Watch our LIVE stream of the women's league launch from 11am AEST on Wednesday. Check back here throughout the day for news, analysis and a podcast discussing on the announcement.

THE 13 AFL clubs that lodged bids for a licence in the 2017 women's competition will learn the make-up of the new league on Wednesday morning.

The AFL is set to confirm the successful bids at a function at the MCG, with at least eight teams – and possibly 10 – to play in the yet-to-be named women's competition. AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick will announce the names of the winning clubs. 

Once the clubs have been named, the AFL is expected to immediately brief them on player signing and drafting rules.

The women's competition is set to start in February, with the format and rules still to be decided. The end of the first season of the new league could coincide with round one of the AFL season.

Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs have been fielding women's teams in AFL exhibition matches the past three seasons and are considered front-runners to win licences. The two have developed an intense rivalry and will face each other again on September 3 as part of the AFL's 'Celebration of Football' week.

Here's a snapshot of what the biddings clubs outlined in their proposals:

• Adelaide's bid centered on an "exciting" and "well-supported" approach to women's football, creating pathways for those who aspire to play at the highest level.
• The Brisbane Lions outlined their suitability for a team by illustrating how their existing facilities could be used to "make dreams come true" for female "superstars".
• Carlton vowed to take "a genuine" approach to its women's team, arguing it had existing facilities and the right coaching staff to support female players.
• Collingwood's proposal was built on its vision of being Australia's biggest and most inclusive sporting club. The Magpies would use their $25 million state-of-the-art facilities to support a women's team.
• Fremantle lodged a "compelling and unique" case, proposing that Curtin University and the City of Cockburn would be the club's major partners. The Dockers said players could be offered either a job with the club or education and scholarship opportunities via Curtin.
• Geelong's said its bid was aligned to the club's values of "respect for diversity, respect for women and, in particular, allowing women and people to be the best they can possibly be".
• Greater Western Sydney wanted a women's team to "break down barriers" and grow participation from grassroots to the elite level.  
• Melbourne focused on "opening up its elite facilities" in preparation for a women's team.
• North Melbourne argued it understood the women's football landscape, pointing to its "existing and robust model for women's football" and its long-term partnership with Melbourne University's women's team.
• Richmond said its campaign was driven by "its authentic and long-term commitment to gender equity, and the establishment of a culture that would allow a women's team to thrive".
• St Kilda, the first club to appoint a female assistant coach, said its bid was based on creating an "integrated high-performance network of three teams".
• West Coast's vision was to field "a sustainable, professional, and premiership-winning" team to grow women's football in Western Australia.
• The Western Bulldogs argued they would take "a genuine high-performance approach" to women's football to inspire young female players.