2020 Nadeshiko League

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
Nadeshiko League Division 1
Season2020
Dates18 July 2020 – 21 November 2020
ChampionsUrawa Reds Ladies
(4th title)
RelegatedCerezo Osaka
Iga Kunoichi
Ehime
AFC Women's Club ChampionshipUrawa Reds Ladies
Matches played90
Goals scored273 (3.03 per match)
Top goalscorerYuika Sugasawa (17 goals)
Biggest home winMynavi Vegalta Sendai 5–0 Ehime (1 November 2020)

INAC Kobe Leonessa 5–0 Ehime (30 August 2020)
Biggest away winCerezo Osaka 1–10 NTV Beleza (15 August 2020)
Highest scoringCerezo Osaka 1–10 NTV Beleza (15 August 2020)
Longest winning runUrawa Reds Ladies
(6 matches)
Longest unbeaten runUrawa Reds Ladies
(8 matches)
Longest winless runEhime
(9 matches)
Longest losing runIga FC Kunoichi
(6 matches)
← 2019
2021–22
(WE League)
2021
(Nadeshiko League) →
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[2]

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.[3]

Teams

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.

Table
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
Source: Soccerway
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
Home \ Away ALB CER EHI INA IGA JEF NTV NOJ URA VEG
Albirex Niigata — 0–1 2–0 2–1 1–1 2–0 0–0 1–0 2–3 0–1
Cerezo Osaka 2–1 — 3–2 2–0 2–1 2–2 1–10 3–1 0–0 2–2
Ehime 1–0 3–2 — 0–1 2–1 1–5 1–5 2–2 0–1 0–2
INAC 2–0 3–1 5–0 — 2–1 2–0 4–1 2–1 0–1 3–0
Iga Kunoichi 0–1 2–2 3–0 0–1 — 0–5 1–6 3–1 0–1 0–2
JEF United 1–2 3–3 0–0 2–1 2–1 — 1–3 1–2 2–4 1–1
NTV Beleza 2–2 1–1 2–2 1–2 3–0 0–1 — 1–0 3–2 4–1
Nojima Stella 0–1 0–3 2–1 1–1 0–1 1–3 2–1 — 2–3 2–1
Urawa Reds Ladies 2–1 0–1 5–1 4–1 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 — 2–1
Vegalta Sendai 0–1 5–1 5–0 2–2 0–1 1–1 0–2 1–0 1–2 —
Source: Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Positions by round
Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718
Urawa Reds Ladies111311111111111111
INAC Kobe542234333444322222
NTV Beleza324442222222233333
Cerezo Osaka233123444333444544
Albirex Niigata466555655555555455
JEF United1057768889978667766
Vegalta Sendai8101010107798866776677
Nojima Stella998996566797888888
Iga FC7898710977689999999
Ehime675689101010101010101010101010
Source: Soccerway
  = Leader;   = To Relegation Series;   = Relegation to Nadeshiko League Division 2

Attendance

[lower-alpha 1]

Average attendance

[lower-alpha 1]

Highest attendance

[lower-alpha 1]

  1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spectators were not allowed into stadiums.

Topscorers
As of matches played on 21 November 2020.
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Japan Yuika Sugasawa Urawa Reds Ladies 17
2 Japan Haruka Hamada Vegalta Sendai 15
3 Japan Mina Tanaka INAC Kobe Leonessa 13
4 Japan Rikako Kobayashi NTV Beleza 9
Japan Ami Otaki JEF United
6 Japan Jun Endo NTV Beleza 8
7 Japan Yui Hasegawa NTV Beleza 7
Japan Honoka Hayashi Cerezo Osaka
Japan Arisa Minamino Nojima Stella
10 4 players 6

Division 2
Nadeshiko League Division 2
Season2020
Dates18 July – 21 November 2020
Matches played90
Goals scored225 (2.5 per match)
Biggest home winHarima 4–0 Nittaidai (24 October 2020)

Elfen Saitama 4–0 Nittaidai (26 July 2020)

Kamogawa 4–0 Bunnys Kyoto (20 September 2020)
Highest scoringSfida 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

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
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
Source: Soccerway

Results
Home \ Away KYO ELF HAR JUM KAM NIT NAG SET YAM YOK
Bunnys Kyoto — 0–3 1–3 0–1 0–3 0–1 0–3 1–2 2–1 0–1
Elfen Saitama 2–1 — 4–1 1–0 5–1 4–0 1–2 1–1 0–1 0–0
Harima 0–0 0–1 — 2–1 0–1 4–0 1–2 3–0 2–1 1–0
Jumonji Ventus 2–2 1–2 2–1 — 1–4 2–0 0–5 0–5 0–2 0–5
Kamogawa 4–0 2–2 3–0 3–0 — 4–1 0–0 0–1 2–1 0–0
Nittaidai 0–0 1–0 0–5 1–1 0–5 — 1–3 0–2 1–1 0–5
Nagano Parceiro 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–0 1–2 2–0 — 1–1 0–1 0–0
Sfida Setagaya 3–0 0–3 2–0 5–2 3–1 2–1 2–0 — 1–2 2–2
Yamato Sylphid 1–0 0–3 0–0 0–0 1–0 2–0 0–1 1–1 — 0–3
Yokohama 0–0 2–0 4–1 1–1 2–2 3–0 1–0 0–1 0–0 —
Source: Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Challenge League
Challenge League (Division 3)
Season2020
ChampionsJFA 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
Clubs (East)Hometown(s)
Norddea HokkaidoSapporo, Hokkaido
Tsukuba FC LadiesTsukuba, Ibaraki
Niigata University of Health and Welfare LSCNiigata, Niigata
JFA Academy Fukushima LSCSusono, Shizuoka[4]
Shizuoka SSU AsreginaIwata, Shizuoka
NGU Loveledge NagoyaNagoya, Aichi
Clubs (West)Hometown(s)
Speranza Osaka TakatsukiTakatsuki, Osaka
Cerezo Osaka Sakai GirlsOsaka
KIU CharmeTakahashi, Okayama
Yunogo BelleMimasaka, Okayama
Angeviolet HiroshimaHiroshima
Fukuoka J. AnclasFukuoka

Challenge League Championship
Angeviolet Hiroshima0–0JFA Academy Fukushima LSC
JFA Academy Fukushima LSC1–0Angeviolet Hiroshima
Numao 77'

JFA Academy wins the title.

Challenge League Third Place
Speranza Osaka-Takatsuki0–0NGU Loveledge Nagoya
NGU Loveledge Nagoya0–1 (a.e.t.)Speranza Osaka-Takatsuki
Sakanaka 106'

Speranza is promoted to the Nadeshiko League.

References
  1. "Nadeshiko League to finally kick off on 18 July". Japantimes.com. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. "Nadeshiko League no PCR test positive for players and staffs". tellerreport.com. 14 July 2020.
  3. "Japan unveils professional WE league". AFC. 3 June 2020.
  4. 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
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