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.
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.[1]
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. [1]
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.
The Liga Panameña de Fútbol is the top division football league in Panama. Until 2009, the league was named Asociación Nacional Pro Fútbol (ANAPROF).
The Football Federation of the 4th Department Guairá is the departamental governing body of football (soccer) in the department of Guairá, in Paraguay. The federation is responsible for the organization of football leagues in the different cities of the department and it is also the regulator of the clubs. The main office of this federation is located in the city of Villarrica.
Club Deportivo Universitario is a Panamanian football team playing in the Liga Panameña de Fútbol, the highest level of football in Panama.
Club Atlético Independiente de La Chorrera, also known as CAI or CAI de La Chorrera, is a Panamanian professional football club based in La Chorrera, that competes in the Liga Panameña de Fútbol.
Segunda División de Panamá also known as Liga Prom, is a professional league for association football clubs in Panama. It is the country's second-tier football competition, contested by 24 clubs with no promotion or relegation. The competition was formed in 2021.
The 2009 Liga Panameña de Fútbol season was the 22nd season of top-flight football in Panama.
The Primera División de la Liga de Fútbol Femenino, currently known as the Liga F, 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.
Leicy María Santos Herrera is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League club Washington Spirit and the Colombia national team.
The Liga Femenina Profesional de Fútbol Colombiano or Liga Femenina BetPlay DIMAYOR is the top level women's football league in Colombia. The first season was held in 2017, with 18 teams taking part. The champion qualifies to the Copa Libertadores Femenina.
The 2015 Copa Panamá was the 1st season of the annual Panamanian knockout football cup competition. Thirty-two clubs from the first to the third tier of the Panamanian football league system participated in this year's competition which began on 5 August 2015 with the first of five rounds and ended on 9 December 2015 with the final at the Estadio Maracaná in Panama City.
The 2016–17 Copa Panamá was the 2nd season of the annual Panamanian knockout football cup competition. Forty-eight clubs from the first to the third tier of the Panamanian football league system participated in this year's competition.
The 2018 Colombian Women's Football League season was the second season of Colombia's top-flight women's football league. The season started on 10 February and concluded on 31 May 2018. Santa Fe were the defending champions.
The 2020 Colombian Women's Football League was the fourth season of Colombia's top-flight women's football league. The season started on 16 October and ended on 13 December 2020.
The 2021 Colombian Women's Football League was the fifth season of Colombia's top-flight women's football league. The season started on 10 July and ended on 12 September 2021.
The 2022 Colombian Women's Football League was the sixth season of Colombia's women's football league. The season started on 18 February and ended on 5 June 2022.
América de Cali Femenino, commonly known as América Femenino, is the women's association football section of América de Cali based in the city of Cali, Colombia. They participate in Liga Profesional Femenina, the highest category of women's football, organized by Dimayor. Like their male counterpart, they play their home games at the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero.
Deportivo Cali Femenino, commonly known as Deportivo Cali, is a professional women's football club based in Cali, Colombia. They are the women's football section of Deportivo Cali and currently play in the Colombian Women's Football League, the top level women's football league in Colombia.
The 2023 Colombian Women's Football League was the seventh season of Colombia's women's football league. The season started on 4 February and ended on 30 June 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Panamá Oeste 
Chiriquí 
Coclé 
Colón 
Herrera 
Veraguas 
Tauro FC
Panama City 
CD Universitario
CAI La Chorrera
La Chorrera 
CD Plaza Amador
SD Panamá Oeste
SD Atlético Nacional
Veraguas United FC
Potros del Este
Mario Méndez FC
Sporting SM
San Miguelito 
Atlético Chiriquí
Élite F.C.
Herrera FC
Deportivo Árabe Unido
CIEX Academy
Alianza F.C.
