1ª Divisão Women (Portugal) 2026/27

The Campeonato Nacional de Andebol Feminino stands as the apex women’s club handball competition in Portugal. Organised by the Federação Portuguesa de Andebol, the tournament operates above the 2ª Divisão within the national pyramid. It features a unique two-phase structure designed to maintain competitive integrity throughout the campaign. The season begins with a double round-robin regular season comprising 18 rounds. Points accumulated during this initial stage are carried over to the subsequent phase at a 50% rate. Following the regular season, the ten participating teams split into two distinct groups. The top six enter the Title Group, while the bottom four join the Relegation Group. Teams play each other twice more within their respective groups. The winner of the Title Group is crowned National Champion, with no single-match finals played. A key distinction of this competition compared to the men’s equivalent is its sponsorship structure. While the men’s league frequently carries commercial sponsors in its official name, the women’s league is generally referred to by its generic official title without a prominent commercial sponsor attached. Additionally, the women’s league features a smaller number of teams than the men’s league and utilises a different European qualification pathway, where the top four teams qualify for EHF competitions. Historically, Madeira SAD holds the record for the most titles with nineteen wins. SL Benfica follows as the second-most successful club with twelve titles. Benfica recently dominated the competition, winning three consecutive titles from 2021–22 to 2023–24. As of the end of the 2023–24 season, Madeira SAD reclaimed the title after Benfica’s period of hegemony.