The Première Ligue is the latest iteration of a competition founded in 1975 by the French Football Federation (FFF) as the amateur Division 1 Féminine. Professionalism was introduced for the first time in the 2009–10 season. The competition was ranked the best women's league in Europe according to UEFA 2019–20 women's association club coefficients.[1]Olympique Lyonnais have won the league the most times (17), and also hold the record for consecutive wins (14).
History
The first women's association football league in France was founded in 1918 by the Fédération des Sociétés Féminines Sportives de France (FSFSF), a women's football organization in France that was led by women's football pioneer Alice Milliat. The league lasted for twelve seasons before disbanding due to the prohibition of women's football. In 1975, women's football was officially re-instated and a new league, the Division 1 Féminine, was established by the governing body of football in France, the French Football Federation. Professionalism was introduced in 2009–10 season and female football players in France began signing professional contracts with their clubs at the same season, the most notable of which is Olympique Lyonnais.[2][3]
In July 2022, it was announced that the Division 1 Féminine will feature in the FIFA 23 video game.[4]
Before the beginning of the 2024–25 season, the league's name changed from Division 1 to Première Ligue.[5]
Competition format
There are 12 clubs in the Première Ligue. During the course of a season, usually from September to June, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 22 games, though clubs are allowed to host "big" matches at the home venues of their male counterparts, such as when Paris Saint-Germain hosted Juvisy at the Parc des Princes during the 2009–10 season. The female leagues, until the 2016–17 season, were run similarly to the men's amateur leagues in France with teams receiving four points for a win and two points for a draw. one point was awarded for a loss however, the league now adopts the 3-1-0 system. the Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion. If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank. The two lowest placed teams are relegated to the Division 2 Féminine and the winners of the two groups in D2 Féminine are promoted in their place.
From 1974 to 1992, the league consisted of several groups with the winners of each group entering a play-off phase to determine the champion. Between the years 2001–2004, a play-off system was re-adopted. The top four clubs in the league table were inserted into a play-off bracket following the completion of the season with the winner being crowned champions.
The play-offs among the four best teams were reintroduced beginning with the 2023–24 season.[6]
European qualification
Until the 2019–2020 edition, only the top two teams in the Division 1 Féminine qualify for the round of 32 of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Since the 2020–2021 edition, as determined by the UEFA women's coefficient, the winner of the Division 1 directly qualifies for the group stage of the UEFA Women's Champions League, whereas the second team qualifies for the second round and the third team qualifies for the first round. As of today, the winner of the Coupe de France féminine, the female equivalent of the Coupe de France, does not qualify for European competition.
Included in the table below is a list of the top scorers of each season, starting from the 2001–02 season. Information for previous seasons unavailable.
