The 2020 Nadeshiko League was the 32nd season of the Nadeshiko League, the main league for women's association football in Japan. It was also the 16th season in its current format.
The league was originally scheduled to begin on 2 May 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league was finally rescheduled to begin on 18 July 2020 with the first two rounds of matches played behind closed doors.[1]
Division 1 edit
| Season | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 18 July 2020 – 21 November 2020 |
| Champions | Urawa Reds Ladies (4th title) |
| Relegated | Cerezo Osaka Iga Kunoichi Ehime |
| AFC Women's Club Championship | Urawa Reds Ladies |
| Matches played | 90 |
| Goals scored | 273 (3.03 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Yuika Sugasawa (17 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Mynavi Vegalta Sendai 5–0 Ehime (1 November 2020) INAC Kobe Leonessa 5–0 Ehime (30 August 2020) |
| Biggest away win | Cerezo Osaka 1–10 NTV Beleza (15 August 2020) |
| Highest scoring | Cerezo Osaka 1–10 NTV Beleza (15 August 2020) |
| Longest winning run | Urawa Reds Ladies (6 matches) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Urawa Reds Ladies (8 matches) |
| Longest winless run | Ehime (9 matches) |
| Longest losing run | Iga FC Kunoichi (6 matches) |
← 2019
All statistics correct as of 21 November 2020. | |
The season started on 18 July 2020 and ended in November 2020 with the play-offs to be held days later. Prior to the league start date, PCR were carried out on all the players and staffs of the teams participating in the leagues to check their health conditions, almost all test cases came out negative.[citation needed]
Urawa Reds Ladies won their fourth Nadeshiko League title and therefore will earn the right to participate in the 2021 AFC Women's Club Championship.
This is its final year as the highest division of the Japan women's football league system as the WE League is set to commence next year. Similar to the men's J. League in 1992 and the English women's FA WSL in 2011, not all Division 1 clubs will be admitted to the new league.[2]
Teams edit
The league was contested by 10 teams, debutants Ehime winners of the 2019 Nadeshiko League Division 2 and runners up Cerezo Osaka replaced Nittidai and AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies, who were relegated from the 2019 Nadeshiko League Division 1.
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Locations of 2020 Nadeshiko League Division 1 teams
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Table edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urawa Reds Ladies | 18 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 37 | 17 | +20 | 44 | Champions, form WE League |
| 2 | INAC Kobe Leonessa | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 33 | 19 | +14 | 35 | Form WE League |
| 3 | NTV Beleza | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 45 | 22 | +23 | 31 | |
| 4 | Cerezo Osaka | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 30 | |
| 5 | Albirex Niigata | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 17 | +2 | 27 | Form WE League |
| 6 | JEF United Chiba | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 30 | 29 | +1 | 23 | |
| 7 | Mynavi Vegalta Sendai | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 24 | +2 | 22 | |
| 8 | Nojima Stella | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 30 | −12 | 15 | |
| 9 | Iga Kunoichi | 18 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 17 | 33 | −16 | 14 | |
| 10 | Ehime | 18 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 16 | 46 | −30 | 12 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored
Results edit
Positions by round edit
Attendance edit
Average attendance edit
Highest attendance edit
- ^ a b c Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spectators were not allowed into stadiums.
Statistics edit
Topscorers edit
- As of matches played on 21 November 2020.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Yuika Sugasawa
|
Urawa Reds Ladies | 17 |
| 2 | Haruka Hamada
|
Vegalta Sendai | 15 |
| 3 | Mina Tanaka
|
INAC Kobe Leonessa | 13 |
| 4 | Rikako Kobayashi
|
NTV Beleza | 9 |
| Ami Otaki
|
JEF United | ||
| 6 | Jun Endo
|
NTV Beleza | 8 |
| 7 | Yui Hasegawa
|
NTV Beleza | 7 |
| Honoka Hayashi
|
Cerezo Osaka | ||
| Arisa Minamino
|
Nojima Stella | ||
| 10 | 4 players | 6 | |
Awards edit
Best XI edit
Division 2 edit
| Season | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 18 July – 21 November 2020 |
| Matches played | 90 |
| Goals scored | 225 (2.5 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Harima 4–0 Nittaidai (24 October 2020) Elfen Saitama 4–0 Nittaidai (26 July 2020) Kamogawa 4–0 Bunnys Kyoto (20 September 2020) |
| Highest scoring | Sfida Setagaya 5–2 Jumonji Ventus (20 September 2020) |
← 2019 2021 →
All statistics correct as of 15 November 2020. | |
The season began on 18 July 2020.
Teams and format edit
10 teams contested the league, Jumonji Ventus were promoted while Shizuoka Sangyo were relegated from the previous season, additionally Nittaidai and Nagano Parceiro Ladies also joined from the Nadeshiko League Division 1.
League table edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sfida Setagaya | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 34 | 18 | +16 | 37 | |
| 2 | Elfen Saitama | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 33 | 13 | +20 | 36 | Promoted to WE League |
| 3 | Kamogawa | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 37 | 18 | +19 | 34 | |
| 4 | Yokohama | 18 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 29 | 8 | +21 | 32 | |
| 5 | Nagano Parceiro | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 13 | +9 | 28 | Promoted to WE League |
| 6 | Harima | 18 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 25 | 22 | +3 | 26 | |
| 7 | Yamato Sylphid | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 16 | −1 | 26 | |
| 8 | Jumonji Ventus | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 40 | −25 | 13 | Promoted to WE League |
| 9 | Nittaidai | 18 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 46 | −39 | 9 | |
| 10 | Bunnys Kyoto | 18 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 8 | 31 | −23 | 8 |
Results edit
Statistics edit
Top scorers edit
Awards edit
Challenge League edit
| Season | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Champions | JFA Academy |
← 2019 2021 →
All statistics correct as of 30 December 2020. | |
12 teams contested the third tier, divided into two groups of 6 each for East and West. Newly promoted clubs were Shizuoka SSU Asregina (formerly Iwata Bonita) and Fukuoka J. Anclas, both returning to the national tiers, and Cerezo Osaka Sakai Girls, Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies's B-team.
Teams edit
| Clubs (East) | Hometown(s) |
|---|---|
| Norddea Hokkaido | Sapporo, Hokkaido |
| Tsukuba FC Ladies | Tsukuba, Ibaraki |
| Niigata University of Health and Welfare LSC | Niigata, Niigata |
| JFA Academy Fukushima LSC | Susono, Shizuoka[3] |
| Shizuoka SSU Asregina | Iwata, Shizuoka |
| NGU Loveledge Nagoya | Nagoya, Aichi |
| Clubs (West) | Hometown(s) |
| Speranza Osaka Takatsuki | Takatsuki, Osaka |
| Cerezo Osaka Sakai Girls | Osaka |
| KIU Charme | Takahashi, Okayama |
| Yunogo Belle | Mimasaka, Okayama |
| Angeviolet Hiroshima | Hiroshima |
| Fukuoka J. Anclas | Fukuoka |
Challenge League Championship edit
| JFA Academy Fukushima LSC | 1–0 | Angeviolet Hiroshima |
|---|---|---|
| Numao 77' |
JFA Academy wins the title.
Challenge League Third Place edit
| NGU Loveledge Nagoya | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | Speranza Osaka-Takatsuki |
|---|---|---|
Sakanaka  106' |
Speranza is promoted to the Nadeshiko League.
References edit
- ^ "Nadeshiko League to finally kick off on 18 July". Japantimes.com. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ "Japan unveils professional WE league". AFC. 3 June 2020.
- ^ Due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the team has relocated from Naraha, Fukushima to sport facilities in Shizuoka Prefecture. http://www.jfa.jp/youth_development/jfa_academy/fukushima/operation.html
External links edit
- 2020 Nadeshiko League Division 1 at Soccerway.