 | |
| Organising body | WE League JFA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 3 June 2020 (2020-06-03) |
| First season | 2021–22 |
| Country | Japan |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Divisions | 1 |
| Number of clubs | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Domestic cup | Empress's Cup |
| League cup | WE League Cup |
| International cup | AFC Women's Champions League |
| Current champions | INAC Kobe Leonessa (2nd title) (2025–26) |
| Most championships | INAC Kobe Leonessa Urawa Red Diamonds (2 titles) |
| Broadcaster(s) | DAZN |
| Sponsor(s) | Sompo |
| Website | Official website |
| Current: 2025–26 WE League season | |
The WE League (WEリーグ), officially the Japan Women's Empowerment Professional Football League (Japanese: 日本女子プロサッカーリーグ, Hepburn: Nihon Joshi Puro Sakkā Rīgu; "Japan Women Pro Football League"),[1] also known as the SOMPO WE League (Japanese: SOMPO WEリーグ) for sponsorship reasons, is the top flight of women's association football in Japan, starting from the 2021–22 season. It is the first fully-professional women's football league in Japan.
The current (2024–25) title holders are Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
History
On 3 June 2020, the Japan Football Association (JFA) announced the formation of the WE League to become Japan's new top-flight, professional women's football league.[2] The semi-professional Nadeshiko League would become the second level on the women's football pyramid in Japan once the WE League began play in the autumn of 2021. United States–based business executive and former Japan international footballer Kikuko Okajima was announced as the WE League's inaugural chairwoman.[3]
17 clubs applied to join the WE League.[4] On 15 October 2020, 11 clubs were announced as founding members of the WE League, including seven with J. League affiliations.[5]
- From Nadeshiko League First Division: Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, INAC Kobe Leonessa, Tokyo Verdy Beleza, Albirex Niigata Ladies, JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies, Mynavi Vegalta Sendai (disaffiliated from male club Vegalta Sendai before the opening season), Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara
- From Nadeshiko League Second Division: Chifure AS Elfen Saitama, AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies, FC Jumonji Ventus (affiliated to male club Omiya Ardija)
- Ex-novo franchise: Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina.
In the 2023–24 season, Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies entered the WE League, promoted from Nadeshiko League Division 1.
Competition format
The WE League's 2023–24 season features 12 teams playing a double round-robin, home-and-away competition. Unlike the Nadeshiko League, the WE League will play a winter season that conforms with most European leagues.[6] There will be no relegation from the WE League to the Nadeshiko League, but teams may be promoted from the latter in the first several seasons for the WE League to reach a desired number of teams.[6]
Each team in the WE League must have at least 15 players signed to fully professional contracts, which are not subject to a salary cap.[7] In addition to bringing professionalism to Japanese women's football, the WE League also implemented measures to bringing in international players. The JFA subsidizes salaries for players from Southeast Asian member federations, while the league itself subsidizes players from top-ranked FIFA countries.[8] The league actively recruits players from top-ranked federations such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States and Spain, and it also provides additional subsidies to encourage internationalization for expenses such as interpreters.[9]
Clubs
2025–26 season
The following 12 clubs competed in the WE League in the 2025–26 season.[5]
| Club | Position in the 2024–25 season |
First season in top division |
First season in WE League |
First season of current spell in top division |
Top division titles |
Most recent top division title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Nagano Parceiro | 8 | 2003 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 | 0 | — |
| Albirex Niigata | 4 | 2007 | 2021–22 | 2007 | 0 | — |
| AS Elfen Saitama | 6 | 2002 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 | 0 | — |
| Cerezo Osaka Yanmar | 7 | 2018 | 2023–24 | 2023–24 | 0 | — |
| INAC Kobe Leonessa | 2 | 2006 | 2021–22 | 2006 | 4 | 2021–22 |
| JEF United Chiba | 9 | 2000 | 2021–22 | 2009 | 0 | — |
| Mynavi Sendai | 12 | 2013 | 2021–22 | 2013 | 0 | — |
| Nojima Stella Kanagawa | 10 | 2017 | 2021–22 | 2017 | 0 | — |
| RB Omiya Ardija Women | 11 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 | 0 | — |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina | 5 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 | — | — |
| Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 1 | 1989 | 2021–22 | 1989 | 18 | 2024–25 |
| Urawa Red Diamonds | 3 | 1999 | 2021–22 | 1999 | 5 | 2022–23 |
List of winners
| Year | Champions (number of titles) |
Runners-up | Third place | Leading goalscorer | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | INAC Kobe Leonessa | Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies | Tokyo Verdy Beleza |  Yuika Sugasawa (Urawa Red Diamonds) | 14 |
| 2022–23 | Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies | INAC Kobe Leonessa | Tokyo Verdy Beleza | Riko Ueki (Tokyo Verdy Beleza) | 14 |
| 2023–24 | Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (2) | INAC Kobe Leonessa | Tokyo Verdy Beleza | Kiko Seike (Urawa Red Diamonds) | 20 |
| 2024–25 | Tokyo Verdy Beleza | INAC Kobe Leonessa | Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies |  Carlota Suárez (INAC Kobe Leonessa) | 13 |
| 2025–26 | INAC Kobe Leonessa (2) | Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies | Tokyo Verdy Beleza | Riko Yoshida (INAC Kobe Leonessa) | 16 |
Sponsorship
Title Partner
| Company | Period |
|---|---|
| Yogibo Japan (Webshark) | 2021–2023 |
| SOMPO Holdings | 2024–present |
Cup Title Partner
| Company | Period |
|---|---|
| Kracie | 2024–present |
Gold Partner/Grassroots Partner
| Company | Period |
|---|---|
| Daihatsu | 2021–present |
Silver Partners
| Company | Period |
|---|---|
| Plenus | 2021–2023 |
| Asahi Kasei | 2021–present |
| MediQttO | 2021–2022 |
| x-girl | 2021–present |
| Persol | 2021–present |
| TRE Holdings | 2022–2023 |
| Kracie | 2023–present |
Social Impact Partner
| Provider | Period |
|---|---|
| KPMG | 2023–present |
Official Broadcasting Partner
| Provider | Period |
|---|---|
| DAZN | 2021–present |
Official Media Partners
| Provider | Period |
|---|---|
| Yomiuri Shimbun | 2024–present |
Official Equipment Partner
| Provider | Period |
|---|---|
| Molten | 2021–present |
Official Ticketing Partner
| Provider | Period |
|---|---|
| Pia | 2021–present |
See also
References
- "ABOUT WE". WE LEAGUE | Women Empowerment League.
- "Japan's first ever Women's Professional Football League, [WE League] to kick off in autumn 2021". JFA. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- Orlowitz, Dan (28 July 2020). "WE League chair plots ambitious, progressive path for women's game". The Japan Times. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- Orlowitz, Dan (1 August 2020). "WE League receives unexpectedly high number of applicants for inaugural season". Japan Times. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Orlowitz, Dan (15 October 2020). "Japan women's pro soccer WE League reveals 11 clubs for first season". Japan Times. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- "Football: New women's pro competition dubbed "WE League"". Kyodo News. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- "WE League start brings Japan its 1st pro women's football competition". Kyodo News. 12 September 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- Orlowitz, Dan (10 September 2021). "Japan's ambitious WE League aims to empower in historic first season". The Japan Times. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- Mahmud, Shahnaz. "Japan's new women's pro soccer league aims to attract players from U.S., France and more". The Athletic.