Country Colombia Founded 2017 Level on pyramid 1 | Confederation CONMEBOL Number of teams 18 | |
International cup(s) Copa Libertadores Femenina | ||
The Liga Femenina Profesional de Fútbol Colombiano (Colombian Professional Women's Football League) or Liga Águila Femenina (sponsored name) will be the top level women's football league in Colombia. The first season is to be held in 2017, with 18 teams scheduled to take part. The champion will qualify to the Copa Libertadores Femenina.
Contents
History
Colombia women's football had only regional leagues until 2016. The entrant to the Copa Libertadores Femenina was decided in a tournament called Copa Pre-Libertadores, in which non-professional clubs took part. The winning team in all editions was Formas Íntimas. In 2016 a tournament called Campeonato Nacional Interclubes was held, organized by the División Aficionada del Fútbol Colombiano (Difútbol). About 40 teams played in four stages for the championship. Generaciones Palmiranas won the final 6–5 on aggregate over Molino Viejo and qualified to the 2016 Copa Libertadores Femenina.
With the approval of Dimayor, the first professional women's football league will be played starting from 2017, with 18 out of Dimayor's 36 affiliate clubs, which will be split into 3 groups of 6. In 2018 a second level league will be created and new clubs will have to start in that one. A national women's league is a requirement to host the FIFA Women's World Cup, in which Colombia has shown interest for the 2023 edition.
2017 teams
Notably absent from the list of clubs is Formas Íntimas, who have joined an alliance with Envigado since participation in the league will be restricted to professional clubs (Dimayor affiliates) only.
Format
The 18 teams are divided into three groups of six. After playing each other twice the top 2 in each group plus the two best third place finishers move on to the quarter-finals.