The Panamanian Women's First Division or the Women's Football League (LFF) is the top women's football competition in Panama. It is run by the Panamanian Football League and is contested in two annual tournaments called Apertura and Clausura. Beginnings It was created in 2017 by the Panamanian Football Federation (FEPAFUT), with the aim of establishing a new league with the vision of being the highest competition of its kind that allows for continuous development in the different parts of the country and forms the best national teams.
The first edition of this competition was launched on June 24, 2017, with the participation of eight teams. The participants were SD Atlético Nacional, Chorrillo FC (from 2018 it changed its name to CD Universitario), San Francisco FC, El Brujas FC, Academia FMS, Sporting SM, Universidad Tecnológica UTP, and Azuero FC.
FEPAFUT regulated and organized the championship until 2020. Since 2021, it has been regulated by the Panamanian Football League, an independent entity of FEPAFUT and organizer of the top football competitions in the country.
Starting with the 2022 Opening Edition, the competition was expanded to 16 teams, with both the women's and men's tournaments officially having their respective representative teams in each category. In addition, highlighting the debut of three teams, Ciex Sports Academy, Herrera FC, and Élite FC, as well as the return of CD Árabe Unido to the top women's soccer tournament in Panama.
Antecedents The first steps in women's football in Panama were taken between 1939 and 1941 with the Catholic League played by girls' schools.
In the 1970s, there were teams such as El Chorrillo, Barraza, and Panama Viejo. Among the tournaments played, the Panamanian Air Force Cup (FAP) stands out in 1972. Likewise, from 1976 to 1980, the Panamanian Women's League was organized with the participation of teams such as Atlético Panamá, Santa Ana, Bethania, and Guardia Nacional.
The ball rolled again from 1991 to 1993 when the District League of Panama was held on the El Chimborazo field in Juan Díaz; at that time the Panama Viejo FC women's team was one of the best known.
In 1996, the Liga Superior de Fútbol Femenino (LSFF) was founded by young sports experts, and a year later the first championship was held, with the Venus de Santa Ana as the winner. The competition, which changed its name to Liga Femenina de Fútbol, lasted until 2002.
In response to the need to meet commitments in the field of national teams, the National Women's Football Association (ANAFUFE) was created, supported by FEPAFUT, and which lasted from 2003 to 2013, with its opening and closing championships being a sensation in its first years.
Among the participating teams were Club Deportivo Santa Ana, Navy Bay de Colón, Olympic SD, Chorrillo FC, and SD Atlético Nacional. Without forgetting the protagonists of the stature of Amarelis De Mera, Diana Valderrama, Lucrecia Bustamante, Mónica Franco, Raiza Gutiérrez, among others with notable participation
Club Licensing In accordance with the guidelines required by FIFA and CONCACAF, as of 2018 it was stipulated that the participating teams would be from professional clubs of the LPF and LNA.
In the second edition, 16 teams saw action: SD Atlético Nacional, CAI, SD Panama Oeste, Atlético Veragüense, Club Deportivo Universitario, San Francisco FC, Santa Gema FC, CD Plaza Amador, CD Centenario, Costa del Este FC, Colón C-3, Deportivo Árabe Unido, Tauro FC, Río Abajo FC, Sporting SM, and Lions of America.
Participating teams 2022 Below are the participating teams with their respective venues.
Teams by province ProvinceN.ºTeamsPanama 7 Alianza FCCIEX Sports Academy CD Plaza Amador Potros del EsteSD Atlético Nacional Sporting SMTauro FC Panamá Oeste 3 CA Independiente Élite FC SD Panamá Oeste Chiriquí 2 CD Atlético ChiriquíMario Mendez FC Coclé 1 CD Universitario Colón 1 CD Árabe Unido Herrera 1 Herrera FC Veraguas 1 Veraguas United FCTotal16
NameCampusStadiumCapacity Tauro FC Panama CityLuis Ernesto Tapia720 CD Universitario PenonoméVirgilio Tejeira3,500 CAI La Chorrera La ChorreraAgustín Sánchez3,500 CD Plaza Amador Panama CityMaracaná5,500 SD Panamá Oeste La ChorreraAgustín Sánchez3,500 SD Atlético Nacional Panama CityMaracaná5,500 Veraguas United FC VeraguasRafael Rodríguez350 Potros del Este Panama CityMaracaná5,500 Mario Méndez FC DavidSan Cristóbal3,500 Sporting SM San MiguelitoLos Andes II1,450 Atlético Chiriquí DavidSan Cristóbal3,500 Élite F.C. La ChorreraAgustín Sánchez3,500 Herrera FC ChitréLos Milagros1,000 Deportivo Árabe Unido ColónArmando Dely Valdés4,000 CIEX Academy Panama CityEagles Stadium300 Alianza F.C. Panama CityLuis Ernesto Tapia720
Finals history YearEditionChampionResultRunner-upTeams Liga de Fútbol Femenino2017 I S.D. Atlético Nacional (1) 4:2 Chorrillo F.C. (1)8Ap. 2018 II C.D. Universitario (1) 6:1 S.D. Atlético Nacional (1)16Cl. 2019 III C.D. Universitario (2) 6:2 S.D. Atlético Nacional (2)16Ap. 2019 IV C.D. Universitario (3) 3:2 Tauro F.C.(1)162020 V S.D. Atlético Nacional (2) 2:1 Tauro F.C.(2)8Ap. 2021 VI Tauro F.C. (1) 1:0C.D. Plaza Amador (1)12Cl. 2021 VII Tauro F.C. (2) 2:1 C.D. Plaza Amador (2) 122022 VIII Tauro F.C. (3) 2:0 C.D. Plaza Amador (3) 16Ap. 2023 IX Tauro F.C. (4) 3:1 Sporting SM (1) 16Cl. 2023 X Cancelled Cancelled Cancelled10Ap. 2024 XISanta Fe FC4:0CIEX Sports Academy10
Superfinals YearEditionChampionResultRunner-upLiga de Fútbol Femenino2020-21 I Tauro F.C. (1) 4:1 C.D. Universitario (1)2021-22 II Tauro FC was crowned champion of the Clausura 2021 tournament and the 2022 tournament.
Titles by team Club Titles Subtitles Champion years Runner-up years Tauro F. C. 4 2 (A)2021, (C)2021, 2022, 2023 (A)2019, (C)2020 C. D. Universitario 3 0 (A)2018, (C)2019, (A)2019 S. D. Atlético Nacional 2 2 2017, 2020 (A)2018, (C)2019 Santa Fe FC 1 0 (A)2024 C. D. Plaza Amador 0 3 (A)2021, (C)2021, 2022 Chorrillo F. C.Nowadays known as Fútbol Club Chorrillo, after its return to football in 2022. 0 1 2017 CIEX Sports Academy 0 1 (A)2024
Titles by province ProvinceTitlesSubtítles Panama 7 Tauro F.C. (4), S.D. Atlético Nacional (2), Santa Fe F.C. (1) 9 C.D. Plaza Amador (3), S.D. Atlético Nacional (2), Tauro F.C. (2), Chorrillo F.C. (1), CIEX Sports Academy (1) Coclé 3 C.D. Universitario (3) 0
Notes
See also Panamanian Football League Women's Football League Superfinal
References