By 1996 the number of teams seeking promotion to the L.League had been reduced to two. Those two teams played a two-legged play-off series (the JLSL Challenge Match), with the winner progressing to play the side finishing bottom in the L.League that season, again in a two-legged play-off.
JLSL Challenge Match
First Leg:
Urawa Ladies FC 2 - 0 Akita Ladies FC
Second Leg:
Akita Ladies FC 0 - 1 Urawa Ladies FC
Urawa Ladies FC win 3-0 on aggregate and progress to meet OKI Winds FC for the right to play in the L.League's 1997 season.
L.League promotion Play-off
First Leg:
OKI Winds FC 3 - 1 Urawa Ladies FC
Second Leg:
Urawa Ladies FC 0 - 3 OKI Winds FC
OKI Winds FC win 6-1 on aggregate and retain their place in the L.League.
