A new era for women’s football beckons in Japan as the country’s first ever professional women’s football league will flag off on Sunday, September 12.
The Women Empowerment League (WE League) will sit atop the footballing pyramid, housing eleven teams that have now acquired professional status.
The clubs:
Mynavi Sendai Ladies
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies
Omiya Ardija Ventus
Chifure AS Elfen Saitama
JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies
Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza
Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara
AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies
Albirex Niigata Ladies
INAC Kobe Leonessa
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina
The WE League title will be contested over a twenty-game season which will end in May 2022, with teams playing each other twice, both home and away. There will be no promotion or relegation to begin with, for the stability of the league.
Risa Shimizu (NTV Tokyo Verdy Beleza), Mina Tanaka (INAC Kobe Leonessa) and Yuika Sugasawa (Urawa Reds Ladies) are among few Olympic stars who will take to the stage for the league’s inaugural season.
Member clubs are required to employ at least five players on professional A contracts and 10 on professional B or C contracts. The minimum salary has been set at 2.7 million yen, with each club expected to have at least 50 percent (50%) of women as members of their staff and have at least one woman in executive board.
The League has managed to secure a highly ambitious broadcasting arrangement with J League rights holders DAZN.
In recent local publications and press conferences, the league’s first Chairperson, Kikuko Okajima, highlighted its long-term vision and fundamental philosophy.
“When I started playing football in 1972, we struggled to find practice fields, coaches, and opponents because there were only a few women’s teams in Japan,” she told Japanese media.
She continued, “My dream in middle school and high school was to play an international football match.
“I want WE league to be a platform where players can experience the brilliance of playing in full stadiums.
“For girls to dream of becoming football players, we must create opportunities for them to watch, interact, and get excited at the stadiums.”
First Fixtures of the inaugural WE League season:
MOLATsportgist 