Associação de Futebol de Lisboa

What Associação de Futebol de Lisboa does

Associação de Futebol de Lisboa (AFL) is the official district football governing body for the Lisbon metropolitan area in Portugal, operating as a private non-profit association under the umbrella of the Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF). Founded in 1910 and headquartered at Rua Joaquim António de Aguiar n 19, 1070-149 Lisbon, the organization employs 238 staff and manages the regulatory, competitive, and developmental framework for football across the Lisbon district. Its core function is organizing district-level competitions across multiple formats — Futebol 11, Futebol 9, Futebol 7, Futsal, Beach Football, Futebol Feminino, Walking Football, and Football for Amputees — for affiliated clubs ranging from grassroots to elite tiers.

AFL's service portfolio spans competition management (schedules, results, alterations, draws), referee training and certification through the Conselho de Arbitragem and the Miguel Castilho candidates course, youth talent development via district selections from Sub-12 to Sub-19 age groups (with AFL selections competing in national tournaments like the Torneio Lopes da Silva), and institutional communications through sub-brands including AFL Magazine, AFL TV (a YouTube channel exceeding 10,000 subscribers), and Academia AFL. Digital infrastructure includes a coach placement platform (Bolsa Treinadores) connecting certified coaches with affiliated clubs and a centralized documentation system for statutes, regulations, and administrative forms.

The revenue model is primarily member-based: clubs pay recurring affiliation and licensing fees to participate in AFL-organized competitions, supplemented by revenue from coach and referee training courses. Commercial partnerships with Sabseg (insurance) and True Clinic (healthcare) provide ancillary service revenue to member clubs. Distribution is entirely direct and regional — AFL operates exclusively within the Lisbon district and has no geographic expansion ambitions beyond its mandated jurisdiction. The organization is governed by an elected Direction board led by President Vítor Filipe, with Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, and Vogais, plus separate organs for Arbitration, Fiscal Council, and Institutional Relations.

Name

Associação de Futebol de Lisboa

Legal name

Associação de Futebol de Lisboa

Website

https://afl.pt

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Associação de Futebol de Lisboa is the official district football governing body for the Lisbon metropolitan area, managing district-level competitions across multiple formats, referee training and certification, youth talent development, and member-club services under the Portuguese Football Federation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Football Federation

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA), Rules, Officiating & Referee Associations (Officials/umpires bodies) (MPAKAFAK), Referee, Umpire & Coach Education/Certification Academies (MPAKAJAN)

Keywords

• Regional football governance
• Competition management services
• Referee training certification
• Youth talent development
• Club licensing affiliation

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Club Affiliation and Licensing Fees: Revenue from affiliated clubs paying membership/registration fees to participate in AFL-organized competitions. Clubs include football, futsal, and beach football organizations from the Lisbon district area.
2. Coach and Referee Certification: Revenue from training courses for coaches (e.g., 3rd Miguel Castilho Candidate Course) and referee training programs

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Associação de Futebol de Lisboa (AFL) is the official district football governing body for the Lisbon region in Portugal. It organizes and regulates district-level football competitions across multiple formats (Football 11, 9, 7, Futsal, Beach Football, Walking Football and Women's Football), trains and certifies referees through programs such as the Miguel Castilho course, develops youth talent via district selections (Sub-12 to Sub-19), and operates digital platforms including the Bolsa Treinadores coach placement portal and the AFL TV YouTube broadcasting channel.

Product overview

Associação de Futebol de Lisboa operates as a regional football governing body managing district-level football activities. The organization offers digital platforms including AFL TV (YouTube broadcasting channel with 10,000+ subscribers) and Bolsa de Treinadores (coach registration platform), alongside traditional services such as competition management (Football 11, 9, 7, Futsal, Beach Football), refereeing services, technical office functions, academy programs, and a centralized documentation system. The association's portfolio consists primarily of organizational and administrative services rather than standalone technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Academia AFL: Football academy under AFL for training and development
• AFL TV
• AFL Magazine

Products and services

• Competições Distritais (District Football Competitions) Organized district-level football competitions across Futebol 11, 9, 7-a-side, Futsal, Beach Football, Walking Football and Futebol Feminino for affiliated clubs and district teams in the Lisbon region, with scheduling, results, alterations and draws managed centrally.
• Arbitragem AFL (Refereeing Services) Centralized referee management service for AFL district competitions, including publication of Laws of the Game, referee regulations, match appointments (Nomeações), and training/certification of new referees through the Miguel Castilho candidate course.
• Bolsa Treinadores AFL (Coach Placement Platform) Online platform connecting football and futsal coaches with affiliated clubs in the Lisbon district, featuring registration and profile management for trainers and clubs.
• Academia AFL Football academy programme operated at academia.afl.pt providing training and development activities for football players, coaches and instructors in the Lisbon district.
• AFL TV AFL's official YouTube broadcasting channel that streams district football matches, tournaments, and association news content to supporters and the wider football community.
• Gabinete Técnico AFL (Technical Office Services) Technical office managing coach training regulations, annual scheduling, technical structure, and district team convocations for AFL district teams and youth selections.

Quantifiable outcome

• 220 participants from 13 regional associations in Walking Football national event
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFL operates as a district member of the national football federation. The partnership involves organizing district-level competitions that feed into national competitions, youth selection programs, referee development aligned with FPF standards, and participation in national tournaments like the Torneio Lopes da Silva. FPF also supports AFL initiatives such as the Football for Amputees project.
• Fundação FPFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FPF Foundation partnered with AFL on the 'Football for Amputees' project, which organized the first official match of the modality. The foundation awarded AFL the #PrémioFundaçãoFPF for May, recognizing innovative initiatives in Portuguese football.
• Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude (IPDJ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPDJ co-organized the 'Liderança do Desporto no Feminino' (Leadership in Women's Sports) seminar with AFL representation, focusing on gender equality promotion in sports.
• SabsegminorOthersListed as a partner on the AFL website, providing insurance services for clubs and competitions.
• True ClinicminorOthersListed as a partner logo on the AFL website, appears to provide healthcare/medical services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude (IPDJ): Portuguese government body for sport and youth, already a minor partner of AFL. Comparable as a stakeholder ecosystem participant overseeing amateur sport development and funding.
• Fundação do Futebol — Liga Portugal: Portuguese football social foundation focused on inclusion and community programs, similar in mission to AFL's Football for Amputees initiative. A potential partnership/peer in social responsibility programming.

Direct peers

• Associação de Futebol de Braga: District football association in northern Portugal with comparable functions: referee arbitration council, district championships across multiple football formats, and youth development programs.
• Associação de Futebol do Porto: Fellow district football association under FPF serving the Porto region. Operates the same model — club affiliation, district competitions, referee training, and youth selections — making it the most directly comparable peer.
• Associação de Futebol de Setúbal: Neighboring district football association south of Lisbon with the same governance mandate, competition portfolio, and FPF affiliation. Highly comparable in scale and operations.
• Associação de Futebol de Coimbra: District football association under FPF covering the Coimbra region with comparable structure: district leagues, referee council, youth tournaments, and coach/referee certification programs.

Broad incumbents

• Liga Portugal: Organizes Portugal's top professional football competitions. Operates at the apex of the pyramid AFL feeds into, sharing football governance expertise but focused on professional rather than district-level amateur play.
• Real Federación Española de Fútbol — Federaciones Territoriales: Spanish national federation with regional federations (e.g., Federación Madrileña de Fútbol) that mirror AFL's district structure. Comparable model of sub-national federation organization of football competitions.
• Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF): National governing body and parent organization of AFL. Operates broader portfolio including national team, professional leagues (Liga Portugal), and Taça de Portugal, but shares the same federation/competition governance model.
• The Football Association (FA) — County FAs: English FA's network of 44 County Football Associations operates the same district/county federation model as AFL — grassroots competitions, referee appointments, coach education, and youth cup competitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXSPgjw-KXn86J_upO98LWg
• Facebookfacebook.com/associacaodefuteboldelisboa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/associa%C3%A7%C3%A3o-de-futebol-de-lisboa
• Instagraminstagram.com/associacaofutebollisboa
• TikToktiktok.com/@aflisboatiktok

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Associação de Futebol de Lisboa