The WE League announced its slate of 11 founding clubs on Thursday afternoon, with seven J. League-affiliated clubs intended to give the new professional women’s soccer league a solid foundation of support as it prepares for its inaugural season in the fall of 2021.

The announcement came as a surprise given that the league had initially declared an inaugural class of between six and 10 clubs. Seventeen clubs applied for membership by the July 31 deadline.

“All of the clubs were attractive options and the selection committee as well as the board of directors debated the number of clubs before deciding in the end to approve 11,” WE League Chair Kikuko Okajima said at the start of her news conference. “I am very glad to welcome 11 amazing clubs as friends who will help us build the WE League together.”