Primeiro Campeonato Nacional

Lore & Background

Benfica have won every league title since they arrived at the Portuguese top flight in 2019, with the exception of the 2019–20 season, when the league was suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions. At the time of suspension, the team was tied for first place. On 12 December 2017, Benfica publicly confirmed that it was forming a long-mooted women's football team. Compiling a squad replete with several international players and a distinctly Brazilian flavour, they entered the Portuguese second division.

The initial squad contained a total of seven players from Brazil (an eighth, Rilany, arrived in December). On 17 September 2018, Benfica made their league debut in the Campeonato Nacional II Divisão and beat UD Ponte de Frielas 28–0, establishing a new record winning margin in Portuguese senior football. Former Benfica player Luís Andrade was appointed as technical co-ordinator of the club's women's section in October 2018. On 26 January 2019, Benfica broke their own Portuguese scoring record by thrashing CP Pego 32–0.

Four days later, Benfica conceded a goal for the first time in their history, in a 5–1 away win over Marítimo in the Portuguese Cup. Braga inflicted Benfica's first ever defeat on 24 March 2019, winning 2–1 away in the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-final. On 18 May 2019, Benfica beat Valadares Gaia 4–0 in the Portuguese Cup final to conquer their first trophy. Following an 8–0 win over Estoril Praia B on 29 May, Benfica secured promotion to the 2019–20 Campeonato Nacional Feminino.

Later, on 23 June, they were crowned second division champions. After the departure of head coach João Marques, Luís Andrade took his position, and Benfica started their second season by beating Portuguese champions Braga 1–0 to conquer their first Super Cup trophy. Benfica qualified to UEFA Women's Champions League's group stage for the first time after beating Twente 4–0 on 9 September 2021 (5–1 on aggregate). In the 2023–24 season, Benfica set a Portuguese record by winning all four domestic competitions and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League, where they were eliminated by Olympique Lyon.

The 2024–25 season saw Benfica lose the Supertaça de Portugal to Sporting and fail to qualify to the Champions League group stage after a 0–2 loss at home against Hammarby.

Reader's Guide

Benfica women's team uses the same crest as the rest of the club. The crest is composed of an eagle, a shield with red and white colours, the motto 'E pluribus unum', and the club's initials 'SLB' over a football, all superimposed on a bicycle wheel. The club has had four main crests since 1904; the current crest dates to 1999. Since the women's team was established in 2017, it has always used the latest club crest.

Since the 2008–09 season, Benfica football shirts have displayed three stars above the crest, each representing ten league titles won by the men's team. These stars were initially adopted by the women's team, but starting in the 2024/2025 season, the stars were removed from the women's team's shirt. Red and white colours were chosen in 1904 for being the ones that stood out better to players' eyes. The home shirt has always been primarily red.

Benfica's white alternative kit was officially used for the first time in 1944–45. In Portugal, Benfica and their supporters were nicknamed 'Reds', but in 1936 the word was censored and Benfica became known as 'Encarnados'.

Did You Know?

• Benfica's first ever defeat was inflicted by Braga on 24 March 2019, not by Sporting CP in 2018.
• Benfica have won six consecutive First Division titles as of the 2024–25 season.