This French women’s football competition was first introduced by the FFF in 1974. It got the name Arkema Première League in 2024 when the LFFP was created. The LFFP is the new format where the D1 and D2 are replaced by the Première League and Seconde League.
A total of twelve teams compete over 22 matchdays for the top spots. In the new structure the top four teams will now compete for the first place. The club that ends up in first place will face the team in fourth place, and number two and three will go head-to-head. The winners of these semi-finals meet in the final to secure the championship.
Both teams in the final and the winner of the consolation final earn a ticket to the Women’s Champions League. The winner earns a direct ticket while the others go to the UWCL play-offs.
Key Figures
- Olympique Lyon won the most titles (17), of which 14 in a row.
- The record goal scorer in the Arkema Première League is Sandrine Brétigne with 42 goals in the 2006/2007 season for Lyon.
- The record attendance in the league is 30,661. This was during the match between Lyon and PSG in 2019.
Arkema Première League History
Women’s football did not just start in 1974 in France. The first women’s football league was founded in 1918 by an organization led by Alice Milliat. The league lasted for 12 season until women’s football was prohibited. Nearly 45 years later the sport was reinstated by the FFF but it was not until 2009/2010 that players began signing professional contracts with their clubs.
