The CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina, commonly known as "Copa Libertadores Femenina" (Portuguese: Copa/Taça Libertadores Feminina), is an annual international women's association football club competition in South America. It is organized by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). The competition started in the 2009 season in response to the increased interest in women's football. It is the only CONMEBOL club competition for women.
The tournament is the women's version of the Copa Libertadores, which has been organized since 1960.
Since 2019, clubs in the men's Libertadores are required to have a women's team: failure to do so leads to rejection of their entry.[1] This change was made in order to strengthen the women's competition.
History
The competition was officially announced in March 2009,[2] and it was approved by CONMEBOL's Executive Committee on July 3 of that year.[3] CONMEBOL decided that the competition's first edition would be played in Santos and Guarujá, Brazil from October 3 to October 18, 2009.[3][4] The competition was organized by CONMEBOL, FPF, CBF and Santos Futebol Clube.[3]
Format
Chile's former president Sebastián Piñera with Colo-Colo (2012), the first non-Brazilian club to win the trophy.
In 2009 and 2010 the tournament was played by ten teams, one from each CONMEBOL country, divided in two groups of five clubs each.[5] The two best-placed teams of each group qualify to play the semifinal and the winners then play the final, while the losers play the third-place game.[5]
From 2011 to 2018 twelve teams played the tournament and were divided into three groups of four. The group winners and best runner-up advanced to the semi-finals.
The 2015 edition was the first to be held outside Brazil. Medellin in Colombia made an official bid, with cities in Paraguay, Chile and again Brazil interested as well.[6] Medellin was then announced as host just before the 2014 edition.[7]
Starting in 2019, the tournament was expanded from 12 to 16 teams.[8]
^"Sao José se consagró bicampeón de la Copa Libertadores". lanacion.com.py. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013. La jugadora Maitté Zamorano de Mundo Futuro marcó dos goles, convirtiéndose por el momento en la goleadora del torneo con 7 tantos.
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