setúbal
Sporting CPAlcocheteCGD Stadium Aurélio Pereira
LisbonEstádio José Alvalade
TorreenseTorres VedrasParque Desportivo Maximino Santos
Valadares GaiaVila Nova de GaiaComplexo Desportivo Valadares

List of champions

The following teams won the league:[1]

Taça Nacional

SeasonChampionsRunners-upThird-place
1985–86BoavistaAcadémico de AlvaladeUnião de Coimbra
1986–87Boavista (2)
1987–88Boavista (3)
1988–89Boavista (4)Costa do EstorilUnião de Coimbra
1989–90Boavista (5)Costa do EstorilUnião de Coimbra
1990–91Boavista (6)Costa do EstorilUnião Ferreirense
1991–92Boavista (7)União FerreirenseSporting CP
1992–93Boavista (8)9 Abril TrajouceSporting CP

Campeonato Nacional

SeasonChampionsRunners-upThird-place
1993–94Boavista (9)9 Abril TrajouceLobão
1994–95Boavista (10)Lobão1º de Dezembro
1995–96Lobão1º de DezembroBoavista
1996–97Boavista (11)1º de DezembroLobão
1997–98GatõesBoavista1º de Dezembro
1998–99Gatões (2)Boavista1º de Dezembro
1999–20001º de DezembroGatõesBoavista
2000–01 Gatões (3)1º de DezembroBoavista
2001–021º de Dezembro (2)GatõesFutebol Benfica
2002–031º de Dezembro (3)Futebol BenficaBoavista
2003–041º de Dezembro (4)VárzeaFutebol Benfica
2004–051º de Dezembro (5)VárzeaMarítimo Murtoense
2005–061º de Dezembro (6)Marítimo MurtoenseVárzea
2006–071º de Dezembro (7)BoavistaVárzea
2007–081º de Dezembro (8)BoavistaVárzea
2008–091º de Dezembro (9)BoavistaBeira-Mar Almada
2009–101º de Dezembro (10)EscolaClube de Albergaria
2010–11 1º de Dezembro (11)CadimaEscola
2011–121º de Dezembro (12)BoavistaClube de Albergaria
2012–13Atlético OurienseClube de Albergaria1º de Dezembro
2013–14Atlético Ouriense (2)A-dos-FrancosFutebol Benfica
2014–15Futebol BenficaValadares GaiaAtlético Ouriense
2015–16Futebol Benfica (2)Clube de AlbergariaValadares Gaia
2016–17Sporting CPBragaFutebol Benfica
2017–18Sporting CP (2)BragaEstoril
2018–19BragaSporting CPFutebol Benfica
2019–20abandoned
2020–21BenficaSporting CPBraga
2021–22Benfica (2)Sporting CPBraga
2022–23Benfica (3)Sporting CPBraga
2023–24Benfica (4)Sporting CPRacing Power FC

Teams by titles

Performance by club

ClubWinnerswidth=50%width=25%
1º de Dezembro1231999–2000, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–121995–96, 1996–97, 2000–01
Boavista1161985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–971997–98, 1998–99, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2011–12
Benfica402020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
Gatões321997–98, 1998–99, 2000–011999–2000, 2001–02
Sporting CP242016–17, 2017–182018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
Futebol Benfica212014–15, 2015–162002–03
Atlético Ouriense202012–13, 2013–14
Braga122018–192016–17, 2017–18
Lobão111995–961994–95
Costa do Estoril031988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91
9 Abril Trajouce021992–93, 1993–94
Várzea022003–04, 2004–05
Clube de Albergaria022012–13, 2015–16
Académico de Alvalade011985–86
União Ferreirense011991–92
Marítimo Murtoense012005–06
Escola012009–10
Cadima012010–11
A-dos-Francos012013–14
Valadares Gaia012014–15

Notes

  1. Web site: Portugal – List of Women Champions and Cup Winners. RSSSF. 14 October 2011.

External links