The 26th All Japan Ladies Football Tournament gets underway on Friday 20 March as heated contests are to be held at Tokinosumika Sports Centre in Susono, Shizuoka.

The tournament assembles the total of 16 teams around the nation including Hokkaido’s Muroran Icebirds from north and Okinawa’s Okinawa-ken Ladies from south. The teams, divided into four groups of four, play in a round-robin competition to determine rankings of the first round. Teams notching top spot in each group advance to the first-place tournament and second-placed teams move on to the second-place tournament. All teams go forward to the designated final round by their rankings and play in a knockout stage. The system enables the teams to not only determine the rankings but also exchange friendship with other teams by playing against more teams.

In the past, players with various backgrounds saw action in this tournament. Azul Hyogo (Hyogo), who won the first-place tournament for the de facto championship, have former Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women’s National Team) captain Ikeda Hiromi. She says, “I’m happy to play in this high level tournament even after baby delivery.” She played hard in front of her child and contributed to her team’s title as her team kept clean sheets throughout the tournament.

Tokyo’s Kodaira Soccer Club player SAKASHITA Ami, who played against Ikeda in the last final of the first-place tournament, used to play with YAMAGUCHI Mami (Nippon TV Beleza). “There was a spell when I was away from football, but I started to feel like kicking the ball with past peers again,” says Sakashita. She resumed her football career after marriage and childbirth and turned her family’s cheer into power to push herself ahead.

What is interesting at this tournament is that not only the level of the participating teams has improved as the tournament continued to grow year by year and it has become more competitive, but also players can see other players again who they used to compete against as opponents. Hiroshima Ladies players, who played in the last tournament, say “Meeting various people is exciting. I enjoy getting together with teammates and heading for the tournament by car from our hometown.”

Let’s see what teams take part in the tournament, where they come out with their own way of enjoying. The next issue will highlight the teams participating in this year’s tournament.

The 26th All Japan Ladies Football Tournament

Fri. 20 March 2015 - Sun .22 March 2015
Tokinosumika Sports Center Susono Ground/ Sizuoka Susono

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