Japan: "WE League will offer 'Professional Female Footballer' as a new profession in Japan" (JFA)

"The WE League will offer 'Professional Female Footballer' as a new profession in Japanese society. 'Each individual to live in a world full of dreams and diversity to enhance and brighten the society through women’s football and sports' is the philosophy behind the WE league structure," said the Japanese Football Association (JFA) regarding the new women's football competition it presented on 03/06/2020.

The "Women Empowerment League", the Women's professional football championship, will be launched in Japan in Autumn 2021. Six to ten teams will participate in the first season, to be held from Autumn 2021 until May 2022.

The WE League will be the top of the pyramid of Japanese women's football, above the Nadeshiko League, the current first division, which was created in 1989 and comprises 10 clubs. The WE League will be a semi-closed league: no relegation is planned for the first few seasons, but a promotion system will allow the best teams in the Nadeshiko League to join.

"Coaches, referees, club management and league administration will also be given chances to thrive in a…