List of Belgian women's football champions

The champions of Belgium in women's football today are the winners of the Super League Vrouwenvoetbal, a league of seven teams created in 2015.

Previously the title was awarded to the play-off winners of the regional leagues (1972–1973), the winners of the First Division (1974–2012) and the best placed Belgian team of the cross-border BeNe League with the Netherlands.

Clubs were actually crowned Belgian champions as early as in the 1920s and 1930s. The first championship of the modern era was won by Astro Begijnendijk (now KSK Heist) in 1972 and the most titles today have been won by Standard Liège with 20 titles.

The early years (1920/30s)

The first women's football club in Belgium was the Brussels Feminina Club created in August 1921. Several others followed, but then in 1922 the Royal Belgian Football Association banned all women's football clubs. Nevertheless, women's football flourished and the club Atalante de Jette even played national team from France and Great Britain.[1]

Year Champions
1924Union Sportive Innovation
1925Union Sportive Innovation
1926Brussels Fémina Club
1927Ghent Fémina Club
1928Atalante de Jette
1929William Elie Club
1930William Elie Club
1931Atalante de Jette
1932Atalante de Jette
1933Atalante de Jette
1934Atalante de Jette

First Division (1972–2012)

The championship was first contested in 1972. It was played in three divisions. After the season the three division winners met in a three-round group to play for the championship. In 1973 four divisional winners met in a two-legged semi-final and a one-off final. In both years Astro Begijnendijk were victorious. Since 1974 the league was played in a single division as double round robin with no play-offs.

From 1977 a national cup was played, the Beker van België (Belgian Women's Cup).[2]

Key
# Won play-off tournament against other regional league winners
† Champion also won Belgian Women's Cup (the double)
YearWinner[3]Runner UpThirdNotes
1971–72Astro Begijnendijk #St-Nicolas FC LiègeGosselies Sport3 team group
1972–73Astro Begijnendijk #HO Merchtemn/a0–0 (5–3 pen.)
1973–74St-Nicolas FC Liège
1974–75Astro Begijnendijk
1975–76Standard Fémina de Liège
1976–77Standard Fémina de Liège
1977–78Standard Fémina de Liège
1978–79Herk Sport
1979–80Sefa Dames Herentals †
1980–81Cercle Brugge †
1981–82Standard Fémina de Liège
1982–83RWD Herentals
1983–84Standard Fémina de Liège
1984–85Standard Fémina de Liège
1985–86Standard Fémina de Liège †
1986–87Brüssel D. 71 †
1987–88RWD Herentals
1988–89Herk Sport
1989–90Standard Fémina de Liège †
1990–91Standard Fémina de Liège
1991–92Standard Fémina de Liège
1992–93Herk Sport
1993–94Standard Fémina de Liège
1994–95RSC Anderlecht
1995–96Eendracht Aalst
1996–97RSC Anderlecht
1997–98RSC Anderlecht †
1998–99Eendracht Aalst
1999–00Eendracht Aalst †RSC AnderlechtKFC Rapide Wezemaal
2000–01Eendracht Aalst
2001–02Eendracht Aalst †KFC Rapide WezemaalStandard Fémina de Liège
2002–03SK Lebeke-AalstKFC Rapide WezemaalStandard Fémina de Liège
2003–04KFC Rapide Wezemaal †RSC AnderlechtEva's Kumtich
2004–05KFC Rapide WezemaalEva's KumtichRSC Anderlecht
2005–06KFC Rapide WezemaalRSC AnderlechtDVC Zuid-West Vlaanderen
2006–07KFC Rapide Wezemaal †RSC AnderlechtK. Vlimmeren Sport
2007–08KVK Tienen †RSC AnderlechtFCL Rapide Wezemaal
2008–09Standard Fémina de LiègeKVK TienenK. Sint-Truidense VV
2009–10K. Sint-Truidense VVStandard Fémina de LiègeSinaai Girls
2010–11Standard Fémina de LiègeRSC AnderlechtLierse SK[4]
2011–12Standard Fémina de Liège †RSC AnderlechtLierse SK

BeNe League (2013–2015)

The BeNe League was played three seasons, it consisted of eight Belgian and eight Dutch clubs. The title of Belgian champions and the associated UEFA Women's Champions League spot, were given to the best placed Belgian team after the season.

The only Belgian side playing for the top spots were Standart Liege, finishing runners-up to Twente twice before winning the league in 2014–15. The second best Belgian team was ranked 6th or worse at the end of the season. The BeNe League initiative was ended because Dutch clubs and the Dutch FA failed to come to an agreement regarding the clubs' financial participation for the following seasons.[5] The Dutch FA also questioned the lack of competitiveness.[6]

Season Belgian champion Position Second best Position League winners
2012–13 Standard Fémina 2nd WD Lierse 6th FC Twente (Netherlands)
2013–14 Standard Fémina † 2nd RSC Anderlecht 8th FC Twente (Netherlands)
2014–15 Standard Fémina Champions WD Lierse 7th Standard Fémina

Super League (2015–present)

The Super League Vrouwenvoetbal was created in 2015, after the BeNe League was stopped. In the 2015-16 inaugural season, eight teams participated. In contrast to the First Division the format changed from a double round robin to a two staged season. Teams played a double round-robin in the first stage. After that points were halved and the top four placed and bottom placed teams played another double round-robin for a total of 20 games.

After the 2015–16 season, Lierse chose not to participate, dropping the league to seven members for 2016–17. The two-stage season was abandoned, and each team now plays the others four times for a total of 24 games.

Season Champions Runners-up Third Top scorer Goals
2015–16 Standard Liège WD Lierse SK RSC Anderlecht Jana Coryn (Lierse) 19[7]
2016–17 Standard Liège RSC Anderlecht AA Gent Ladies Sanne Schoenmakers (Standard) 26[8]
2017–18 RSC Anderlecht AA Gent Ladies KRC Genk Ladies Ella Van Kerkhoven (Anderlecht) 27[9]
2018-19 RSC Anderlecht Standard Liege KRC Genk Ladies
2019-20 RSC Anderlecht Standard Liege AA Gent Ladies [10]

Championships won by club

The championships have been won by ten different clubs.

Titles Team Years
20 Standard de Liège (incl. 1 as St-Nicolas FC Liège) 1974, 1976–78, 1982, 1984–86, 1990–92, 1994, 2009, 2011–17
7 RSC Anderlecht (incl. 1 Brüssel D. 71) 1987, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2018, 2019, 2020
5 Eendracht Aalst 1996, 1999–2002
5 Sint-Truidense VV (incl. 4 as KFC Rapide Wezemaal) 2004–07, 2010
3 Astro Begijnendijk 1972, 1973, 1975
3 RWD Herentals (incl. Sefa Dames Herentals) 1980, 1983, 1988
3 Herk Sport 1979, 1989, 1993
1 Cercle Brügge 1981
1 SK Lebeke-Aalst 2003
1 KVK Tienen 2008

See also
  • Belgian football champions

References
  1. "Vrouwen + voetbal = goal (about the early years of women's football im Belgium)". brusselnieuws.be. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  2. "Belgium - List of Women Cup Finals". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  3. "Belgium - List of Women Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  4. "Standard Fémina de Liège is kampioen bij de vrouwen" (in Dutch). KBVB. 2-5-2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. "Women's BeNe League to close as Dutch and Belgians rethink strategy". insideworldfootball.com. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  6. "Belgians invest in women's game from grassroots up, targeting EURO2017". insideworldfootball.com. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  7. "Top-scorers from the Super League". vrouwenvoetbalkrant.be. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  8. "Dit is ons team van het seizoen in de Super League (Team of the season)" (in Dutch). vrouwenvoetbalkrant.be. Retrieved 31 May 2017. ...Sanne Schoenmakers van Standard. Zij maakte er 26...
  9. https://www.vrouwenvoetbalkrant.be/wedstrijden/2018-05-01/anderlecht-vrouwen/krc-genk-ladies-vrouwen/verslag
  10. https://www.belgiumsoccer.be/nieuws/lees/2020-03-27/officieel-anderlecht-is-kampioen--bij-de-vrouwen
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