▁the ▁game . ▁ ▁Women ' s ▁football ▁began ▁to ▁be ▁organ ised ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁but ▁for ▁several ▁dec ades ▁occurred ▁mostly ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁scratch ▁matches ▁and ▁one - off ▁exhibition ▁games . ▁State - based ▁le agues ▁emer ged ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁with ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Women ' s ▁Football ▁League ▁( V W FL ) ▁forming ▁in ▁Melbourne ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁Australian ▁Women ' s ▁Football ▁League ▁( WA W FL ) ▁forming ▁in ▁Per th ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁The ▁A FL ▁Women ' s ▁National ▁Championships ▁were ▁inaugur ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁Women ' s ▁football ▁became ▁professional ised ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 s , ▁with ▁a ▁national ▁league , ▁A FL ▁Women ' s , ▁comm encing ▁its ▁inaug ural ▁season ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁with ▁teams ▁formed ▁by ▁existing ▁Australian ▁Football ▁League ▁( AF L ) ▁clubs . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁C od ified ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁Australian ▁football ▁had ▁been ▁played ▁by ▁men ▁for ▁almost ▁half ▁a ▁century ▁before ▁the ▁first ▁women ' s ▁football ▁matches ▁were ▁played . ▁Contact ▁sports ▁such ▁as ▁football ▁were ▁widely ▁considered ▁un su itable ▁for ▁women ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁and ▁public ▁att itudes ▁prevent ed ▁them ▁from ▁particip ating ▁in ▁organ ised ▁matches . ▁Exception s ▁included ▁char ity ▁matches , ▁such