Country | Italy |
---|---|
Confederation | UEFA |
Founded | 1968 |
Number of teams | 14 (2014–15) 12 (2015–16) |
Relegation to | Serie B |
Domestic cup(s) |
Italian Women's Cup Italian Women's Super Cup |
International cup(s) | Champions League |
Current champions |
Brescia (2015–16) |
Most championships | Torres (7 titles) |
Website | Divisione Calcio Femminile hosted at lnd.it |
2016–17 |
The women's football Serie A is the highest-level league competition for women's football clubs in Italian football. It was established in 1968 but main teams were composing two different federations and leagues (FICF and UISP).
In the following season main UISP teams entered FICF federation so that all Serie A teams played a single league championship.
In 1970 a new federation (FFIGC) was constituted in Rome, but not all former FICF teams entered FFIGC so that Serie A competitions had been organized by two independent federations and leagues again. In 1972 the two federations merged in the new "united" one (FFIUAGC = Federazione Femminile Italiana Unita Autonoma Giuoco Calcio) but a few ones didn't agree and refounded an independent federation in Viareggio (FICF).
Finally in 1974 a single national top Serie A league was established.
As the Serie A is currently in the top eight of UEFA women's leagues the top two places qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League.
The league has generally consisted of 12 teams, that play each other 2 times. Following the independent federation entering the main Italian football organization (FIGC) in 1986, the Serie A championship was increased of two teams to reach 16, the same in Serie A of the national male league.
Due to several teams resignations, in 2002 the Italian Federation decided to create an intermediate league between Serie A and Serie B (Serie A2) reducing the number of teams composing the Serie A league to 14. In 2003 (from 14 to 13) and in 2005 (just 12) teams were reduced again even if the number of relegations to A2 didn't change (2).
In the 2009–10 season, four teams were promoted and only two relegated, as the league was increased to 14 teams. In 2012/13 and 2013/14 16 teams played in the league. For the 2014/15 season the league was reduced to 14 teams again. A further reduction to 12 teams happened for the 2015/16 season.
Effective with the 2016–17 season, only the bottom two clubs at the end of the home-and-away season are automatically relegated. The teams placed 7th through 10th enter relegation play-outs consisting of one-off matches, with 7th against 10th and 8th against 9th. The two winners remain in Serie A and the losers are relegated.
The teams participating to the 2015/16 women's football Serie A championship are:
Below is a list of previous champions, including those belonging to several independent federations under which the Serie A title was contested before entering the FIGC. Since 1968 all championships were defined as "Serie A":