Chifure AS Elfen Saitama

Chifure AS Elfen Saitama
ちふれASエルフェン埼玉

Full name	Chifure AS Elfen Saitama
Nickname(s)	AS Saitama
Founded	1991
Chairman	Hideo Saotome
Head coach	Ikegaya Takashi
League	WE League
Website	https://www.as-elfen.co.jp/
Home colours Away colours

Chifure AS Elfen Saitama (ちふれASエルフェン埼玉) is a Japanese professional women's football club from Saitama.^[1] Founded in 1991, they have played in the WE League since 2021.^[2]

Kits

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor (chest)	Shirt sponsor (sleeve)
2021–2022	X-girl	Chifure
2022–2023			Tamura
2023–2024

Mascot

Elrun

• A symbol of peace that brings smiles and abundance.
• The guardian deity of the stadium, who encourages everyone's peace of mind, safety, and free interaction.
• The motif is the adorable and agile giant flying squirrel that inhabits the mountains of Saitama.
• Gender: Genderless.

Chi-chan

• The stadium's symbol of good luck, which is said to bring happiness when you meet it.
• "Erurun" was created with her magical powers, and even Chichaku is a big presence.
• The motif is the wild bird "kingfisher" that emits vivid colors in the clear waters of Saitama.
• Gender: Genderless.

Nyatetsu

• I love to be mischievous and have fun. A friend of the stadium who is honest and kind.
• The motif is a “street cat” that is strong, reliable, and lively.
• Gender: Genderless.

Staff

As of 14 June 2022

• Manager: Tomoe Tanabe
• Assistant manager: Teppei Noguchi
• Goalkeeping coach: Nozomi Yamago
• Physical coach and trainer: Mitsui Hisatsugu
• Technical Staff: Yuhei Itagaki
• Trainer: Yuka Ito
• Competent: Misato Nunoyama

Players

Current squad

As of 3 September 2023.^[3]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  JPN Natsumi Asano 2 DF  JPN Shiori Kinoshita 3 DF  JPN Akari Matsukubo 4 DF  JPN Maho Hashinuma 5 MF  JPN Kozue Setoguchi 6 MF  JPN Yuki Seno 7 MF  JPN Yoshino Osone 8 MF  JPN Yuna Sonoda 9 FW  JPN Eriko Arakawa 10 MF  JPN Riko Yoshida 13 DF  JPN Miki Sakuma 14 FW  JPN Shoko Uemura

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 MF  JPN Chihiro Oda 17 MF  JPN Mayu Karahashi 18 FW  JPN Hina Takahashi 19 DF  JPN Risa Kanehira 20 DF  JPN Minori Kishi 21 GK  JPN Miori Ono 22 FW  JPN Faye Brough 23 DF  JPN Hana Matsumoto 24 DF  JPN Ayuka Onuma 25 MF  JPN Hitomi Yamakata 28 FW  JPN Sakura Hirose 29 MF  JPN Hikaru Yumura

Honours

Domestic

• Nadeshiko League Division 2
  • Runners-up (2): 2016,2020
• Nadeshiko League Cup Division 2
  • Runners-up (1): 2019

Season-by-season record

Seasons of Chifure AS Elfen Saitama

Season	Domestic League				Empress's Cup	Nadeshiko League Cup/WE League Cup
	League	Level	Place	Tms.
1993	Saitama	3	2nd	—	DNQ	—
1994			2nd	—	DNQ	—
1995			2nd	—	DNQ	—
1996			Champions	—	DNQ	—
1997			Champions	—	Second round	—
1998			2nd	—	DNQ	—
1999			Champions	—	DNQ	—
2000	Kanto	2		8	DNQ	—
2001			2nd	8	Second round	—
2002	L	1	8th	11	Second round	—
2003			10th	13	Second round	—
2004	L2	2	3rd	6	First round	—
2005			4th	7	Second round	—
2006	Nadeshiko Div.2		5th	8	Third round	—
2007			4th	8	Third round	Group stage
2008			3rd	9	Second round	—
2009			Champions	8	Third round	—
2010	Nadeshiko	1	9th	10	Second round	Group stage
2011			8th	9	Quarter-finals	—
2012			9th	10	Quarter-finals	Group stage
2013	Challenge	2	2nd	16	Third round	—
2014	Nadeshiko	1	8th	10	Third round	—
2015	Nadeshiko Div.1		10th	10	Quarter-finals	—
2016	Nadeshiko Div.2	2	2nd	10	Third round	Group stage / Div.2
2017	Nadeshiko Div.1	1	9th	10	Third round	Group stage
2018	Nadeshiko Div.2	2	3rd	10	First round	Group stage
2019			3rd	10	Semi-finals	Runners-up / Div.2
2020			2nd	10	Third round	Cancelled
2021–22	WE League	1	11th	11	Fourth round	—
2022–23			11th	11	Semi-finals	Group stage
2023–24			TBD	12	TBD	TBD

Transition of team name

• AS Elfen FC: 1991–2001
• AS Elfen Sayama FC: 2002–2013
• AS Elfen Saitama: 2014–2015
• Chifure AS Elfen Saitama: 2016–present

See also

• Japan Football Association (JFA)
• List of women's football clubs in Japan
• 2022–23 in Japanese football

References

1. Profile Archived 2012-11-27 at the Wayback Machine in the L. League's website
2. L. League tables in soccerway.com
3. "PLAYER & STAFF | ちふれASエルフェン埼玉" (in Japanese). www.as-elfen.co.jp. Retrieved 3 September 2023.

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)