Odisha Women's League Explained

Odisha Women's League
Country:India
Organiser:FAO (Odisha)
Teams:6
Promotion:Indian Women's League 2
Levels:3
Champions:Nita Football Academy
(1st title)
Most Successful Club:East Coast Railway
Rising Students Club
(3 titles)
Tv:FA Odisha
(YouTube, Facebook)
Current:2023–24

The Odisha Women's League (OWL), also known as the FAO Women's League, is the women's top division football league of Odisha, India. The league is among the existing top tier women's football leagues in India. The league is organised every year by the apex football governing body of Odisha, the Football Association of Odisha (FAO), in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS) of the Government of Odisha. It is currently contested by 6 clubs across the state.[1] [2]

Since the inception of the Odisha Women's League, a total of four clubs have been crowned champions. East Coast Railway and Rising Students Club have won the most titles in league history, being crowned champions thrice. Chand Club, Odisha Police, and SAI-STC have won it once.

History

Odisha Women's League was brought up as AT Group Women's Football League in the year 2011 as Odisha's premier level women's football league. The Football Association of Odisha (FAO) introduced the league system to provide a platform for women to showcase their footballing abilities. The league system eventually continued to be a hit among the footballing enthusiasts of Odisha. Footballing talents from the FAO Women's League are recruited in the Odisha women's football team, and eventually in India women's national football team.[3]

On 27 February 2021, during the press meet and jersey launch ceremony for the 2020-21 season, the league was rechristened as Odisha Women's League. The ceremony took place in the presence of Principal Secretary of Department of Sports and Youth Services, Vishal Kumar Dev, and Honorary Secretary of Football Association of Odisha (FAO) at the Kalinga Stadium.[4]

Venues

Bhubaneswar

Cuttack

Choudwar

Clubs

ClubJoinedCurrentBest performance
Ardor Football Academyalign=center 2023–24align=center 6thalign=center League Stage
Bidanasi Clubalign=center 2018–19align=center DNPalign=center League Stage
Chand Clubalign=center 2011align=center DNPRunners-Up (2011)
Chauliaganj Clubalign=center 2011align=center DNPalign=center League stage
East Coast Railwayalign=center 2012align=center DNPChampions (2012, 2015, 2019–20)
KIIT & KIISalign=center 2023–24align=center 3rdalign=center TBC
Mangala Clubalign=center 2011align=center DNPRunners-Up (2013)
Morning Clubalign=center 2011align=center DNPalign=center League stage
Nita Football Academyalign=center 2023–24align=center ChampionsChampions (2023–24)
Odisha FCalign=center 2022–23align=center DNPChampions (2022–23)
Odisha Government Pressalign=center 2020–21align=center 2ndalign=center League stage
Odisha Policealign=center 2011align=center DNPChampions (2021–22)
Radha Gobinda Clubalign=center 2011align=center DNPalign=center League stage
Radha Raman Clubalign=center 2011align=center DNPChampions (2011)
Rising Students Clubalign=center 2011align=center 4thChampions (2013, 2017, 2020–21)
SAI-STC Cuttackalign=center 2017align=center DNPChampions (2018–19)
Sports Odishaalign=center 2013align=center 5thRunners-Up (2015, 2017, 2021–22)
Sunrise Clubalign=center 2011align=center DNPalign=center League stage
Sunshine Clubalign=center 2011align=center DNPalign=center League stage

Championships

SeasonChampion Runners-up
2011Radha Raman Club Chand Club
2012Chand Club
2013Mangala Club
2015Sports Odisha
2017Sports Odisha
2018–19 Odisha Police
2019–20 Odisha Police
2020–21 East Coast Railway
2021–22 Sports Odisha
2022–23 East Coast Railway
2023–24 Odisha Government Press

Championships by team

ClubTitlesRunners-UpWinning Seasons
East Coast Railway312012, 2015, 2019–20
Rising Students Club302013, 2017, 2020–21
Odisha Police122021–22
SAI-STC102018–19
Radha Raman Club102011
Odisha FC102022–23
Nita Football Academy102023–24
Sports Odisha03
Mangala Club01
Chand Club01

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FAO Women's Football League. Orisports. 28 August 2011. 17 May 2018. 17 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223617/http://orisports.com/SheduleDetails.aspx?cId=NTcz. live.
  2. Web site: Odisha Women League 2020-21. Orisports. 28 February 2021. 1 March 2021. 14 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414200213/http://orisports.com/SheduleDetails.aspx?cId=MjU5MQ. live.
  3. News: All you need to know about the football league structure in Odisha. Goal. 25 June 2018. 26 June 2018. 26 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180626111000/http://www.goal.com/en-in/news/odisha-football-league-structure-india/1dbjavwlxvyl71eemry7qv22cb. live.
  4. sports_odisha. 1365557842212651008. 27 February 2021. Odisha Sports.