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UEFA Women's Champions League

The UEFA Women's Champions League is the top-tier European club competition for women's association football, organised by UEFA.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The UEFA Women's Champions League is the top-tier European club competition for women's association football, organised by UEFA. It was first played in 2001–02 as the UEFA Women's Cup and was renamed in 2009–10. Since the 2025–26 season, the competition uses an 18-team league phase followed by knockout rounds.

History

The competition was approved by UEFA in 2000 and first staged in 2001–02 as the UEFA Women's Cup. It became the UEFA Women's Champions League in 2009–10 as the tournament expanded and adopted a more recognisable Champions League branding.

Format

From 2025–26, the competition uses an 18-team league phase instead of the earlier group-stage format. Teams play six opponents in the league phase, with later knockout rounds deciding the champion.

Qualification

Entry is based on UEFA association rankings and domestic league performance. The new system includes direct places for some associations and qualification paths for others, with eliminated teams from some rounds moving into the UEFA Women's Europa Cup.

Records and champions

OL Lyonnes hold the record for most titles with eight, while Barcelona were the reigning champions after the 2026 final. The competition has become the main benchmark for elite women's club football in Europe.

Key facts

  • It is UEFA’s premier women’s club football competition.
  • The tournament began in 2001–02 under the name UEFA Women’s Cup.
  • It was rebranded as the UEFA Women’s Champions League for 2009–10.
  • The 2025–26 season introduced a single-league stage with 18 teams.
  • Barcelona were the defending champions after winning the 2026 final against OL Lyonnes.
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Canadian context

There is no Canada-specific club competition link, but the tournament is relevant to Canadian readers following international women’s football and UEFA club soccer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the UEFA Women's Champions League?
It is UEFA’s top women’s club football competition in Europe.
When did the competition begin?
It first began in the 2001–02 season as the UEFA Women’s Cup.
When was it renamed?
It was renamed the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the 2009–10 season.
How many teams are in the league phase?
The current format has 18 teams in the league phase.
Who has won the most titles?
OL Lyonnes have won the competition a record eight times.
Who are the current champions?
Barcelona are the current champions, having won the 2026 final.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Women's_Champions_League
    Supports: Founding year, organiser, region, current champions, and most championships.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025%E2%80%9326_UEFA_Women's_Champions_League
    Supports: 2025–26 season dates and first-season-of-new-format details.
  3. UEFA — https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0288-199d52e851a2-5aae94448728-1000--new-uefa-women-s-club-football-system-explained/
    Supports: New 2025/26 format, 18-team league phase, and qualification structure.
  4. German Wikipedia — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Women%E2%80%99s_Champions_League
    Supports: Historical naming, title record, and yearly competition format.
  5. BBC Bitesize — https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zqcycxs
    Supports: 2000 approval of the competition and 2008 reformat/rebranding decision.