As expected, the club’s joint submission with the Northern Territory won one of eight league places for next season, in a competition that will see each of the nation’s five major cities represented.

AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick this morning confirmed the Crows, the Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, GWS Giants, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs would field teams in the inaugural women’s competition.

Geelong, North Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda and the West Coast Eagles have been granted provisional licences with a view to entering the fray as the competition expands, with some likely to field teams as early as 2018.

After an initial plan to have six teams, there was speculation the first season might include as many as 10, with interest in the women’s league skyrocketing.

“Our game is on the cusp of changing forever and changing for the better,” Fitzpatrick said at the MCG announcement.

“The concept of a national competition has been put together in a short space of time, but this day has been a long time coming… the number of women and girls playing club football has doubled over the past five years.”

Fitzpatrick said 163 new women’s teams had formed last year, with another 250 expected this year.

The AFL is today briefing successful tenderers on the league’s details, but it is understood the first season will start next February and involve six games per team, with a four-team finals series.

Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce, who will be the most prominent player in the inaugural league, said it was a banner day for women.

“We’ve seen on so many issues that sport is a powerful vehicle,” she said.

“To see women out there playing a really physical sport, at our most powerful, will [encourage change] across all of society.”

Crows chairman Rob Chapman said in a statement the announcement “marks the beginning of an exciting new era for everyone in the Crows family and footy fans across the country”.

“It is fantastic that girls and young women can now aspire to play for the Crows and realise their dream of a career in football,” he said.

CEO Andrew Fagan said there was significance corporate interest in the startup team, noting that female participation rates had grown statewide since the club flagged its interest.

“Together with AFLNT, our club is thrilled to be part of such a historic development for the game,” Fagan said in a statement.

“Our goal is to make the Crows the club of choice for women and girls, whether as participants, administrators or fans, and participating in the inaugural women’s league season is a significant step forward.”

The Crows have already began scouring the country for recruits, and have previously appointed head of football David Noble and former Thunderbirds netball coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson to scout a senior coach.

The Crows had been locked in a battle with crosstown rival Port Adelaide for a Women’s Team licence, with the Power even unveiling Olympic basketballer Erin Phillips as its prospective first female AFL player.

But Port opted out of the running in March, deciding to take a “longer-term” strategy, including the establishment of a women’s academy and an under-18s team.

-with AAP