Gibraltar Women's Football League

Last updated
Gibraltar Women's Football League
CountryGibraltar
Confederation UEFA
Number of teams5
Domestic cup(s) Women's Rock Cup
International cup(s) UEFA Champions League (proposed)
Current champions Lions Gibraltar (6th title)
(2023–24)
Most championships Lions Gibraltar
(6 titles)
Website Official website
Current: 2024–25 Gibraltar Women's Football League

The Gibraltar Women's Football League is the top level amateur women's football championship of Gibraltar. Due to the lack of resources available for women's football, the league has been contested by five teams since 2021, and the league is treated as a development competition. This status means that, as of the 2021 season, clubs are ineligible to enter the UEFA Women's Champions League.

Contents

History

The earliest known record of the competition dates back to 1999, when three teams (Manchester United, Lions and Victoria United) took part. However, the league was seemingly abandoned mid-season with Manchester United top of the table. After that, the league was not held for several years, aside from an edition held in 2003 between five middle schools. The league was revived fully in 2005, with Manchester United winning the title. Aside from 2008 to 2010, and the 2011–12 season, the league has been held every year since with a fluctuating number of teams - generally between 3 and 5, with a high of 8 teams participating in 2007. The Women's Rock Cup was introduced in 2013, generally played in the post-season.

Format

As of the 2021–22 season, teams play each other 3 times. With the league only having development status, players as young as 12 are permitted to play and the league has been known to permit roll-on substitutes. As a result, teams are ineligible to qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League. Each club is permitted to sign up to 3 overseas players without home-grown player status.

2023–2024 Teams

The 2023–2024 season is set to be played by the following five teams. All matches are played at Victoria Stadium. In 2020 it was announced that Europa Point intended to enter the league for the 2020–2021 season, subject to ratification by the GFA. [1] However, a number of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic meant that they postponed (and eventually abandoned) their plans, while Lincoln Red Imps withdrew their side. Lynx announced their women's team in December 2020. It was announced in March 2021 that a new independent team, Gibraltar Wave, would join the league, initially entering the 2021 futsal league. [2] Manchester 62 subsequently returned to the league in September 2021. In August 2023, it was announced that Hercules FC, who had previously entered the Women's Futsal League, entered the league in affiliation with College 1975. [3]

List of champions

Senior champions of the last year. The years before only school championships or five-a-side tournaments were held. [4]

List of Gibraltar Women's Football League champions
SeasonChampionRunner upNotes
1999Abandoned
2003Bishop Fitzgerald Middle SchoolSt Anne's Middle SchoolPlayed by school teams
2004Not held
2005 Manchester United St Joseph's
2006 Manchester United Wolves
2007St. Joseph's Manchester United
2007–08 Manchester United St Joseph's [5]
2008–09Not held
2009–10Abandoned
2010–11Gibraltar United Manchester United [6]
2011–12Not held
2012–13College Cosmos Manchester United [7]
2013–14 Lions Gibraltar Manchester 62 9-a-side
2014–15 Lions Gibraltar Manchester 62 9-a-side [8]
2015–16 Manchester 62 Lincoln Red Imps9-a-side [9]
2016–17 Lincoln Red Imps Lions Gibraltar [10]
2017–18 Lincoln Red Imps Lions Gibraltar
2018–19Lincoln Red Imps Lions Gibraltar
2019–20Lincoln Red Imps Lions Gibraltar
2020–21 Lions Gibraltar Europa
2021–22 Lions Gibraltar Europa
2022–23 Lions Gibraltar Europa
2023–24 Lions Gibraltar Europa

Note: 2013–14 season was played as a nine-a-side league to encourage more clubs to register a team. [11] 2014–15 and 2015–16 were nine-a-side as well.

Performance by club

Bold indicates club still playing in top division.

RankTeamTitlesLast title
1 Lions Gibraltar 6 2023–24
2Lincoln Red Imps42019–20
Manchester 62 2015–16
4College Cosmos12012–13
Gibraltar United2010–11
St Joseph's2007
Bishop Fitzgerald Middle School2003

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018–19 Gibraltar Premier Division</span> Football league season

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The 2020–21 Gibraltar Women's Football League is the fifth season of 11-a-side women's football in Gibraltar since the territory joined UEFA in 2013, and FIFA in 2016. The league had been in operation for a number of years previously, but teams were ineligible for entry to the UEFA Women's Champions League as it was only a 9-a-side tournament. Lincoln Red Imps Women were the reigning champions, but disbanded their women's team in summer 2020.

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The 2021–22 Gibraltar Women's Football League is the sixth season of 11-a-side women's football in Gibraltar since the territory joined UEFA in 2013, and FIFA in 2016. The league had been in operation for a number of years previously, but teams were ineligible for entry to the UEFA Women's Champions League as it was only a 9-a-side tournament. Lions Gibraltar were the reigning champions from the previous season, which had been shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021–22 Rock Cup was a single-leg knockout tournament contested by clubs from Gibraltar, with twelve clubs that participated. The winners, Lincoln Red Imps qualified for the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League, due to finishing first in the 2021–22 Gibraltar National League, so the fourth-placed team, Bruno's Magpies qualified for the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League instead.

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The 2023–24 Gibraltar Football League season is the fifth season of the Gibraltar Football League in Gibraltar, and the 125th season of football on the territory overall. The league began on 16 September 2023. Lincoln Red Imps are the reigning champions, winning their third successive title in April 2023. Due to the league's fall down the UEFA coefficient rankings, this season only 2 teams qualified for the UEFA Conference League.

The 2023–24 Gibraltar Women's Football League is the eighth season of 11-a-side women's football in Gibraltar since the territory joined UEFA in 2013, and FIFA in 2016. The league had been in operation for a number of years previously, but often as a 9-a side tournament. Teams are ineligible for entry to the UEFA Women's Champions League as the league is considered a "development" tournament. Lions Gibraltar are the reigning champions from the previous season.

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Mons Calpe Women's Sports Club is an amateur community association football club in Gibraltar, currently playing in the Gibraltar Women's Football League. The club was formed in 2021 as an independent team, unaffiliated to any men's club, although in 2023 they entered a partnership with Mons Calpe to function as their women's team, before being required to change their name in 2024. As with all women's football teams in Gibraltar, they play their games at Victoria Stadium. The club is currently run by Gibraltar Wave Football Club Ladies, and operates under that name outside the GWFL.

References

  1. ↑ Europa Point make public intention to register women's team next season Gibraltar Chronicle. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  2. ↑ New Women's team hoping to start in futsal league Gibraltar Chronicle. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  3. ↑ Hercules join GWFL Football Gibraltar. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  4. ↑ "Gibraltar - List of Women Champions". RSSSF . Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Ladies football in Gibraltar".
  6. ↑ "Gibraltar (Women) 2010/11".
  7. ↑ "Ladies Football: Season ends on high note". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  8. ↑ "Women's Football League 2015 Results". GFA. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  9. ↑ @Man62FC (28 May 2016). "Congrats to Manchester 62 FC ladies..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ↑ "CHAMPIONS". lincolnredimpsfc.com. 24 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  11. ↑ "Football: Women welcomed back into the game". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
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