WE League: Elfen Saitama to Host Reigning Champions Tokyo Verdy Beleza, Eyeing First Win of the Season
In an early crucial encounter of the 2025-26 WE League season, Chifure AS Elfen Saitama will host reigning champions Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza. Elfen Saitama hopes to leverage home advantage to reverse their recent struggles, while Tokyo Verdy Beleza aims to continue their strong championship momentum. This match will test both teams' early-season form and tactical setups.
Match Background & Qualification Scenarios
The Japan Women's Empowerment Professional Football League, commonly known as the WE League, is the top professional women's football league in Japan, launched in the 2021-22 season to promote the professionalization of women's football. Unlike traditional leagues, the WE League currently does not feature a relegation system, though league standings remain crucial for prestige, potential future continental qualification (such as the AFC Women's Champions League), and prize money distribution. This match is an early fixture in the 2025-26 season, with both teams eager to secure a strong position in the standings. Reigning champions Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza, having won the 2024-25 title, will seek to assert their dominance. Chifure AS Elfen Saitama, who finished in the lower half of the table last season (10th place in 2024-25 with 2 points after 3 rounds) [32], will be looking to gain valuable points against a formidable opponent and aim for an improved performance in the new season.
Recent Form
Chifure AS Elfen Saitama has shown mixed form recently, with one win, three draws, and one loss in their last five official matches. Their most recent game on August 23, 2025, saw them lose 1-2 to INAC Kobe Leonessa [8]. Prior to that, they played out 0-0 draws against Cerezo Osaka on August 16 [8, 39] and Omiya Ardija on August 10 [8, 39]. Further back, they drew 3-3 with Urawa Red Diamonds on May 17 [5] and secured a 3-0 victory against Nagano Parceiro [5]. Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza, on the other hand, has had a more favorable run, recording three wins and two losses in their last five official matches. They achieved a dominant 5-0 win over Kanagawa Sagamihara on August 17 [3] but suffered a 0-2 defeat to INAC Kobe Leonessa on August 10 [3, 14]. Before that, they secured a 3-0 victory against JEF United Ichihara on May 17 [14], a 2-1 win over Omiya Ardija on May 11 [14], and a 0-2 loss to INAC Kobe Leonessa on May 4 [14].
Key Players & Injury News
Chifure AS Elfen Saitama boasts experienced players such as forward Eriko Arakawa, who will be a key figure in their offensive efforts [21, 22]. Midfielders Kozue Setoguchi and Yuna Sonoda are also expected to play crucial roles in the match [21, 22]. There are currently no significant injury reports concerning Chifure AS Elfen Saitama's key players. Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza features a star-studded squad, including forward Danelle Tan, who is one of their offensive mainstays [15, 23]. Midfielders Nanami Kitamura and Oto Kanno's performances will also significantly impact the match's outcome [15, 23]. As of now, there are no major injury concerns reported for Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza, indicating that both teams are expected to field relatively full-strength squads.