Teams taking part in Japan's new women's professional soccer league, that is scheduled to begin play in 2021, will be required to have at least one female executive, sources knowledgeable about the plan said Friday.
The Japan Football Association last year decided to create the league, hopefully as a six-to-10-team upper division, with the existing Nadeshiko League continuing on as an amateur competition.
Within three years, teams will be required to have women in at least half of their staff posts. Also, women with years of service playing for Nadeshiko Japan, the country's national team, may be recruited to fill posts in the league hierarchy.