Haruna Tabata

Haruna Tabata
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-05-27) 27 May 2002 (age 24)
Place of birth Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Height 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Positions
Team information
Current team
 AIK
Number 5
Youth career
Viento Toyono
JFA Academy Sakai
Cerezo Osaka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Cerezo Osaka 72 (6)
2023–2024 Mynavi Sendai 25 (0)
2024– AIK 56 (8)
International career‡
2018 Japan U16
2021 Japan U20
2022 Japan U20 6 (1)
2023– Japan 6 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 October 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 9 October 2026

Haruna Tabata (田畑晴菜, Tabata Haruna; pronounced [ta.ba.ta ha.ɾɯ.na]; 27 May 2002) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a wide midfielder for Damallsvenskan club AIK Stockholm and the Japan national team.

Originally a centre-back, after graduating from their academy she began her career at Nadeshiko League 1 club Cerezo Osaka. She later moved to WE League club Mynavi Sendai, before securing her first overseas move to the Damallsvenskan where she signed for AIK. She also represented Japan at under-16, under-19 and under-20 level before becoming part of the senior team.

Early life

Tabata was born on 27 May 2002 in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

Tabata attended Osaka Gakugei Senior & Junior High School [ja] (OGSJH), a junior and senior high school in Sumiyoshi Ward. She later attended Osaka Seikei University, where she studied cooking and confectionery.

Club career

Cerezo Osaka

After graduating from the club's academy, Tabata was brought into the first team of Nadeshiko League 1 club Cerezo Osaka in the 2018 season. She originally played as a centre-back.

In the 2021 season [it; ja; ko], Tabata was integrated as part of the starting front three following the departure of Maika Hamano, shifting into a more attacking role.

Following the conclusion of the 2022 season, Tabata departed the club.

Mynavi Vegalta Sendai

During the 2022–23 season, Tabata signed for WE League club Mynavi Sendai. On 17 December 2023, she scored her first goal for the club, scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 home victory over Ehime FC at Kanseki Stadium Tochigi in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture in the fifth round of the Empress' Cup.

At the end of the 2024–25 season, Tabata left the club to pursue an opportunity overseas.

AIK Stockholm

Tabata signed for Damallsvenskan club AIK Stockholm during the 2024 season. She made her début on 24 August 2024, playing the entirety of a 3–2 loss to Vittsjö GIK at home at Skytteholms IP in Solna, Stockholm, Stockholm County. On 22 September 2024, she scored her first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with IF Brommapojkarna at home. On 23 November 2024, she scored the winning goal in the second leg of the promotion/relegation playoff against Umeå IK, with the goal deciding a 2–0 victory at home that saw AIK avoid relegation to the Elitettan with a 2–1 aggregate win. She finished the year with three goals in 12 appearances across all competitions.

Ahead of the 2025 season, Tabata extended her contract until the end of the 2026 season, with her contract set to expire on 31 December 2026. She finished the year with three goals and five assists in 28 appearances across all competitions.

As a result of her contract extension, Tabata remained at the club for the 2026 season. On 19 September 2026, Tabata scored the opening goal in AIK's 2–1 victory at home over cross-city rivals Hammarby IF. The match was regarded as a crucial one due to Hammarby's competition with BK Häcken in the title race and AIK's competition with Malmö FF in the race for a spot in the UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) third qualifying round.

International career

Tabata has represented Japan at under-16, under-19, under-20 and senior level.

Japan U20

Tabata was selected for the Japan under-20 national team by manager Futoshi Ikeda as part of Japan's 21-player squad for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica, held from 10 to 28 August 2022. She started in every match. Japan, who were the defending champions, finished runners-up at the tournament.

Japan

Tabata was selected for the Japan senior national team by manager Michihisa Kanō [de; id; ja; ko; ms; zh-yue] as part of a 21-player squad (in practice acting as a B-team squad) for the 2022 Asian Games in China. She played in all six games at the tournament. Japan won the tournament by defeating North Korea 4–1 in the gold medal match, winning their third title. However, during the match, she suffered an orbital blowout fracture in her right eye socket, leaving her out injured for five weeks.

Career statistics

Club

As of 10 October 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Domestic cup League cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Cup Apps Goals Cup Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Cerezo Osaka 2018 Nadeshiko League 1 5 0 Empress' Cup 1 0 Nadeshiko League Cup 4 0 N/a 11 0
2019 Nadeshiko League 2 10 0 2 0 9 0 21 0
2020 Nadeshiko League 1 17 0 3 0 N/a 20 0
2021 [it; ja; ko] 22 5 4 2 26 7
2022 18 1 3 2 21 3
Total 72 6 Total 13 4 Total 13 0 98 10
Mynavi Sendai 2022–23 WE League 8 0 Empress' Cup 0 0 N/a 8 0
2023–24 17 0 2 1 WE League Cup 3 0 22 1
Total 25 0 Total 2 1 Total 3 0 30 1
AIK Stockholm 2024 Damallsvenskan 11 2 Svenska Cupen 4 1 N/a 2 1 14 4
2025 24 3 3 0 N/a 27 3
2026 19 2 1 0 20 2
Total 54 7 Total 8 1 2 1 61 9
Career total 151 13 Total 23 6 Total 16 0 2 1 192 22

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Japan U20 2022 6 1
Japan 2023 6 0
Career total 12 1

Honours

Japan U20

Runners-up: 2022

Japan

Champions: 2022

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "田畑晴菜選手　マイナビ仙台レディースへ完全移籍のお知らせ" [Announcement: Haruna Tabata transfers permanently to Mynavi Sendai Ladies] (in Japanese). Cerezo Osaka. 20 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "田畑晴菜選手 移籍先決定のお知らせ" [Announcement regarding transfer destination for Haruna Tabata] (in Japanese). Mynavi Sendai Ladies. 9 July 2024.
  3. ↑ "「FIFA U-20女子ワールドカップ コスタリカ2022」で、大阪成蹊短期大学の学生が大活躍！日本は決勝進出！" [Osaka Seikei Junior College students shine at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022! Japan advances to the final!] (in Japanese). Osaka Seikei University. 26 August 2022.
  4. ↑ "田畑晴菜選手　マイナビ仙台レディースへ完全移籍のお知らせ" [Notice of Haruna Tabata's permanent transfer to Mynavi Sendai Ladies] (in Japanese). Cerezo Osaka. 20 January 2023.
  5. ↑ Mynavi Sendai (20 January 2023). "🔵 田畑晴菜選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ 🟢" [Notice of Haruna Tabata's full transfer] (in Japanese). Twitter.
  6. ↑ "マイナビ仙台レディース 2–1 愛媛ＦＣレディース" [Mynavi Sendai Ladies 2–1 Ehime FC Ladies] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. 17 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "田畑晴菜選手 チーム離脱のお知らせ" [Notice of Haruna Tabata's departure from the team] (in Japanese). Mynavi Sendai. 20 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "Haruna Tabata klar för AIK Fotboll" [Tabata signs for AIK Fotboll] (in Swedish). AIK Stockholm. 9 July 2024. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "AIK 2–3 Vittsjö GIK" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 24 August 2024.
  10. ↑ "AIK 2–2 IF Brommapojkarna" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association.
  11. ↑ "AIK 2–0 Umeå IK FF" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 23 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "AIK kvar i OBOS Damallsvenskan" [AIK remains in OBOS Damallsvenskan] (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 23 November 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Haruna Tabata" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association.
  14. ↑ "AIK Fotboll förlänger avtalet med Haruna Tabata" [AIK Fotboll extends the contract with Haruna Tabata] (in Swedish). AIK Stockholm. 5 February 2025.
  15. ↑ "AIK 2–1 Hammarby IF" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 19 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Hammarby lose Stockholm derby to AIK and lose ground in title race". Sweden Herald. 19 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "U-20 Japan Women's National Team squad — FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022™ (8/7-28＠Costa Rica)". Japan Football Association. 12 July 2022.
  18. ↑ Odeven, Ed (30 August 2022). "Spain vanquishes Japan in FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup final". Japan Forward.
  19. ↑ "Japan women's national team squad & schedule — the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 (9/22—10/6)". Japan Football Association.
  20. ↑ Church, Michael (7 October 2023). "Japan trounce North Korea 4–1 to retain Asian Games gold". The Australian.
  21. ↑ "田畑晴菜選手の負傷について" [About Haruna Tabata's injury] (in Japanese). Mynavi Sendai. 13 October 2023.