is a Japanese professional footballer playing as a midfielder for Frauen-Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Japan national team.
Tanikawa begun her career with the Japanese national team youth setup, JFA Academy Fukushima, before transferring to Europe. She has won the Damallsvenskan league title with FC Rosengård in 2024 while on loan at the club.
A full international since 2023, Tanikawa won the 2022 Asian Games women's football tournament and the 2023 Toulon Tournament with Japan, having reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup with the national team, scoring in every game.
Club career
Early career From 2018 until 2023, Tanikawa played in Fukushima for the U18 team in the JFA Academy, the youth program of the Japan Football Association.
Bayern Munich
2024: Loan to FC Rosengård On 11 January 2024, it was announced that Tanikawa had signed with Frauen-Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. She was immediately sent on loan to Damallsvenskan club FC Rosengård for the 2024 season. She quickly established herself as a key figure in the team as the team went on to win the league title in dominant fashion, which includes a 23 games league winning streak and losing only once. She would end the season as the team and league's top scorer with 16 goals, and won the league's best breakthrough and best midfielder of season award. She return to Bayern Munich at the conclusion of the season.
2025–Present: Return to first team Tanikawa rejoined Bayern Munich following the conclusion of the Damallsvenskan season. She made her league debut for the team in a 3–1 league win against Hoffenheim as a 90th minute substitute on 9 February 2025. She scored her first goal for the club in a 4–1 DFB-Pokal extra-time win against Eintracht Frankfurt on 13 February 2025, where she also contributed an assist.
International career
Youth Tanikawa made her international debut in 2022. She made her debut for the U17 national team on 3 October in a 2-1 friendly loss against the United States U17 national team. With the youth national team of this age group, she also took part in the World Cup held in India from 11 to 30 October 2022, playing in all Group D matches and scoring a goal in each game. She also scored a goal in the 2-1 quarter-final loss to the U17 national team of Spain.
With the U19 national team, she took part in the Sud Ladies Cup competition as part of the Toulon Tournament from 16 to 21 May 2023, scoring four goals in three matches.
Senior She made her senior national team debut on 14 July 2023 in a 5-0 friendly win against the Panama national team.
Tanikawa went on to win the 2022 Asian Games women's football tournament in Hangzhou, China in October 2023, scoring in a 4-1 final win over North Korea.
On 14 June 2024, Tanikawa was included in the Japan squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Tanikawa was part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.
Style of play Tanikawa is a versatile midfielder capable of playing as a central, attacking, or defensive midfielder. She is naturally ambidextrous, capable of delivering precise long-range passes and powerful strikes with both feet. Known for her quick shot release with minimal backswing, she poses a constant threat from outside the penalty box. Her tactical awareness, physical composure (standing at 1.68 m), and late runs into the penalty box make her an exceptionally prolific goal-scoring midfielder.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsJFA Academy Fukushima2019Nadeshiko Challenge League (East)3000——302020Nadeshiko Challenge League (East)6010——702021Nadeshiko League Division 214710——1572022Nadeshiko League Division 215710——1672023Nadeshiko League Division 213511——146Total51194100005520Bayern Munich2024–25Frauen-Bundesliga602120001012025–26Frauen-Bundesliga238321031037132026–27Frauen-Bundesliga6200201092Total351053143205616FC Rosengård (loan)2024Damallsvenskan201653——2519Career total105451471432013555
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsJapan202320202462202572202693Total297
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tanikawa goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Momoko TanikawaNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Parc des Princes, Paris, France2–12–12024 Summer Olympics226 October 2024Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan4–04–0Friendly323 February 2025State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United States1–04–12025 SheBelieves Cup429 November 2025Peace Stadium, Nagasaki, Japan1–03–0Friendly54 March 2026Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth, Australia1–02–02026 AFC Women's Asian Cup615 March 2026Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia6–07–02026 AFC Women's Asian Cup76 June 2026Yodoko Sakura Stadium, Osaka, Japan 3–05–0Friendly
Honours FC Rosengård Damallsvenskan: 2024
Bayern Munich Bundesliga: 2024–25, 2025–26 DFB-Pokal: 2024–25, 2025–26 DFB-Supercup: 2025, 2026
Japan U19 Sud Ladies Cup winners: 2023
Japan AFC Women's Asian Cup: 2026 Asian Games: 2022 SheBelieves Cup: 2025
Individual FIFA U17 Women's World Cup top scorer: 2022 Damallsvenskan's Best Midfielder: 2024 Damallsvenskan's Top scorer: 2024 Damallsvenskan's Breakthrough of the Year: 2024 Damallsvenskan's Player of the Month: April 2024
References
External links Profile at the FC Bayern Munich website
Momoko Tanikawa at jfa.jp