Issy Women

Foundation and rise to the top flight

A year after the foundation of the club, Paris Saint-Germain created their women's section in the summer of 1971 after the French Football Federation (FFF) gave the green light to female football. PSG signed 33 women for the 1971–72 season and the newly formed team began life in the Ligue de Paris, the lowest level of the football pyramid. They finished second that campaign, their best result ever, and continued life in the Parisian championship for seven more years, albeit with less success.

Ahead of the 1979–80 season, PSG were promoted to the top flight of French football, the Première Ligue, after it went from 20 to 48 teams. Their inaugural stint, however, only lasted three seasons, and PSG were relegated back to Seconde Ligue in 1982. The Red and Blues bounced between the two top divisions over the next 19 years. Following a dramatic 1999–2000 season in which they missed promotion to the elite by losing their last match against promotion contenders Schiltigheim, PSG finally steadied the ship in 2001. Led by coach Sébastien Thierry and young defender Laura Georges, the team won 16 out of 18 games played in Group A to claim back their place amongst the best in France. PSG would then clinch the 2000–01 Seconde Ligue title by defeating Group C leader Tours in the final. Since then, Paris SG have never been relegated from the Première Ligue.

From mid-table team to first major title

Under incoming manager Cyril Combettes, Paris Saint-Germain remained without major problems in the Première Ligue but nowhere near the top teams. In the summer of 2005, starlets Sabrina Delannoy and Laure Boulleau signed from CNFE Clairefontaine. Together, they played more than 400 matches with PSG, being their two most capped players. The defending duo experienced everything with the capital side: relegation battles, mid-table finishes, title races and the club's first major trophy. Men and women confounded, Delannoy is PSG's sixth most capped player ever, only behind male counterparts Jean-Marc Pilorget, Sylvain Armand, Safet Sušić, Paul Le Guen, and Marco Verratti.

At the end of March 2007, Cyril Combettes resigned due to relationship problems with the players. He was replaced by Eric Leroy for the 2007–08 season. Despite a difficult start, including a heavy defeat to Montpellier in the first match, the season was a success. Under Leroy's direction, the team finished in fifth place and reached their maiden Challenge de France final. Having crashed out at the same stage in 2005, the Red and Blues learned their lesson and defeated Parisian Derby rivals Paris FC (at the time called Juvisy) in the semi-finals. OL Lyonnes, however, proved too strong for PSG in the title-decider at the Stade de France, easily taking home the cup with three unanswered strikes.

Following a disappointing 2008–09 season, Camillo Vaz replaced Éric Leroy in June 2009. PSG recruited French internationals Élise Bussaglia, Julie Soyer, and Jessica Houara during that summer. The women's team then celebrated their 38th birthday by making their debut at the Parc des Princes. Usually reserved for the men's side, PSG hosted city rivals Paris FC at the stadium on October 18, 2009. In front of 5,892 spectators, they defeated their guests thanks to an early goal from Camille Abily. The 2009–10 campaign ended with a third place, a first for them on the podium. Better yet, the Parisians also reached their second Challenge de France final after eliminating juggernauts Lyon in the semi-finals.

Noilhan had left the club shortly before the final, leaving Vaz as the sole coach. This, however, did not stop PSG from crushing defending champions Montpellier at the Stade Robert Bobin to claim their first major title as well as their second trophy ever and their first since 2001. Emblematic club striker Ingrid Boyeldieu, who would retire at the end of the season, opened the scoring in the first half. After the break, PSG added four more goals for a brutal 5–0 scoreline, the largest victory in the history of cup finals.

European debut and Qatari takeover

The 2010–11 season marked a turning point for Paris. In the summer, Brazilian star Kátia joined on a free signing from Lyon. PSG finished league runners-up behind heavyweights OL Lyonnes and qualified to the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in their history. The Parisians dramatically defeated second-placed Montpellier in the final game of the season, with team captain Sabrina Delannoy scoring the winning penalty in stoppage time. Élise Bussaglia was named Première Ligue Féminine Player of the Season.

Exempted from the group stage, PSG made their European debut by comfortably eliminating Irish side Peamount in the Round of 16, before being themselves ousted by German giants and future finalists 1. FFC Frankfurt. The rest of the 2011–12 campaign, however, was not as successful. Undermined by the injuries of key players Léa Rubio, Laure Lepailleur, and Caroline Pizzala, the team lost its grip and finished in fourth place after suffering a heavy defeat at home to Île-de-France rivals Paris FC. As a result, coach Camillo Vaz left the club at the end of the season.