BFLWomen's, or BFLW, has been launched by the Ballarat Football League with significant plans to grow the game in season 2021.

Previously played under the banner of the AFL Goldfields Women's Football League, the 10 open-age teams that competed in 2019 will be invited to join the BFLW ranks.

These sides included Redan, East Point, Melton Centrals, Gisborne, Bacchus Marsh, Melton, Carisbrook, Darley, Lake Wendouree and Sebastopol.

Ballarat-based youth and junior teams, which also fell under the AFL Goldfields banner, will be part of the BFLW.

BFLW will provide a new avenue to support and grow female football in Ballarat, along with complimenting the existing BFNL football and netball competitions.

Through consultation with existing clubs, the competition structure, by laws and rules will be developed to ensure a long-term and sustainable BFLW.

"BFLW as a brand is a little bit easier for clubs to be able to recruit and have people involved in a dedicated female football competition, that's just not a competition under the banner of the Ballarat Football Netball League," Shane Anwyl, the BFNL operations manager, said.

Anwyl said BFLW would give female football its own identity and helped build the pathway to the elite game of AFLW.

"Aligned with AFLW, which everyone now is aware of because of the great work they've done, we see BFLW as being a local extension of that," Anwyl said.

With a new logo and social media presence, Anwyl said BFLW will be elevated to showcase the best of female football and give it due recognition as a valued part of our community sporting landscape.