Women's football in Japan is one of the rising powers of women's football.[1]
Women's football in Japan | |
---|---|
Country | Japan |
Governing body | Japan Football Association |
National team(s) | Japan women's national football team |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
FIFA Women's World Cup (National Team) Summer Olympics (National Team) AFC Women's Asian Cup (National Team) Asian Games (National Team) EAFF Women's Championship (National Team) |
The first women's football team in Japan was formed in 1966.[2]
In the first national female football tournament in 1980, women played 8-a-side football and on smaller soccer fields than their male counterparts.[3][4]
The WE League was established in the 2021–22 season as Japan's first fully professional women's football league. It replaced the top level Nadeshiko League as the country's top women's league. The Nadeshiko League now occupies the two levels below the WE League.
The Nadeshiko League began in 1989.[5][6] It was a three-tiered system,[7] but has since reverted to a two-tier system.
The team, organized by the Japan Football Association, is the only Asian women's side to win FIFA Women's World Cup, winning in 2011.[8] The Japanese national team playing style has been compared to Spain's men's national team of Tiki-taka.[9]