The Calcutta Women's Football League, also known as the Kanyashree Cup,[1] is a women's football league in the Indian state of West Bengal.[2] Founded in 1993, it is the oldest women's football league in India and organised by Indian Football Association (IFA), the official football governing body in the state. The tournament is primarily participated by teams across Kolkata.
| Organising body | Indian Football Association (West Bengal) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| Country | India |
| Divisions | 2 |
| Number of teams | 32 |
| Level on pyramid | 3–4 |
| Promotion to | Indian Women's League 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Women's IFA Shield |
| Current champions | Sreebhumi (1st title) |
| Most championships | Income Tax SSB Women (4 titles each) |
| TV partners | IFA TV (YouTube, Facebook) |
| Current: 2023–24 | |
History
editThe Calcutta Women's Football League was founded by Indian Football Association (IFA) in 1993 to introduce women's football in West Bengal in the lines of men's domestic football system.[3] The inaugural edition was won by an institutional team of Income Tax Department against Behala Aikya Sammilani. Due to lack of sufficient resources and reception towards women's football in the nation, the organising body either cancelled or organised the tournament in small scale for the following years, thereby leaving negligible data about the tournament during the period.
The popularity considerably rose when the two big clubs of Bengal—East Bengal and Mohun Bagan—formed their respective women's teams to participate in the competition. Both the teams would reach the finals for two consecutive years, with East Bengal winning in 2001 and Mohun Bagan in 2002. But, considering no national level honours to fight for, the two clubs found it financially unprofitable to maintain a women's football division, thus East Bengal disbanded it in 2003 and Mohun Bagan in 2004. During this period, the only team to continue their dominance was Income Tax. After years of discontinuation of the competition, it was started once again in 2017. The following year was won by another institutional team – Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). This was the first edition of Calcutta Women's Football League where the winner was given a chance to qualify for Indian Women's League.
In 2020 the tournament was renamed to Kanyashree Cup under the patronage of the state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. East Bengal once again formed its women's team to participate and reached the finals where they lost against SSB, who became the second team after Income Tax to win three consecutive finals.[4] The 2021 edition did not take place due to COVID-19 pandemic and in the following edition, due to management disputes, East Bengal informed IFA about not participating. SSB continued their dominance by defeating the women's team of Southern Samity.[5] In 2022, East Bengal once again formed their women's team and went on to win the Kanyashree Cup for the second time after 2001, winning all the matches and defeating Sreebhumi in the final.[6][7]
In 2024, a new second division was formed known as Kanyashree Cup Premier Division B, with 15 clubs participating for the season.[8]
League structure
edit| Calcutta Women's Football League | |
|---|---|
| Tier | Division |
| I (Level 3 on Indian Women's Football Pyramid) |
Premier Division A |
| II (Level 4 on Indian Women's Football Pyramid) |
Premier Division B |
Champions of CWFL top division
edit| Season | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Income Tax | Behala Aikya Sammilani |
| 1994 | No data | |
| 1995 | ||
| 1996 | ||
| 1997 | ||
| 1998 | ||
| 1999 | ||
| 2000 | Itika Memorial | Income Tax |
| 2001 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan |
| 2002 | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal |
| 2003 | Income Tax | Mohun Bagan |
| 2004 | Income Tax | Sarojini Naidu Club |
| 2005 | Income Tax | Sarojini Naidu Club |
| 2006 | Friends of the Stadium | Income Tax |
| 2007 | No data | |
| 2008 | ||
| 2009 | ||
| 2010 | ||
| 2011 | ||
| 2012 | ||
| 2013 | ||
| 2014 | Not held | |
| 2015 | ||
| 2016 | ||
| 2017 | Taltala Dipti Sangha | No data |
| 2018 | SSB | No data |
| 2019 | SSB | Sreebhumi |
| 2020–21 | SSB | East Bengal |
| 2021–22 | SSB | Southern Samity |
| 2022–23 | East Bengal | Sreebhumi |
| 2023–24 | Sreebhumi | East Bengal |
Kanyashree Cup Premier Division A
edit| Organising bodies | Indian Football Association |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Level on pyramid | 1 (state) 3 (National) |
| Promotion to | Indian Women's League 2 |
| Relegation to | Premier Division B |
| Current champions | Sreebhumi (1st title) (2023-24) |
| Current: 2023-24 | |
Kanyashree Cup Premier Division A is the top-tier women's state level football league in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was instituted in 2024, with a new second division known as Premier Division B.
Kanyashree Cup Premier Division B
edit| Organising bodies | Indian Football Association |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Number of teams | 15 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 (state) 4 (National) |
| Promotion to | Premier Division A |
| Current champions | SSB (1st title) (2023-24) |
Kanyashree Cup Premier Division B is the 2nd tier women's state level football league in the Indian state of West Bengal.
| Season | Champion | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | SSB | Dipti Sangha FC |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Calcutta Women's Football League". The Away End. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ "Southern Samity and SSB to battle for top honours". ifawb.org. Kolkata, West Bengal: Indian Football Association (IFA). 17 March 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
- ^ Madaan, Sachin (23 July 2011). "Indian Football: This One Is For The Ladies". www.thehardtackle.com. The Hard Tackle. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^ "East Bengal forms women's team; Mohun Bagan 'not enthusiastic' enough". The Bridge. 25 October 2019. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ "SSB Women lift Kanyashree Cup". ifawb.org. Kolkata, West Bengal: Indian Football Association. 23 March 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
- ^ "East Bengal wins Kanyashree Cup; books IWL berth". The Bridge. 28 January 2023. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ "East Bengal clinches Kanyashree Cup; books IWL berth". Sportstar. 28 January 2023. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- ^ @Kol_Football (26 February 2024). "SSB to play again in Kanyashree Cup Premier B round which is scheduled to start from 8th March" (Tweet) – via Twitter.