Puneet Varma (Editor)

Japan Women's Football League

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Country
  
Japan

Number of teams
  
32

Confederation
  
AFC (Asia)

Level on pyramid
  
1-3

Founded
  
1989; 28 years ago (1989)

Divisions
  
1:Nadeshiko League Div.1 2:Nadeshiko League Div.2 3:Challenge League

The Japan Women's Football League (in Japanese: "L・リーグ", Officially "日本女子サッカーリーグ",Nihon Joshi Sakkā Rīgu) is the top flight of women's association football in Japan. The league consists of three divisions: Divisions 1 and 2 have the nickname Nadeshiko League (なでしこリーグ, Nadeshiko Rīgu) and Division 3 the Challenge League (チャレンジリーグ, Charenji Rīgu). Since 2008 it has been sponsored by Plenus (株式会社プレナス), a fastfood company based in Fukuoka, and are thus billed as Plenus Nadeshiko League and Plenus Challenge League.

Contents

History

Japan Women's Football League began in 1989. From 1993 to 1999 it adopted an Apertura and Clausura system, similar to the J.League system of the era. From 2000 to 2003 the clubs were divided into East and West groups and then the top clubs of each would go into a championship group, with the bottom clubs in a relegation group. In 2004 the single-table format was brought back.

Players from the 8 Japan Women's Football League teams would host an annual training camp to build skills and relationships between L-League and international women's football clubs, including US and Australian teams.

Starting in the 2004 season, the L. League had 2 divisions - Division 1, with 8 clubs, and Division 2, with 8 clubs in the 2006 season. Until 2009 the league operated on the same way as the old Japan Soccer League for men, the bottom club in the second division playing off against a regional league playoff winner.

Starting with the 2010 season, the second division is divided into an east and west group of six teams each. The winners of each group are promoted. In 2015 this became Division 3, with the Nadeshiko League becoming two divisions of 10 teams each.

After Japan's World Cup win in 2011 the L-League saw an upsurge in popularity.

League structure

Since 2015, the L-League consists of three levels.

First Division Champions

Bold indicate doubles with the Empress's Cup.

Total titles won by club
  • Yomiuri Beleza was renamed to NTV Beleza in 1999 and to Tokyo Verdy Beleza in 2011, when the Yomiuri Group sold its stake.
  • Saitama Reinas were absorbed by Urawa Red Diamonds in 2005.
  • Matsushita L.S.C. Bambina was renamed to Speranza F.C. Takatsuki in 2000. Then, renamed to Speranza F.C. Osaka-Takatsuki in 2012.
  • Prima Ham F.C. Kunoichi was renamed to Iga F.C. Kunoichi in 2000.
  • Nikko Securities Dream Ladies and Tasaki Perule no longer exist.
    • Total titles won by region

    L. League Clubs (2017)

    The L-League consists of 3 levels.

    Relegated to regional leagues

  • Je Vrille Kagoshima - Relegated to Kyushu League from 2014
  • Shimizudaihachi Pleiades - Relegated to Tokai League from 2015
  • Mashiki Renaissance Kumamoto F.C. - Relegated to Kyushu League from 2016

    • Dissolved

  • Fujita Soccer Club Mercury (affiliated with Shonan Bellmare)
  • Nikko Securities Dream Ladies
  • Nissan F.C. Ladies (affiliated with Yokohama Marinos)
  • OKI F.C. Winds
  • Shiroki F.C. Serena
  • Suzuyo Shimizu F.C. Lovely Ladies (affiliated with Shimizu S-Pulse)
  • Tasaki Perule F.C.
  • Tokyo Shidax L.S.C. (formerly Shinko Seiko F.C. Clair)
  • Urawa Ladies F.C.
  • TEPCO Mareeze (dissolved after Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster; many of the players moved to Vegalta Sendai Ladies)
  • Aguilas Kobe
  • Hoyo Sukarabu F.C.

    • References

    Japan Women's Football League Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA