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Liga F

Founded	1988; 36 years ago (1988)
Country	Spain
Confederation	UEFA
Number of clubs	16
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Primera Federación
Domestic cup(s)	Copa de la Reina Supercopa de España Femenina
International cup(s)	UEFA Champions League
Current champions	Barcelona (9th title) (2023–24)
Most championships	Barcelona (9 titles)
TV partners	GOL PLAY (Spain only) DAZN (worldwide, inc. Spain)
Website	ligaf.es
Current: 2024–25 Liga F

The Primera División de la Liga de Fútbol Femenino, currently known as the Liga F (finetwork Liga F for sponsorship reasons), is the highest level of league competition for women's football in Spain. It is the women's equivalent of the men's La Liga, and it is organized by the Liga Profesional Femenina de Fútbol (LPFF). As one league of the top six national leagues ranked by Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) coefficient, it is considered one league of the most important women's leagues in Europe. Starting with the 2021–22 edition, as determined by the UEFA women's coefficient, the top three teams will qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League.

The league was founded in 1988, and has operated every year since, although it has undergone several changes in format and names including; Primera Iberdrola (formerly Liga Femenina Iberdrola for sponsorship reasons), Superliga Femenina, División de Honor, and Liga Nacional. A total of 12 different clubs have been champions; Barcelona have won the most championships, with nine.

History

Liga Nacional

The league was founded in 1988 as Liga Nacional, formed by Olímpico Fortuna, Puente Castro, Parque Alcobendas, Santa María Atlético, Vallès Occidental, RCD Españyol, FC Barcelona, CE Sabadell and Peña Barcelonista Barcilona.

División de Honor

Starting in the 1996–97 season the league was divided into 4 groups. The group winners played a semi-final and final to decide the champion.

Superliga

By 2000, women's teams were displeased that their competitions and calendars were being created by men's teams so, in June 2000, Levante submitted a proposal to the Spanish Federation for a new league, the Superliga. Levante's proposed Superliga was to be organised by women's teams, under the Spanish Federation, and had the support of a majority of women's teams in the country. At the time it was proposed, with the intention to replace the league for the next (2001–02) season, the clubs also threatened to boycott Federation competitions if it was not accepted.

For the 2001–02 season the league was renamed the Superliga and the competition system was changed from the group format to a double round-robin, with each team playing the other teams twice, once away and once at home. The league in this period consisted of 14 teams. The 2008–09 season kept the double round-robin format as the league increased from 14 to 16 teams.

In the 2009–10 season the Superliga increased from 16 to 24 teams, causing criticism by teams and players who feared a decline in the quality of competition. The Superliga was divided into 3 groups of 7 to 8 teams each, with geographically nearby teams placed into each group to minimize travel. In the first stage of the season, each team played each other team in its group twice. In the second stage, the best two of each group as well as the two best third-place finishers went into group A and the other teams were divided into groups B and C based on a predefined key. Again a double round-robin was played within each group. All Group A teams and the three best finishers of Group B and C qualified for the Copa de la Reina, and the two best teams in Group A played each other in a two-legged final for the season's championship. Rayo Vallecano won the 2009–10 and 2010-11 finals, both times against RCD Españyol. In the 2009–10 season, two teams had to withdraw from the league for financial reasons.

Primera División

Starting in the 2011–12 season, the league was renamed to Primera División and the group-based system was eliminated; 18 teams played double round-robin to decide the champion. The size was reduced to 16 teams for the 2012–13 season. Before the 2016–17 season, the RFEF agreed to a sponsorship by Iberdrola, renaming the league Liga Iberdrola. This was slightly changed to Primera Iberdrola in 2019.

On 22 October 2019, following a breakdown of negotiations with the RFEF for a year over salaries and working conditions, the players went on a strike and a number of league games had to be cancelled due to the strike. On 18 November, the players announced that they would be lifting the strike, after reaching an agreement with the ACFF to resume negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

In 2020 the Primera División was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 10 June 2020 the Primera División was granted professionalised league status.

Starting with the 2021-2022 season, the league became fully professional, and reduced from 18 teams to 16.

The opening fixture of the 2023−24 season, set for 8 September 2023, was cancelled in the wake of strike called by five players unions.

Teams

Stadiums and locations

List of champions

The following list shows all champions of the Spanish women's football league. Before creation of the league, from 1983 to 1988 the Copa de la Reina de Fútbol winners were the Spanish Champions.

1. Spanish: [ˌli.ɣ̞a ˈe.fe]; Catalan: Lliga F
2. Played with teams divided into groups, the title was decided in a final group played by the four group winners in a double legged round-robin tournament.
3. Played with teams divided into groups, the title was decided in a single-game final where Atlético Málaga beat Sant Vicènt by 2–0.
4. Played with teams divided into groups, the title was decided in a single-game final where Oroquieta Villaverde beat Irex Puebla.
5. Played with teams divided into groups, the title was decided in a single-game final where Irex Puebla beat Torrejón in the penalty shootout after a draw by 0–0.
6. Played with teams divided into groups, the title was decided in a single-game final where Levante beat Eibartarrak by 4–0.
7. Unbeaten season (26 matches).
8. Sevilla FC participated as sponsor of CD Híspalis, before creating its own team in 2008.
9. Played with teams divided into groups, the title was decided in a double-legged final where Rayo Vallecano won 1–0 and 1–1.
10. Played with teams divided into groups, the title was decided in a double-legged final where Rayo Vallecano won 2–2 and 1–2.
11. Unbeaten season (30 matches).
12. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season ended prematurely.
13. Unbeaten season (21 matches).
14. Unbeaten and perfect season - all wins (30 matches).
15. Unbeaten season (30 matches).

Performance by club

Since the inception of the Superliga

Overall

Marked in italic those teams that won the Copa de la Reina that season

1. Title won as Sant Vicent València CFF.
2. Title won as Atlético Villa de Madrid.
3. Currently Extremadura UD.
4. Currently Málaga CF.
5. Currently SD Eibar.

All-time Liga F table

Liga Nacional (1988–1996)

División de Honor (1996–2001)

Almost 100 clubs participated during the 5 seasons that this league format lasted.

Group stages

Final phases

Superliga (2001–2011)

This table includes all games played since the 2001–02 season to 2010–11 season, when the Superliga recovered its format of a single group after several years with four groups and the group winners playing a Final Four. For a timeline of each team's league record, see List of women's football clubs in Spain.

Superliga 2001-2009

Superliga 2009-2011

Primera División (2011–2022)

Liga F (2022–present)

As of the end of the 2022–23 Liga F season

Records

Records in this section refer to Primera División from its founding in 1988 through to the present.

Clubs

• Most appearances: 32 seasons, FC Barcelona
• Most matches played: 775, FC Barcelona
• Most wins overall: 531, FC Barcelona
• Most goals scored: 3005, FC Barcelona
• Most wins in a season overall: 33, FC Barcelona (2020–21)
• Most league goals scored in a season: 246, Levante UD (2000–01)
• Longest unbeaten league home run: 72, FC Barcelona (2019–)
• Most consecutive wins: 62, FC Barcelona (2019–2023)
• Most consecutive wins at home: 70, FC Barcelona (2019–24)
• Longest run of games scored in: 116, FC Barcelona (2019–)
• Best win percentage in a season overall: 100% (28w-0d-0l) Levante UD (2000–01), 100% (30w-0d-0l) FC Barcelona (2021-22)
• Most points in a season overall: 99 (3 points for a win), FC Barcelona (2020–21)

Top goalscorer by season

Season	Player(s)	Club(s)	Goals
2001–02
2002–03
2003–04	María José Pérez	Sabadell
2004–05	Marta Cubí	Espanyol	32
2005–06	Auxiliadora Jiménez	Híspalis	29
2006–07	Adriana Martín	Espanyol	30
2007–08	Natalia Pablos	Rayo Vallecano	24
2008–09	Erika Vázquez	Athletic Club	32
2009–10	Adriana Martín	Rayo Vallecano	35
2010–11	Verónica Boquete	Espanyol	39
2011–12	Sonia Bermúdez	Barcelona	38
2012–13	Sonia Bermúdez	Barcelona	27
	Natalia Pablos	Rayo Vallecano
2013–14	Sonia Bermúdez	Barcelona	28
2014–15	Sonia Bermúdez	Barcelona	22
	Adriana Martín	Levante
2015–16	Jennifer Hermoso	Barcelona	24
2016–17	Jennifer Hermoso	Barcelona	35
2017–18	Charlyn Corral	Levante	24
2018–19	Jennifer Hermoso	Atlético de Madrid	24
2019–20	Jennifer Hermoso	Barcelona	23
2020–21	Jennifer Hermoso	Barcelona	31
2021–22	Asisat Oshoala	Barcelona	20
	Geyse Ferreira	Madrid CFF
2022–23	Alba Redondo	Levante	27
2023–24	Caroline Graham Hansen	Barcelona	21

All-time top-scorers

Rank	Player	Club(s)	Years active	Goals	Apps	Ratio
1	Natalia Pablos	Rayo Vallecano	2000–18	442	361	1.22
2	María Paz Vilas	Levante UD, FC Barcelona, RCD Espanyol, Valencia CF	2006–	261	325	0.8
3	Erika Vázquez	SD Lagunak, Athletic Club, RCD Espanyol	1999–	259+	384+	0.91
4	Sonia Bermudez	CE Sabadell, Rayo Vallecano, FC Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid, Levante UD	2003–20	233+	306+	0.76
5	Jennifer Hermoso	Atlético de Madrid, Rayo Vallecano, FC Barcelona	2005–	177	245	0.72
6	Nekane Díez	Athletic Club	2007–	144	310	0.46
7	Priscila Borja	CE Sabadell, CFF Puebla, Sporting de Huelva, Atlético de Madrid, Rayo Vallecano, Real Betis, Madrid CFF	2002–	223	353	0.63
8	Adriana Martin	CE Sabadell, RCD Espanyol, Rayo Vallecano, Atlético de Madrid, Levante UD, Málaga CF	2003–2019	219	448	0.49
9	Verónica Boquete	CD Trasportes Alcaine, RCD Espanyol	2005–2011	109	164	0.66
10	Elisabeth Ibarra	Eibartarrak, Athletic Club	2000–17	104	367	0.28

See also

• Copa de la Reina de Fútbol
• Supercopa de España Femenina
• List of foreign Liga F players

Notes

1. A draw counts as a ½ win
2. results of the 1996-97 season are not quantified

References

1. "Betis - Barça: A seguir sumant a la Lliga F" [Betis - Barça: Continue to add to the Liga F] (in Catalan). FC Barcelona Femení.
2. "El fútbol femenino, en pie de guerra". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 16 June 2000. p. 33.
3. Reunión Comisión Mixta de seguimiento de la Superliga.Archived 11 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
4. "Iberdrola patrocinará la Primera División Femenina" (in Spanish). La Liga. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
5. "Female footballers deserve a fair deal. That's why we went on strike | Ainhoa Tirapu". The Guardian. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
6. "Spanish women's football strike a double-edged sword". AS.com. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
7. "Women's football: Spain's top players' strike sees all fixtures postponed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
8. "Women's football: Spain's top players' strike called off after negotiations reopen". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
9. "La Liga Femenina to be Called to an End". Her Football Hub. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
10. "Women's soccer gains professional status in Spain". 10 June 2020.
11. Beswick, Aiden (26 March 2021). "Liga Ellas: Spain's top division to go professional from next season". GiveMeSport. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
12. Gil, Aimara G. (8 September 2023). "El Sevilla-UDG Tenerife no se jugó". As.
13. "Spain – List of Women's Champions". RSSSF. 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2011.

External links

• Official website (in Spanish)
• Primera División at RFEF (in Spanish)
• Liga F 2023/24 at LALIGA

v t e Football in Spain
AFE ANEF CTA CSD TAD COE LaLiga RFEF
National teams	Men's National team U-23 U-21 U-20 U-19 U-18 U-17 U-16 U-15 Women's National team U-23 U-20 U-19 U-17
Men's league system	Level 1–5 Primera División Segunda División Primera Federación (2 groups) Segunda Federación (5 groups) Tercera Federación (18 groups) Levels 6–10 Divisiones Regionales (Andalusia Aragon Asturias Balearic Islands Basque Country Canary Islands Cantabria Castile-La Mancha Castile and León Catalonia 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Extremadura Galicia La Rioja Madrid Murcia Navarre Valencia Ceuta and Melilla)
Women's league system	Level 1–4 Liga F Primera Federación Segunda Federación (2 groups) Tercera Federación (6 groups) Levels 5–6 Divisiones Regionales
Youth league system	División de Honor Juvenil (7 groups) Liga Nacional Juvenil (21 groups)
Men's national cups	Supercopa de España Copa del Rey Copa Federación
Women's national cups	Supercopa de España Copa de la Reina
Youth national cups	Copa de Campeones Juvenil Copa del Rey Juvenil
By region	Regional federations Basque Country Catalonia
Clubs (International competitions) Champions Honours Records Rivalries Stadiums

• Liga F
• 1988 establishments in Spain
• Sports leagues established in 1988
• Top level women's association football leagues in Europe
• Football leagues in Spain