The Odisha Women's League (OWL), previously known as the FAO Women's League, is the women's top division football league of

Odisha Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...

. The league is among the existing top tier women's football leagues in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. The league is organised every year by the apex football governing body of

, the

Football Association of Odisha Football Association of Odisha (FAO) is the state governing body of association football, football in Odisha, India. The Odisha football team and Odisha women's football team is administrated by the Football Association of Odisha. It is affiliate ...

(FAO), in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS) of the

Government of Odisha The government of the Indian state of Odisha and its 30 districts consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Odisha, a judiciary, and a legislative branch. Like other states in India, the head of state of Odisha is the Governor, appoi ...

. It is currently contested by 6 clubs across the state. Since the inception of the Odisha Women's League, a total of four clubs have been crowned champions.

East Coast Railway The East Coast Railway (abbreviated ECoR) is one of the 19 railway zones of Indian Railways. It came into existence on 1 April 2003. The headquarters of the zone are at Bhubaneswar, Odisha History Consequent upon the parliament's approval, Ea ...

and

Rising Students Club Rising Student's Club is an Indian professional multisports club based in Cuttack, Odisha, India. The club plays in the FAO League, the fourth tier of Indian football and top tier of Odisha state football. It played in the Indian Women's League ...

have won the most titles in league history, being crowned champions thrice. Chand Club,

Odisha Police The Odisha Police abbreviated as either OP or OPS, is the law enforcement agency for the state of Odisha in India. It is headquartered in Cuttack, the former capital of Odisha. The Odisha Police is headed by a Director General of Police, curren ...

, and SAI-STC have won it once.

History

Odisha 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

(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

. Footballing talents from the FAO Women's League are recruited in the

Odisha women's football team The Odisha women's football team ( or, ଓଡ଼ିଶା ମହିଳା ଫୁଟବଲ ଟୀମ୍) is an Indian women's football team representing the state of Odisha, India. The Football Association of Odisha, a state association of All I ...

, and eventually in

India women's national football team The India women's national football team is controlled by the All India Football Federation and represents India at women's international football competitions. Under the global jurisdiction of FIFA and governed in Asia by the AFC. India is al ...

. 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 The Kalinga Stadium is a multi-purpose International stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Its foundation stone was laid by former chief minister of Odisha Late Biju Patnaik in 1978. It is the home ground of the I League Club Indian Arrows ...

Venues

Bhubaneswar

* Capital Football Arena * OSAP 7th Battalion Ground

Cuttack

Barabati Stadium The Barabati Stadium is an Indian sports stadium used mostly for cricket and association football, and also sometimes for concerts and field hockey, located in Cuttack, Odisha. It is a regular venue for international cricket and is the home gro ...

* Odisha Police Ground * Ravenshaw University Ground * Sports Hostel Ground

Clubs

Championships

Championships by team

References

{{Sports leagues of India Odisha Women's League Women's football leagues in India Football in Odisha Sports competitions in Odisha Sports leagues established in 2011 2011 establishments in Odisha