The Odisha Women's League (OWL), also known as the FAO Women's League, is the women's top division football league of Odisha, India. The league is among the existing top tier women's football leagues in India. The league is organised every year by the apex football governing body of Odisha, the Football Association of Odisha (FAO), in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS) of the Government of Odisha. It is currently contested by 6 clubs across the state.[1][2]
| Organising body | FAO (Odisha) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 15 August 2011 |
| Country | India |
| Number of teams | 6 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Indian Women's League 2 |
| Current champions | Nita Football Academy (1st title) |
| Most championships | East Coast Railway Rising Students Club (3 titles) |
| TV partners | FA Odisha (YouTube, Facebook) |
| Current: 2023–24 | |
Since the inception of the Odisha Women's League, a total of four clubs have been crowned champions. East Coast Railway and Rising Students Club have won the most titles in league history, being crowned champions thrice. Chand Club, Odisha Police, and SAI-STC have won it once.
History
editOdisha Women's League was brought up as AT Group Women's Football League in the year 2011 as Odisha's premier level women's football league. The Football Association of Odisha (FAO) introduced the league system to provide a platform for women to showcase their footballing abilities. The league system eventually continued to be a hit among the footballing enthusiasts of Odisha. Footballing talents from the FAO Women's League are recruited in the Odisha women's football team, and eventually in India women's national football team.[3]
On 27 February 2021, during the press meet and jersey launch ceremony for the 2020-21 season, the league was rechristened as Odisha Women's League. The ceremony took place in the presence of Principal Secretary of Department of Sports and Youth Services, Vishal Kumar Dev, and Honorary Secretary of Football Association of Odisha (FAO) at the Kalinga Stadium.[4]
Venues
edit
Bhubaneswar
edit- Kalinga Stadium
- Capital High School Ground (Capital Football Arena)
- OSAP 7th Battalion Ground (Odisha Football Academy Ground)
- Unit-1 Ground (Bhubaneswar Football Academy Ground)
Cuttack
edit- Barabati Stadium
- Odisha Police Ground
- Ravenshaw University Ground
- Sports Hostel Ground
Choudwar
edit- OTM Ground
Clubs
edit| Club | Joined | Current | Best performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardor Football Academy | 2023–24 | 6th | League Stage |
| Bidanasi Club | 2018–19 | DNP | League Stage |
| Chand Club | 2011 | DNP | Runners-Up (2011) |
| Chauliaganj Club | 2011 | DNP | League stage |
| East Coast Railway | 2012 | DNP | Champions (2012, 2015, 2019–20) |
| KIIT & KIIS | 2023–24 | 3rd | TBC |
| Mangala Club | 2011 | DNP | Runners-Up (2013) |
| Morning Club | 2011 | DNP | League stage |
| Nita Football Academy | 2023–24 | Champions | Champions (2023–24) |
| Odisha FC | 2022–23 | DNP | Champions (2022–23) |
| Odisha Government Press | 2020–21 | 2nd | League stage |
| Odisha Police | 2011 | DNP | Champions (2021–22) |
| Radha Gobinda Club | 2011 | DNP | League stage |
| Radha Raman Club | 2011 | DNP | Champions (2011) |
| Rising Students Club | 2011 | 4th | Champions (2013, 2017, 2020–21) |
| SAI-STC Cuttack | 2017 | DNP | Champions (2018–19) |
| Sports Odisha | 2013 | 5th | Runners-Up (2015, 2017, 2021–22) |
| Sunrise Club | 2011 | DNP | League stage |
| Sunshine Club | 2011 | DNP | League stage |
Championships
edit| Season | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Radha Raman Club | Chand Club |
| 2012 | East Coast Railway | Chand Club |
| 2013 | Rising Students Club | Mangala Club |
| 2015 | East Coast Railway | Sports Odisha |
| 2017 | Rising Students Club | Sports Odisha |
| 2018–19 | SAI-STC | Odisha Police |
| 2019–20 | East Coast Railway | Odisha Police |
| 2020–21 | Rising Students Club | East Coast Railway |
| 2021–22 | Odisha Police | Sports Odisha |
| 2022–23 | Odisha FC | East Coast Railway |
| 2023–24 | Nita Football Academy | Odisha Government Press |
Championships by team
edit| Club | Titles | Runners-Up | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Coast Railway | 3 | 1 | 2012, 2015, 2019–20 |
| Rising Students Club | 3 | 0 | 2013, 2017, 2020–21 |
| Odisha Police | 1 | 2 | 2021–22 |
| SAI-STC | 1 | 0 | 2018–19 |
| Radha Raman Club | 1 | 0 | 2011 |
| Odisha FC | 1 | 0 | 2022–23 |
| Nita Football Academy | 1 | 0 | 2023–24 |
| Sports Odisha | 0 | 3 | — |
| Mangala Club | 0 | 1 | — |
| Chand Club | 0 | 1 | — |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "FAO Women's Football League". Orisports. 28 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
- ^ "Odisha Women League 2020-21". Orisports. 28 February 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "All you need to know about the football league structure in Odisha". Goal. 25 June 2018. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ @sports_odisha (27 February 2021). "Odisha Sports" (Tweet) – via Twitter.