Queens League Spain
| Founded | 24 February 2023 |
|---|---|
| First season | 2023/24 |
| Country | Spain |
| Province | Barcelona |
| Number of clubs | 12 |
| Current champions | xBuyer Team (1st title) (2024 Winter Split) |
| Broadcaster(s) | Twitch YouTube TikTok Cuatro[1] |
| Website | queensleague |
| Current: 2024/25 Queens League Spain | |
Queens League Spain (officially known as the Queens League Oysho due to sponsorship reasons) is a seven-a-side football league established in 2023 by Gerard Piqué, football personalities and internet streamers. It is based on the Kings League, launched by Piqué shortly before. The league rules include a tie-breaker penalty shoot-out, unlimited substitutions, and the implementation of secret weapons.
History
Shortly after the inaugural season of the Kings League began, Oriol Querol, CEO of Kings League and Kosmos Holding director, announced the Queens League, a competition for women.[2] From May 2023, Queens League matches will be played on Saturdays, ahead of Kings League matches on Sundays. Former Spain players like Priscila Borja and Willy offered themselves to join the Queens League.[3] Ibai Llanos of Porcinos, was the first Kings League chairperson to confirm the creation of his women's team, Porcinas. Former player Borja Fernández offered to coach the team.
The Queens League had a launch event on 24 February 2023 at the Cupra Arena,[4] with all of the Kings League teams taking part in the new tournament; some have changed branding for the women's team, and some have introduced more female streamers and popular figures as chairpersons.[5][6][7]
While the Kings League's first season saw involvement from former professional footballers, the Queens League also includes current professionals, particularly in the organisation of teams: FC Barcelona Femení and Switzerland player Ana-Maria Crnogorčević is part of the staff of Saiyans FC;[8] her club teammates Patricia Guijarro, Clàudia Pina, and Sandra Paños are all ambassadors of teams; as are Spain player Jennifer Hermoso and Chile player Christiane Endler.[9][10] The number one draft pick[11] was Zaragoza CFF, Egypt, and former Barcelona player Sara Ismael.[4][12]
Mexican sports newspaper Récord wrote upon the announcement of the Queens League that it would be important in promoting gender equality in the world of video gaming.[13] The Queens League teams are given the same conditions and pay as the Kings League.[14] In May 2023, Pique and Spanish broadcasting company Mediaset announced that one match each day – the 8 pm games of both the Queens League and Kings League – would be broadcast on free-to-air television on channel Cuatro, which broadcasts most sports content. Highlights from other games and the related talkshows Chup Chup and After are also shown on Cuatro.[15]
Venue
The Queens League is held at the Cupra Arena in the Port of Barcelona area along with the Kings League.[14]
Other venues around Spain, both outdoor and indoor, have since hosted Final Fours, with Mexico also once hosting a Queens League final:
| Venue | City | Autonomous Community |
Country | Capacity | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cupra Arena | Barcelona | Catalonia | Spain | Unknown | Regular venue |
| Civitas Metropolitano | Madrid | Madrid | Spain | 70,460 | 2023 Split 1 Final Four |
| La Rosaleda | Málaga | Andalusia | Spain | 30,044 | 2023 Queens Cup Final Four |
| Palau Sant Jordi | Barcelona | Catalonia | Spain | 17,960 | 2023 Kingdom Cup Final Four |
| WiZink Center | Madrid | Madrid | Spain | 17,453 | 2024 Split 2 Final Four |
| Heliodoro Rodríguez López | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Canary Islands | Spain | 22,824 | 2024 Split 3 Final |
| Estadio Luis "Pirata" Fuente1 | Veracruz (city) | Veracruz | Mexico | 27,500 | 2025 Split 4 Final |
- 1 Hosted as part of the "Kings and Queens League Americas Finals" with the Kings League and QUeens League Americas also playing their 2025 Winter Split Finals there.
Criticism
Before the league began, there was criticism from Porcinas' Ibai Llanos, who said that before the draft was held but after the tests, some of the candidates had been approached by other teams to sign them as 11th or 12th Players, effectively signing some of the best players for their teams without having to go through drafting.[16]
Team organisation
| Team | Manager | Chairperson[7] |
|---|---|---|
| 1K FC | Elba de Vega | Maite Carrillo (Mayichi)[17] |
| Aniquiladoras FC | Marta Sánchez | Amairani Alonso (AmaBlitz)[18] |
| El Barrio | Micky Ollé | Adri Contreras and Mercedes Roa |
| Jijantas FC | Óscar Cobacho | Gerard Romero and Lisbeth Cid |
| Kunitas | Ari Font | Jo Valicenti |
| Las Troncas FC | Èric Bartra (caretaker) | Violeta G |
| PIO FC | Flor de Luna Pila | Samantha Rivera (Rivers) |
| Porcinas FC | Rubén Casado | Gemma Gallardo (Gemita)[19] |
| Rayo de Barcelona | Rubén Rodríguez | Martí Miràs (Spursito) |
| Saiyans FC | Víctor Alfaya | Totakeki[20][21] |
| Ultimate Móstoles | Mireia Vera | Noelia San Martín (Noe9977) |
| xBuyer Team | Sergio Ruz | Javier (xBuyer) and Eric Ruiz (MiniBuyer) |
Season 1 (2023/24)
The 11th Players were announced before the draft on 16 April 2023. Sportswear company Oysho is the league's main sponsor and kit supplier.[22] The first season is set to begin on 6 May 2023 and host its Final Four event on 29 July.[7]
Performance by team
| Team | Titles | Runners-up | Splits won | Splits runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Troncas FC | 1 | 1 | 2024 Summer | 2023 Summer |
| PIO FC | 1 | 0 | 2023 Summer | |
| Aniquiladoras FC | 1 | 0 | 2023 Cup | |
| xBuyer Team | 1 | 0 | 2024 Winter | |
| Saiyans FC | 0 | 1 | 2023 Cup | |
| Ultimate Móstoles | 0 | 1 | 2024 Winter | |
| Jijantas FC | 0 | 1 | 2024 Summer |
See also
References
- ^ "Gerard Piqué llega a Mediaset España: La Kings League InfoJobs y la Queens League Oysho se verán en Cuatro a partir de este fin de semana". El Desmarque (in Spanish). 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "Queens League announced". Twitter (in Spanish).
- ^ "Queens League announced". Relevo (in Spanish). 8 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Las pruebas de la Queens League, entre bastidores: "Ha sido una experiencia increíble"". Relevo (in Spanish). 5 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ del Río, Marc (24 February 2023). "Todo lo que tienes que saber sobre la Queens League". Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
- ^ "La Queens League ya tiene su draft: las elecciones de las 'Reinas' del fútbol". Marca México (in Mexican Spanish). 16 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ a b c "Nace la Queens League Oysho: llega el momento de las reinas del fútbol". MARCA (in Spanish). 24 February 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ Sport (16 April 2023). "Sigue en directo el draft de la Queens League, en vivo hoy". sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ Tikas, Maria (16 April 2023). "La QueensLeague en clave Barça". Twitter (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ "Sandra Paños y Jenni Hermoso, embajadoras de dos equipos en la Queens League". MARCA (in Spanish). 16 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ Entrevista con Sara Ismael! El 1er pick del Draft de la Queens League, retrieved 17 April 2023
- ^ Sport (10 April 2023). "Las exazulgranas Sara Ismael y Helena Barco encabezan el Draft de la Queens League". sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ m.olvera (16 April 2023). "Queens League es una realidad; ya están los equipos de esta competición". Record.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ a b Sport (8 April 2023). "Todo lo que se sabe sobre la Queens League de Piqué". sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ García, Víctor (4 May 2023). "La Kings League se podrá ver en la televisión: se emitirá en Cuatro". Alfa Beta Juega (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ "Ibai sobre la Queens League: "Los presidentes han fichado a 20 jugadoras del draft"". MARCA (in Spanish). 14 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ Mayone, Jesús (7 October 2023). "¿Quiénes son las jugadoras de 1K FC de Mayichi? Plantilla de la Queens League". DAZN (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ Blázquez Gil, Mario (20 August 2024). "Sorpresón en la Queens League: Espe deja de ser presidenta de Aniquiladores FC". Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Descubre a la presidenta de Porcinas FC". One Football (in Spanish). 14 May 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ Ayora, Víctor (11 September 2024). "Totakeki es la nueva presidenta de Saiyans". Movistar eSports (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ Ameneiro, Raúl (11 September 2024). "La 'streamer' gallega Totakeki se suma a la Queens League como presidenta de Saiyans". El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "Así vivimos el draft de la Queens League Oysho | Marca". Marca.com (in Spanish). 16 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.