TOKYO: As global interest in women’s football approaches fever pitch, former champions Japan are eyeing a return to glory with the country’s first professional league for female players.
A decade since winning the 2011 Women’s World Cup, Japan has fallen behind, even as the sport becomes more popular and lucrative elsewhere.
But the new league’s organisers hope it will bring prestige and fresh talent to Japanese clubs when it kicks off in September, tapping into growing enthusiasm across the region ahead of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
“We had a sense of urgency, as we felt that Japan would be left behind globally if it didn’t go pro now,” said Kikuko Okajima, chair of the WE League — short for…
