Queens League

Seven-a-side football league in Barcelona

Football league

Queens League

Founded| 24 February 2023; 2 years ago (2023-02-24)
Country| Spain
Broadcaster(s)| Twitch
YouTube
TikTok
Cuatro[1]
Website| queensleague.pro

The Queens League 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.

As of 2025, Queens League has expanded to also include Queens League Americas (Hispanic America)

## History

[edit]

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]

## Format and rules

[edit]

A season is formed of a winter split (beginning in January) and a summer split (beginning in May), taking place over 13 weeks (including regular season and play-offs) and with 11 regular matches per team in each split. The twelve teams will each face each other once in regular season, with six matches taking place consecutively on each matchday (typically, Saturdays). At the end of each regular season, the eight best-placed teams will face each other in the play-offs, which takes place as a seeded bracket. VAR is used both for decisions and in place of goal-line technology.[16]

Matches will be 40 minutes long, of two 20-minute halves, with a 3-minute half-time break; with such brief matches, the rules state that timewasting will be punished. If the scores are tied at the end of a match, a penalty shoot-out tiebreaker will be used, with players taking the shots from the halfway line. Match kick-off is the same as in water polo, with the ball in the centre of the pitch and players at their own ends. Teams have unlimited substitutions; some league rules can prevent specific substitutions if enacted. Team staff have to remain seated on the bench throughout the match except for giving instructions to players or using the button to enact different special rules. Each team has secret weapon cards, which can grant them a penalty in their favour, a shootout in their favour, taking off an opposition player for 2 minutes, double-score goals for 2 minutes, a wildcard, and to steal another team's card.[16]

Several special rules were voted for by fans on social media. Yellow cards see the player benched for 2 minutes, with red cards sending the player off and not allowing a substitute to enter for 5 minutes. League Cards can be played by league representatives, rather than teams, from the 18th minute, which force both teams to remove players and continue the first half not as seven-a-side but as any equal number of players apiece fewer than seven. If the match is played 2v2 (or 1v1) and a player receives a card, the exclusion will begin in the second half. Gameplay changes if 1v1 has been selected: each player may only play in their half and the centre circle, and (even if the player is the goalkeeper) cannot stop shots with the hands; a countdown clock of 10 seconds is applied to possession before needing to shoot or turnover possession.[16]

Each team has a roster of 12 players, with 10 selected in the draft. The other roster slots are for the 11th Player, typically a professional, who stays with the team for the split, and the 12th Player, another guest player, who can change every matchday.[16]

## Draft and market

[edit]

The Queens League and Kings League have a draft and trade system based on North American sports. The trading system uses a virtual economy in which teams are supplied a fixed amount of "Euros" (100 million) by the league and players can be exchanged for "Euros" (or in player swaps, for draft picks, or a combination), but there is no real currency involved.[17][18] The drafts and markets are held over a similar period.[17] The combined Kings and Queens League market ahead of the 2024 season, held as a one-week transfer window, used asset exchanges as the means of trade, unlike previous Kings League markets.[18]

## Criticism

[edit]

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.[19]

## Competitions

[edit]

### International

[edit]

* Queens Finalissima

### Leagues

[edit]

* Queens League Spain
* Queens League Américas

## Teams

[edit]

### Queens League Spain

[edit]

Team  | Chairperson[7]

|

1K FC |  Maite Carrillo (Mayichi)[20]
Aniquiladoras FC |  Amairani Alonso (AmaBlitz)[21]
El Barrio |  Adri Contreras and  Mercedes Roa
Jijantas FC |  Gerard Romero and Lisbeth Cid
Las Troncas FC |  Violeta G
PIO FC |  Samantha Rivera (Rivers)
Porcinas FC |  Gemma Gallardo (Gemita)[22]
Rayo de Barcelona |  Martí Miràs (Spursito)
Saiyans FC |  Totakeki[23][24]
Ultimate Móstoles |  Noelia San Martín (Noe9977)
xBuyer Team |  Javier (xBuyer) and Eric Ruiz (MiniBuyer)

### Future Club

[edit]

Team  | Chairperson(s)

|

La Capital CF  | TBA

### Queens League Americas

[edit]

Team  | Chairperson(s)

|

Atlético Parceras |  Valeria La Parce
Club de Cuervos |  Natalia García (NataliaMX) and Iván Navarrete (Pipepunk)
Galácticas del Caribe |  Angelo "Will" Valdés and Vincent Pérez (Los Futbolitos) and Isa Rockets
Las Aliens 1021 |  Edwin Castro (Castro) and Pitaa1021
Las Chamas FC |  Deyna Castellanos and  Sonia Lopéz
Olimpo United | TBA
Peluche Caligari |  Ara and Fer
Persas FC |  Pamela Verdirame and Crystal Molly
Raniza FC |  Diego Balsa (BarcaGamer) and  Alana Flores (AlanaLaRana)
West Santas FC |  Lluna Clark

### Future Club

[edit]

Team  | Chairperson(s)

|

Kunitas |  Jo Valicenti

### Past Club

[edit]

Team  | Chairperson(s)

|

Muchachas FC |  Jero Freixas and Josefina de Cabo
Real Titán |  Vicky Palami

## See also

[edit]

* Kings League
* Media football
* Women's football in Spain

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "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.
2. ^ "Queens League announced". Twitter (in Spanish).
3. ^ "Queens League announced". Relevo (in Spanish). 8 February 2023.
4. ^ 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.
5. ^ del Río, Marc (24 February 2023). "Todo lo que tienes que saber sobre la Queens League". Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
6. ^ "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.
7. ^ a b "Nace la Queens League Oysho: llega el momento de las reinas del fútbol". MARCA (in Spanish). 24 February 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
8. ^ Sport (16 April 2023). "Sigue en directo el draft de la Queens League, en vivo hoy". sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
9. ^ Tikas, Maria (16 April 2023). "La QueensLeague en clave Barça". Twitter (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
10. ^ "Sandra Paños y Jenni Hermoso, embajadoras de dos equipos en la Queens League". MARCA (in Spanish). 16 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
11. ^ Entrevista con Sara Ismael! El 1er pick del Draft de la Queens League, retrieved 17 April 2023
12. ^ 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.
13. ^ 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.
14. ^ Sport (8 April 2023). "Todo lo que se sabe sobre la Queens League de Piqué". sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
15. ^ 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.
16. ^ a b c d "Queens League Oysho Reglamento Oficial" (PDF) (in Spanish). January 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
17. ^ a b "Mercado de fichajes de la Kings League: cómo funciona, cláusulas y cuánto dura". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
18. ^ a b "Mercato de fichajes de la Kings y Queens League: cuándo empieza, fechas, cómo funciona y normas". MARCA (in Spanish). 2 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
19. ^ "Ibai sobre la Queens League: "Los presidentes han fichado a 20 jugadoras del draft"". MARCA (in Spanish). 14 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
20. ^ 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.
21. ^ 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.
22. ^ "Descubre a la presidenta de Porcinas FC". One Football (in Spanish). 14 May 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
23. ^ Ayora, Víctor (11 September 2024). "Totakeki es la nueva presidenta de Saiyans". Movistar eSports (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
24. ^ 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.