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 and part of the various women's football competitions 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
10 teams contest the Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino in 2025–26.
Stadia and locations Since the 2024/25 season, there has been a major change: as a rule, all games must be played on natural grass, and as a result, several teams have been forced to change venues. Team Location Stadium Capacity BenficaSeixalBenfica Campus Lisbon Estádio da LuzBragaBragaEstádio Amélia MoraisEstádio 1º de MaioDamaienseAmadoraEstádio Engenheiro Carlos SalemaFaroEstádio Algarve30,305MarítimoFunchalCampo da Imaculada ConceiçãoEstádio do MarítimoRacing Power FCOeirasEstádio Nacional do Jamor Rio AveVila do CondeEstádio do Rio Ave FCSporting CPAlcocheteCGD Stadium Aurélio Pereira Lisbon Estádio José AlvaladeTorreenseTorres VedrasEstádio Manuel MarquesValadares GaiaVila Nova de GaiaEstádio do CanelasVitória de GuimarãesGuimarãesAcademia Vitória SC Estádio D. Afonso Henriques
List of champions The following teams won the league:
Taça Nacional SeasonChampionsRunners-upThird-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 SeasonChampionsRunners-upThird-place 1993–94 Boavista (9) 9 Abril Trajouce Lobão 1994–95 Boavista (10) Lobão 1º de Dezembro 1995–96 Lobão1º de DezembroBoavista 1996–97 Boavista (11)1º de Dezembro Lobão 1997–98 GatõesBoavista1º de Dezembro 1998–99 Gatões (2) Boavista 1º de Dezembro 1999–2000 1º de Dezembro GatõesBoavista 2000–01 Gatões (3) 1º de Dezembro Boavista 2001–02 1º de Dezembro (2) GatõesFutebol Benfica 2002–03 1º de Dezembro (3)Futebol BenficaBoavista 2003–04 1º de Dezembro (4) VárzeaFutebol 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 2020–21 Benfica Sporting CP Braga 2021–22 Benfica (2) Sporting CP Braga 2022–23 Benfica (3) Sporting CP Braga 2023–24 Benfica (4) Sporting CP Racing Power FC 2024–25 Benfica (5) Sporting CP Braga 2025–26 Benfica (6) Sporting CP Torreense
Teams by titles Performance by club Club Winners 1º de Dezembro 12 3 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 11 6 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 Benfica 6 0 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26 — Gatões 3 2 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01 1999–2000, 2001–02 Sporting CP 2 7 2016–17, 2017–18 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024-25, 2025–26 Futebol Benfica 2 1 2014–15, 2015–16 2002–03 Atlético Ouriense 2 0 2012–13, 2013–14 — Braga 1 2 2018–19 2016–17, 2017–18 Lobão 1 1 1995–96 1994–95 Costa do Estoril 0 3 — 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 9 Abril Trajouce 0 2 — 1992–93, 1993–94 Várzea 0 2 — 2003–04, 2004–05 Clube de Albergaria 0 2 — 2012–13, 2015–16 Académico de Alvalade 0 1 — 1985–86 União Ferreirense 0 1 — 1991–92 Marítimo Murtoense 0 1 — 2005–06 Escola 0 1 — 2009–10 Cadima 0 1 — 2010–11 A-dos-Francos 0 1 — 2013–14 Valadares Gaia 0 1 — 2014–15
Notes
References
External links Women's League at fpf.pt Portuguese league at UEFA