FAM Women's League

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Wikipedia

FAM Women's League
Organising bodyFootball Association of Maldives (FAM)
Founded2025; 1 year ago (2025)
CountryMaldives
ConfederationAFC
Number of clubs6
Level on pyramid1
Current championsMaziya (1st title)
Most championshipsMaziya (1 title)
Broadcaster(s)YES
Current: 2025 FAM Women's League

The FAM Women’s League is the top-tier women's football league in the Maldives, organized by the Football Association of Maldives. The league officially began its inaugural season on 1 December 2025, marking the first time FAM has launched a full league competition for women in the country.[1][2]

History

Early Attempts (2012–2015)

Efforts to organize structured women’s football competitions in the Maldives began with the FAM Women's Football Championship, first held in 2012.[3] The tournament was played again in 2014 and 2015, but after three editions the competition was discontinued due to various organizational challenges.[4][5]

Cancelled League Attempt in 2017

In 2017, Football Association of Maldives attempted to launch a women’s league for the first time. However, the initiative was cancelled after clubs reported insufficient preparation time following the league announcement, resulting in an inadequate number of teams registering.[6]

Renewed Discussions (2019–2021)

In March 2019, then FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel announced renewed plans to establish a permanent women’s football league. Due to the limited number of women players in the country, FAM consulted with FIFA and proposed an 8-a-side format.[6]

In December 2021, FAM introduced a 9-a-side Invitational Championship across five regions — Lhaviyani Atoll, Kulhudhuffushi, Laamu Atoll, Fuvahmulah, and Malé. The champions of each region were planned to compete in a national final round. However, the tournament was discontinued after completing only the first regional event in Lh. Naifaru.[7]

Establishment of the Women’s League (2025)

On 26 July 2025, newly elected FAM President Ahmed Thariq announced that a women’s league would be included in the official FAM calendar.[8] The federation formally confirmed the FAM Women’s League to be played from 1–23 December 2025.[9]

Five Dhivehi Premier League sides – Maziya, Trust and Care Football Club, Victory Sports Club, New Radiant, Odi Sports Club and one Second Division side – Biss Buru Sports Club participated in the first season.[10] FAM also announced that each participating team would receive MVR 100,000 in financial support, with the help of FIFA, during the inaugural season.[11][12][13][9]

The FAM Women’s League represents the first sustained league-format competition for women’s football in the Maldives, following several earlier attempts to establish long-term structures for the women’s game.

Clubs

The following six clubs compete in the inaugural 2025 season:

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Biss Buru Sports Club Maafannu Henveiru Stadium 500
Maziya West Maafannu
New Radiant Henveiru
Odi Sports Club Galolhu
TC Sports Club Henveiru
Victory Sports Club Galolhu

Champions

Season Winners Runners-up
2025 Maziya Odi Sports

Stadiums

drone shot of Henveiru stadium
Drone shot of Henveiru Stadium

Originally, all matches of the inaugural league were scheduled to be held at the National Football Stadium, Malé. However, due to heavy rainfall causing severe damage to the grass pitch days before kick-off, FAM moved the matches to Henveiru Stadium,[14] with the advice of Ministry of Sports, Fitness and Recreation. The venue shift was confirmed just before the league began on 1 December 2025.

On 18 December 2025, FAM announced that the last three matches of the league to be played at the National Football Stadium.[15][16]

Broadcasting

Broadcasting rights for the inaugural FAM Women’s League were awarded to YES TV, operated by the Public Service Media under the MoU signed between them and Football Association of Maldives as the official broadcasting partner for the 2025–26 Maldivian football season.[17] Matches were also streamed live through YES TV’s Facebook and YouTube channels, providing nationwide coverage for the first women’s league competition.

References

  1. ↑ "Women's football back after 10 years: First match to Victory". The Edition. 2 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "FAM to provide a 100K fund to each club of the Women's League". Sidibari. 2 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "5 teams for women's championship". Haveeru Online. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  4. ↑ "Women's football is back after 10 years: first match for Victory!". Mihaaru (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  5. ↑ "Women's football back after 10 years: First match to Victory". The Edition. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Planning a women's football league". Mihaaru (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "Dotcom won the championship with a last-minute goal". Mihaaru (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  8. ↑ "FAM to invite Clubs, MNDF, Police and other SOEs to start women's football league". Mihaaru (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  9. 1 2 "FAM to give MVR 100,000 to each team in its women's league". The Press. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  10. ↑ "Challenges for clubs as Police denies their staffs to play in women's football league". Adhadhu (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  11. ↑ "With the help of FIFA, the FAM gives MVR 100,000 to each women's team playing in the league". Adhadhu (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  12. ↑ "Each team in the FAM Women's League will receive MVR 100,000 through FIFA". Mihaaru (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  13. ↑ "Each Women's Football League team to receive MVR 100,000 from FAM". One Online. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "FAM Women's League matches moved to Henveiru Stadium". Adhadhu (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  15. ↑ "FAM Women's League last games to galolhu Dhan'du". Adhadhu (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "FAM Women's League last games moved to galolhu Dhan'du". Mihaaru (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  17. ↑ "PSM appointed as FAM broadcasting partner". PSM (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 7 December 2025.