Japanese football took a big step forward towards women’s football in the country last year by announcing the formation of the Women Empowerment (WE) League. Further, they have now acquired the services of digital sports streaming platform DAZN as their steaming partner for eight years.
As a part of this exclusive partnership, DAZN will stream all WE League matches freely on its YouTube channels and other social platforms. The WE League is Japan’s first-ever professional football league for women.
Last summer, the Japanese Football Federation laid the foundation for the establishment of the aforementioned league, which is now scheduled to kick off on September 12, 2021. The league will consist of 11 teams that will play each other in the home and away format. Therefore, a total of 110 matches in 22 rounds of football are expected to be played from September 2021 to May 2022.
Following the announcement of the deal, Martyn Jones, Japan Executive Vice President at DAZN briefed the media and said, “This follows our innovative investment in the global broadcasting rights for the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and with the addition of these rights, demonstrates our unwavering commitment to grow football and participation at all levels in Japan. DAZN’s coverage, as the official broadcaster of Yogibo WE League, will provide a platform for the women’s game, inspire new fans and promote the skill and brilliance of the players. We’re incredibly excited and cannot wait to get started.”
Last week DAZN announced it had reached an agreement with UEFA to acquire the streaming services of the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the next three seasons. Therefore, this deal further solidifies DAZN’s involvement in football broadcasting and its brand growth. In accordance with this ‘landmark’ deal, DAZN will stream the premier women’s tournament live and free-to-air for the fans globally, representing one of the largest broadcast deals in women’s club football history.