ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explains the concept of women's soccer migration, and also alternated with concepts of mobility and movement. The chapter here thus draws on general insights from studies on transnational migration and relate the new suggested frameworks to research on sports and globalization, sports labor migration and women's migration. Jean Williams outlines empirically rich information based on research from the FIFA and UEFA archives. Williams identifies three phases in the international migration of women soccer players. This book positions women's soccer in the USA as a zone of prestige for the game around the world, within which the National College Athletic Association Division is one essential component. Yoshio Takahashi presents a case study of Japanese female players emigration, and focuses on examples of immigration into a Japanese professional league by players from various nationalities.
