The UEFA Women's Champions League (formerly know as the UEFA Women's Cup) is the first international women's football (soccer) club competition for teams that play in UEFA nations. The competition was started in the 2001–02 season in response to the increased interest in women's football. It is sometimes called the Women's European Cup, given its status as the only UEFA club competition for women.
Teams qualify by virtue of winning their top national competition, be it a league or cup, if there is no national league. One place is allocated per country except for the defending champion's country, which has two (the champion and the national runner-up, or champion if different).
For the 2009–10 season, the competition has been re-branded as the UEFA Women's Champions League and will be decided in a new one-off final, as apposed to the two-legged ties in previous years.
Format
On December 11, 2008, UEFA announced that the competition would be reformatted and renamed to the UEFA Women's Champions League. As in the men's game, the new tournament aims to include runner-ups of the top women's football leagues in Europe, and the final is to be played in a single match, in the same venue as the men's Final.
On March 31, 2008, UEFA confirmed that the eight top countries according to the UEFA league coefficient between 2003–04 and 2007–08 would be awarded two places in the new Women's Champions League. These leagues are:
* Bundesliga, Germany
* Damallsvenskan, Sweden
* Women's Premier League, England
* Division 1 féminine, France
* 3F Ligaen, Denmark
* Top Division, Russia
* Toppserien, Norway
* Serie A, Italy
The title holder has the right to enter if they do not qualify through their domestic competition, and will start in the round of 32.
The competition is in theory open to the champions of all 53 UEFA associations. However, during the past eight years of the Women's Cup, the following associations have never participated:
* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Montenegro
* San Marino
* Turkey
Luxembourg entered in 2001–02, but did not enter any of the next seven competitions. Turkey are set to enter one team in 2009–10.
Due to the varying participation, the number of teams in each round will change from year to year. However, the top 20 countries are assured of a place in the round of 32, while the runners-up from each nation participate in the qualifying round.
A number of 4-team mini-tournaments, involving the runners-up of the top eight leagues and the champions from the lowest ranked associations, reduces the field to 32 teams before the knock-out stages of home and away games.
Below is shown the amount of teams starting in each round, given between 47 and 62 (the maximum possible) participants. The principles are inferred from the access list:
* An even number of groups of 4 teams shall contest the qualifying round.
* The group winners shall qualify for the main round.
* The smallest possible number of qualifying group runner-ups shall qualify for the main round.
Teams qualify by virtue of winning their top national competition, be it a league or cup, if there is no national league. One place is allocated per country except for the defending champion's country, which has two (the champion and the national runner-up, or champion if different).
For the 2009–10 season, the competition has been re-branded as the UEFA Women's Champions League and will be decided in a new one-off final, as apposed to the two-legged ties in previous years.
Format
On December 11, 2008, UEFA announced that the competition would be reformatted and renamed to the UEFA Women's Champions League. As in the men's game, the new tournament aims to include runner-ups of the top women's football leagues in Europe, and the final is to be played in a single match, in the same venue as the men's Final.
On March 31, 2008, UEFA confirmed that the eight top countries according to the UEFA league coefficient between 2003–04 and 2007–08 would be awarded two places in the new Women's Champions League. These leagues are:
* Bundesliga, Germany
* Damallsvenskan, Sweden
* Women's Premier League, England
* Division 1 féminine, France
* 3F Ligaen, Denmark
* Top Division, Russia
* Toppserien, Norway
* Serie A, Italy
The title holder has the right to enter if they do not qualify through their domestic competition, and will start in the round of 32.
The competition is in theory open to the champions of all 53 UEFA associations. However, during the past eight years of the Women's Cup, the following associations have never participated:
* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Montenegro
* San Marino
* Turkey
Luxembourg entered in 2001–02, but did not enter any of the next seven competitions. Turkey are set to enter one team in 2009–10.
Due to the varying participation, the number of teams in each round will change from year to year. However, the top 20 countries are assured of a place in the round of 32, while the runners-up from each nation participate in the qualifying round.
A number of 4-team mini-tournaments, involving the runners-up of the top eight leagues and the champions from the lowest ranked associations, reduces the field to 32 teams before the knock-out stages of home and away games.
Below is shown the amount of teams starting in each round, given between 47 and 62 (the maximum possible) participants. The principles are inferred from the access list:
* An even number of groups of 4 teams shall contest the qualifying round.
* The group winners shall qualify for the main round.
* The smallest possible number of qualifying group runner-ups shall qualify for the main round.
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