▁popular ▁amongst ▁women ▁in ▁Australia ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Many ▁women ' s ▁le agues ▁also ▁fall ▁into ▁the ▁emer ging ▁ 9 - a - side ▁foot y ▁or ▁Metro ▁foot y ▁formats . ▁ ▁Compet itions ▁ ▁National ▁league ▁ ▁A ▁national ▁competition ▁back ed ▁by ▁the ▁A FL ▁began ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁B ids ▁for ▁a ▁lic ence ▁to ▁particip ate ▁were ▁submitted ▁by ▁ 1 3 ▁existing ▁A FL ▁teams , ▁with ▁eight ▁teams ▁awarded ▁lic ences ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁season . ▁ ▁The ▁competition ▁had ▁been ▁announced ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁was ▁sl ated ▁to ▁commence ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁with ▁four ▁to ▁eight ▁teams , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁later ▁post pon ed ▁after ▁it ▁was ▁found ▁that ▁the ▁new ▁teams ▁from ▁the ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁would ▁not ▁have ▁time ▁to ▁submit ▁their ▁b ids ▁in ▁full . ▁ ▁A ▁lic ence ▁was ▁granted ▁to ▁F rem ant le ▁under ▁the ▁um bre lla ▁of ▁the ▁Women ' s ▁Football ▁League ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁but ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁review ▁and ▁the ▁subsequent ▁ad mission ▁of ▁the ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁and ▁Gre ater ▁Western ▁Sydney ▁to ▁the ▁A FL , ▁this ▁lic ence ▁was ▁re called . ▁With ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁A FL W ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁this ▁lic ence ▁was ▁re iss ued ▁to ▁the ▁club . ▁ ▁National ▁champion ships ▁ ▁Women ' s