W League Women (Japan) 2025/26

The W League, officially the Women's Japan Basketball League, stands as the premier professional women's basketball competition in Japan. Operating at the top of the national hierarchy, the league was established in 1998 and began play in the 1999–2000 season after the Basketball Women's Japan League Organization formed as an independent entity distinct from the men's professional circuit. The structure currently utilises a two-division model, with the W League Premier hosting eight clubs and the W League Future accommodating six or seven teams. The Premier division follows a single round-robin schedule of 28 games, while the lower tier plays 25 matches. Playoffs are exclusive to the top flight, where the four highest-placed teams contest best-of-three semifinals and a best-of-five championship final. Automatic promotion and relegation link the divisions: the lowest Premier team drops to the Future, and the leading Future side moves up.

Corporate ownership defines the league's character. Clubs such as Aisin Wings Women, Denso Iris Women, Eneos Sunflowers Women, and Fujitsu Red Wave Women are owned by major corporations, with players often holding employment contracts alongside their athletic careers. This works-team model distinguishes the competition from the amateur university system and the men's B.League. Fujitsu Red Wave holds the title of reigning champion for the 2024–25 season after defeating Denso Iris in the finals. Eneos Sunflowers remains the most successful club in the league's history, securing six championships between 2014 and 2019. The 2019–20 season ended without a declared winner due to the pandemic. The league continues to grow through its structured pathway between the Premier and Future divisions.