wf105: Nadeshiko League 2026 Week 14

執筆者:

tsucchi

カテゴリ:

English, Nadeshiko League, WE League

Nagoya extended their winning and unbeaten streaks to finally claim the top spot. Airi Fujiwara achieved a hat-trick this week. Courtesy from this site.

Iga’s goalkeeper Minori Ono, who kept a clean sheet in the away match against Shizuoka. Courtesy from this site.

The highlight movie of Nadeshiko League week 14.

46-year-old Eriko Arakawa has secured a contract renewal for her 30th season. Just amazing. Courtesy from this site.

Cuju (Kemari in Japanese) is said to have been played in China as early as the 3rd century BC. The painting above is “Song Taizu Playing Cuju” depicting Zhao Kuangyin (Emperor Taizu of Song), Zhao Guangyi (Emperor Taizong), and the Chancellor Zhao Pu. While the original work is believed to date from the first half of the 12th century, a copy made in the latter half of the 13th century is what survives today. Courtesy from this site.

[[[[Foreword]]]]
The Nadeshiko League continues to hold matches during the day, even as temperatures in Japan rise; the players’ determination truly shines through. Nagoya, having strung together a series of wins and unbeaten matches, has finally climbed to the top of the standings.
Eriko Arakawa, 46 years old, has secured a contract for the new season—an absolutely remarkable achievement.
The blogger learned for the first time that Chinese cuju has a history spanning more than 2,000 years.

[ [ [ Nadeshiko League 2026 Week 14 ] ] ]

[ Blogger’s Preview on June 18th ]
Shizuoka (1)’s resurgence will be put to the test in this week’s home match against Iga (5); notably, their Week 3 encounter ended in a 0-0 draw. Matches between teams close in the standings—Harima (10) vs. Nittaidai (11) and Yunogo (6) vs. Setagaya (7)—also warrant attention.

[ Overall Review ]
Three of the six matches drew crowds exceeding 1,000—an impressive feat considering they overlapped with the Men’s World Cup match featuring Japan. This might signal a significant shift.
Nagoya extended their winning and unbeaten streaks to finally claim the top spot. Meanwhile, Shizuoka struggled against Iga’s defense and suffered a home defeat, while Miyazaki and Kamogawa both secured wins against lower-ranked opponents. As a result, the standings have tightened into a fierce contest, with just a six-point difference between league leader Nagoya from fifth-placed Iga.

[ Results of Matches ]
Match1 (6/20): Ehime (8) 0-6 Nagoya (2)
at Ningineer Stadium with attendance of 545.
Nagoya’s goals: A. Fujiwara (14′, 79′, 81′), M. Henmi (62′), A. Tanaka (89′)
Shots: 1:13 (0:4)

Match2 (6/20): Kamogawa (4) 2-1 Seagulls (9)
at Fukuda Denshi Arena with attendance of 877.
Kamogawa’s goals: M. Koshiji (46′), Y. Kouno (55′)
Seagulls’ goal: M. Oka (87′)
Shots: 11:12 (4:4)

Match3 (6/21): Harima (10) 1-0 Nitaidai (11)
at Wink Athletics Stadium with attendance of 436.
Harima’s goal: K. Shono (55′)
Shots: 20:7 (8:1)

Match4 (6/21): Miyazaki (3) 3-1 Ichihara (12)
at Ichigo Miyazaki Shintomi Soccer Field with attendance of 1,248.
Miyazaki’s goals: R. Sakamoto (45’+3), H. Ozawa (49′), Y. Tsuchiya (78′)
Ichihara’s goal: K. Sato (2′)
Shots: 11:7 (8:4)

Match5 (6/21): Yunogo (6) 2-0 Setagaya (7)
at Okayama Prefecture Mimasaka Rugby and Soccer Stadium with attendance of 1,168.
Yunogo’s goals: H. Konno (27′), Y. Okita (75′)
Shots: 7:7 (3:2)

Match6 (6/21): Shizuoka (1) 0-1 Iga (5)
at Yamaha Stadium with attendance of 1,019.
Iga’s goal: R. Masuda (9′)
Shots: 5:6 (3:4)

[[ News with big impacts ]]
1) Eriko Arakawa has secured a contract for the new season
Eriko Arakawa, 46—who made her league debut as a high school senior and starred for the Nadeshiko national team—has secured a contract for the upcoming season, marking her 30th year as an active player. Such longevity is exceptional for a female player, and her dedication to the sport is truly worthy of praise.

2) Ritsu Doan gains a fan
Believe it or not, my 89-year-old mother has become a fan of Ritsu Doan, a key player on the Japanese men’s national football team. This is huge news for the blogger personally.