Miyabi Moriya Bio
Miyabi Moriya (守屋 都弥, Moriya Miyabi; born 22 August 1996) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a right back for the Utah Royals of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Japan national team. Standing 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) tall, she has built a reputation as a dependable defender with a strong attacking presence down the right flank. She previously represented WE League club INAC Kobe Leonessa and NWSL side Angel City FC, and she wears the number 22 shirt for the Utah Royals.
Across her career, Moriya has combined a long tenure at one of Japan’s top women’s clubs with successful stints abroad in the United States, while also representing her country at major tournaments. Her path from the JFA Academy system to senior international football reflects steady development and a growing list of team and individual honors.
Early Life and Background
Miyabi Moriya was born on 22 August 1996 in Kanmaki, a town in Kitakatsuragi District, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Growing up in the Kansai region, she was introduced to competitive football at a young age and developed her game within structured youth environments. Her home prefecture has a long tradition of producing athletes across multiple sports, and Moriya’s early environment supported her progression into national-level development programs.
As a teenager, Moriya was selected to attend the JFA Academy Fukushima, a residential football academy operated by the Japan Football Association. She trained there from 2009 to 2014, a six-year period that combined academic study with high-level football coaching and competitive match play. The academy is widely recognized as a key pathway for elite Japanese talent, and her time there helped shape her tactical understanding, fitness base, and reading of the game as a right back.
Path to Professional Soccer
After completing her development at JFA Academy Fukushima, Moriya graduated into the senior ranks with INAC Kobe Leonessa in 2015. The Kobe-based club, one of the most established names in Japanese women’s football, offered her a platform to compete regularly at the top domestic level. Her transition from academy football to professional play was marked by consistent appearances and a growing role in the squad over multiple seasons.
Moriya’s first decade as a professional was spent almost entirely with INAC Kobe Leonessa, where she accumulated 118 appearances and scored eight goals. The club’s move into the newly formed WE League in 2021 marked a new era for women’s football in Japan, and Moriya was part of the group that helped INAC Kobe win the first ever WE League title in 2022. In 2023, she was recognized as the WE League Valuable Player and was selected to the WE League Best XI, confirming her status as one of the league’s top performers.
Miyabi Moriya Career
Early Career at INAC Kobe Leonessa (2015–2021)
Moriya began her senior career with INAC Kobe Leonessa in 2015 and quickly established herself as a regular at right back. She spent her formative professional years developing her defensive positioning, crossing accuracy, and understanding of overlapping runs. During this period, the club competed in the predecessor competitions to the WE League, and Moriya’s consistency helped lay the foundation for the team’s later success.
When the WE League launched its first season in 2021, Moriya was part of the squad and made her WE League debut on 26 September 2021. Her experience and reliability made her a key figure in the back line as the league sought to raise the profile of women’s football in Japan.
WE League Breakthrough with INAC Kobe Leonessa (2022–2024)
Moriya’s most decorated stretch came in the second and third seasons of the WE League. In 2022, she helped INAC Kobe Leonessa win the first WE League title in the competition’s history, a defining moment for both the club and the league. Her contributions down the right side combined defensive solidity with regular attacking output, and she became a known threat from wide areas.
In 2023, Moriya was named WE League Valuable Player and earned a place in the WE League Best XI. Across her entire spell with INAC Kobe Leonessa, she recorded eight goals in 118 appearances, finishing her time at the club as one of its longest-serving and most influential players before departing in 2025.
Angel City FC Era (2025)
On 31 January 2025, Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League announced they had acquired Moriya for an undisclosed fee and signed her to a one-year contract with a club option for 2026. The move marked her first transfer outside Japan and brought her into one of the league’s most high-profile clubs.
Moriya made her Angel City debut on 16 March 2025, entering as a substitute in the home opener against San Diego Wave FC to help close out a 1–1 draw. On 1 September 2025, she recorded her first assist for the club, delivering a corner kick that Maiara Niehues headed in to secure a 2–1 win over Bay FC. After 25 appearances in her first NWSL season, Moriya departed Angel City when her contract expired.
Utah Royals Era (2026–Present)
On 2 December 2025, fellow NWSL club Utah Royals signed Moriya to a one-year, salary cap-exempt contract through the end of 2026. The move allowed her to remain in the NWSL after her Angel City spell and to take on a fresh role within a rebuilding Royals squad.
Wearing the number 22 shirt, Moriya is positioned as a senior right back whose international pedigree is expected to support Utah’s defensive structure. Her familiarity with the league after one full NWSL season, combined with her trophy-winning experience in Japan, makes her a central figure in the club’s plans through 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Moriya is best known for her work on the right flank, where she balances defensive responsibility with regular forward runs. Her crossing and set-piece delivery have produced goals and assists at both club and international level, including her first NWSL assist for Angel City from a corner kick. Her reading of the game, positional discipline, and ability to link defense with attack define her value as a modern full back.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments include helping INAC Kobe Leonessa win the inaugural WE League title in 2022, being named 2023 WE League Valuable Player, making her FIFA Women’s World Cup debut for Japan against Costa Rica on 26 July 2023, representing Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics, and helping Japan win the 2025 SheBelieves Cup with a 2–1 victory over the United States.
Miyabi Moriya Career Wins
Across her career, Moriya has accumulated a strong collection of team and individual honors. Her most prominent achievements include the inaugural WE League championship with INAC Kobe Leonessa in 2022 and Japan’s SheBelieves Cup triumph in 2025. On an individual level, her selection as 2023 WE League Valuable Player and Best XI member stands as the clearest recognition of her quality at the domestic level.
WE League Highlights
Moriya scored eight goals in 118 appearances for INAC Kobe Leonessa across all competitions with the club. Her most recent honors in the league came in 2022 and 2023, when she won the first WE League title and was named league MVP. Her final seasons at the club cemented her legacy as one of its defining right backs of the early WE League era.
Other Wins and Performances
At international level, Moriya was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup in the United States, defeating the host nation 2–1 in February 2025. She also represented Japan at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics, contributing to the national team’s competitive results across major tournaments.
Miyabi Moriya Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
No public information is available about Miyabi Moriya’s parents or broader family background. She grew up in Kanmaki, Nara Prefecture, and entered the JFA Academy Fukushima as a teenager, but details about her family are not widely documented.
Personal Life
Public details about Moriya’s personal life, including marital status, spouse, and children, are not available from verified sources. Her professional activities, social media presence, and club career remain the primary public record of her life outside of football.
2025 Season Performance
Moriya’s 2025 season was defined by her first year in the NWSL with Angel City FC. She made her debut in March 2025, appeared in 25 matches across the season, and contributed her first assist for the club in September 2025 against Bay FC. Her steady presence at right back helped stabilize Angel City’s defensive rotations and added a set-piece threat to the attack.
At international level, she was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup in February, marking a memorable first trophy with the senior national team. She was also included in Japan’s 2024 Summer Olympics squad and continued as a regular option at right back through 2025.
Following the expiration of her Angel City contract, Moriya signed with the Utah Royals on 2 December 2025 on a deal running through the end of 2026, ensuring she would remain in the NWSL for the following season. Her outlook entering 2026 includes anchoring Utah’s back line and building on her growing body of NWSL experience.
