14 teams start the race in women’s SV.League in Japan

On the day following the start of the men’s Daido Life SV.League, the new format of Japan’s top division will make its debut on the women’s side. With as many as 14 teams participating, the first leg will offer seven double headers or a total of 14 matches, spread out over four days, from Saturday, October 12, to Tuesday, October 15. All games will be available live and on demand on VBTV.

• Watch Japan's SV.League on VBTV.

In the inaugural season of the SV.League, created after the restructuring of the V.League, the 14 women’s teams will play 44 matches each during the regular season. The top eight teams in the standings will qualify for the playoffs, which will consist of best-of-three quarterfinals, semifinals and a final.

The season’s first whistle will sound on Saturday, 14:05 local time (05:05 UTC), at the Todoroki Arena, where reigning national champions NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki will start their campaign for a third national consecutive title with a home double header against last season’s bronze medallists Saitama Ageo Medics. The second match between the two teams will be played on Sunday, starting at 13:05 (04:05).

NEC Red Rockets will be without their iconic leader Sarina Koga, the last two seasons’ Most Valuable Player and a former captain of the Japanese national team, who finished her career after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. A retirement ceremony to honour her, however, will be held as part of the season’s opening event.

The home team will be spearheaded by 22-year-old rising star Yoshino Sato, who recently led the team to the 2024 AVC Asian Women’s Volleyball Club Championship crown, herself earning the MVP award. Middle blocker Haruyo Shimamura is another high-calibre Japanese international on the NEC Red Rockets squad, while Thai star Ajcharaporn Kongyot and opposite Lorrayna Marys of Brazil make up the foreign legion in the team. Saitama Ageo Medics’ line-up, on the other hand, is headlined by reigning world champion Sara Lozo of Serbia and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Ai Kurogo.

The two clubs had four encounters over the last two seasons and the girls from Kawasaki won all four of them. Saitama Ageo Medics’ most recent win over NEC Red Rockets dates back to October 2022.

Another three double headers will also be played on Saturday and Sunday, with match starting times 15:05 (06:05) and 13:05 (04:05), respectively.

PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku, with Thai international middle blocker Thatdao Nuekjang highlighting the squad, will entertain Victorina Himeji, powered by Japanese internationals Arisa Inoue and Airi Miyabe, and another Thai star, Chatchu-On Moksri, at the Toriyasaimiso BlueCats Arena.

Okayama Seagulls will rely on a relatively young all-Japanese line-up to carry them through the season, which they will begin at home, at the Sanyofureai Park Gymnasium, against Queenseis Kariya with Belgium’s Kaja Grobelna and Thailand’s Hattaya Bamrungsuk.

Brazilian opposite Rosamaria Montibeller will lead Denso Airybees Koriyama in their home opener against Aranmare Yamagata at the Fukushima Toyota Crown Arena.

Featuring experienced Japanese international Miyu Nagaoka and Paris 2024 Olympian Ayaka Araki on the team, Saga Hisamitsu Springs will welcome Kurobe Aqua Fairies with German striker Lena Stigrot to the Kurume Arena on Sunday and on Monday at 14:05 (05:05).

Last year’s runners-up JT Marvelous, who have now changed their name to Osaka Marvelous, will be fuelled by the likes of Japanese internationals Kotona Hayashi and Yuki Nishikawa, as well as Belgian standout Lise Van Hecke. They will open their season at the HOS Sumiyoshi Sports Center with home games against Toray Arrows Shiga with Italian opposite Sylvia Nwakalor and Dutch middle Juliet Lohuis on Sunday at 14:05 (05:05) and on Monday at 13:05 (04:05).

The first leg will end with two weekday evening matches between hosts Gunma Green Wings and visitors Astemo Rivale Ibaraki at the Kiryu Gas Sports Center on Monday and Tuesday at 19:05 (10:05). Green Wings, with Thai international Wimonrat Thanapan on the squad, will make their debut in Japan’s top division.

Women’s SV.League 2024-2025 1st leg:
Oct 12, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki v Saitama Ageo Medics
Oct 12, 15:05 local (06:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Aranmare Yamagata
Oct 12, 15:05 local (06:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Victorina Himeji
Oct 12, 15:05 local (06:05 UTC): Okayama Seagulls v Queenseis Kariya
Oct 13, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki v Saitama Ageo Medics
Oct 13, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Aranmare Yamagata
Oct 13, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Victorina Himeji
Oct 13, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Okayama Seagulls v Queenseis Kariya
Oct 13, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Osaka Marvelous v Toray Arrows Shiga
Oct 13, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Saga Hisamitsu Springs v Kurobe Aqua Fairies
Oct 14, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Osaka Marvelous v Toray Arrows Shiga
Oct 14, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Saga Hisamitsu Springs v Kurobe Aqua Fairies
Oct 14, 19:05 local (10:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v Astemo Rivale Ibaraki
Oct 15, 19:05 local (10:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v Astemo Rivale Ibaraki

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