I remember seeing so many “JOURNEY TO FIRST DIVISION” posters all over Okayama on match day when I went a few months back. The people are excited.
If I had been working in Japan two years later than I did, I would have been a Fagiano Okayama supporter.
They were closer to where I lived than Sanfrecce, but didn’t join J.League until 2 years after I left. Because of their location and that I used to work some time in Okayama, I always have a soft spot for them.
Half time and J1 championship is surely staying in Kobe for another year.
Vissel up 2-0 and Sanfrecce down 1-0 with 45 minutes left in the season.
Indeed it turned out to be, Vissel Kobe winning their second consecutive J1 League championship. Sanfrecce continue their run of strong, almost good enough seasons. 3rd, 3rd, 2nd in the last three years.
It was an amazing miracle run for FC Machida Zelvia, 3rd place finishers in their first ever J1 season. They will play in ACL Elite next year, along with Vissel and Sanfrecce.
It was a great year for Gamba Osaka, finishing 4th. This is a huge improvement after some dire seasons,13th, 15th and 16th in the three previous years. They have earned a spot in ACL2 for their 4th place finish.
Sixth place was incredible for Tokyo Verdy in their first season back in the top tier in so long. The original J.League powerhouse belongs in J1 and hopefully can continue the good performances next season.
The pain and joy of Jubilo Iwata is once again more on the pain side for those who follow the club. Relegation back into J2 continues the endless cycle of recent years. From 2021 to now, they have gone J2, J1, J2, J1 and now back to J2. Joining them in the second tier will be Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, ending an eight year stay in J1. Also gone are Sagan Tosu, after 13 years of J1 football!
The final table for J1:
- Vissel Kobe - 72 {CHAMPIONS}
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima - 68
- FC Machida Zelvia - 66
- Gamba Osaka - 66
- Kashima Antlers - 65
- Tokyo Verdy - 56
- FC Tokyo - 54
- Kawasaki Frontale - 52
- Yokohama F. Marinos - 52
- Cerezo Osaka - 52
- Nagoya Grampus - 50
- Avispa Fukuoka - 50
- Urawa Red Diamonds - 48
- Kyoto Sanga - 47
- Shonan Bellmare - 45
- Albirex Niigata - 42
- Kashiwa Reysol - 41
- Jubilo Iwata - 38 {RELEGATED}
- Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo - 37 {RELEGATED}
- Sagan Tosu - 35 {RELEGATED}
The three clubs promoted to J1 for 2025 are of course 1st and 2nd placed Shimizu S-Pulse and Yokohama FC. Joining them after a 2-0 victory over Vegalta Sendai in the playoff final, for the first time ever in J1, will be Fagiano Okayama. It only took 16 years of trying!
High drama in the promotion playoffs in J3 League. Matsumoto Yamaga jumped out to a very early 2-0 lead in the final against Kataller Toyama, but a Toyama goal in the 93rd minute levelled things at 2-2. Full time, it was Kataller Toyama promoted after the draw as the higher placed finisher on the table. They are back in J2 after 10 years.
At the other end, it was all bad news for YSCC Yokohama as their J3 run of 11 years ends after a 3-1 aggregate loss to Kochi United.
1 Like
Survival for Bellmare. Hopefully a decade of incremental improvements continues…
Should be safe enough to put life savings on Yokohama FC going back down next year.
1 Like
Will be good to have Japan also aligned with our seasons.
1 Like
J.League moving to this league schedule that also matches ACL schedule must be a nail in the coffin for the “we should switch A-League to a winter season” idea.
It would be actively putting us at a disadvantage and going against the general trend of the confederation.
1 Like
How did Yokohama land up on Holland? Thought Hutchinson had done well?
He was probably never going to get the fulltime job, he left to take over at Jubilo Iwata a couple of weeks ago.
The final full year of a calendar J.League season began today with the Japanese Super Cup.
J1 League & Emperor’s Cup winners Vissel Kobe vs J1 League runners-up Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Sanfrecce win 2-0 to lift the 5th Super Cup in club history. Vissel lose their 2nd consecutive.
What do you mean by the final full year? Are they changing format next season?
Ah cheers for that. Doesn’t seem complicated at all!
I’m going to be in Tokyo with some time free on the march 1 and 2 weekend and it looks like this times nicely with the beginning of the J-league.
Any recommendations for a trip to see a game? I’ll be based in Shinjuku and don’t want to travel more than an hour each way.
From my looks of the map and fixtures there’s quite a few possible options but any insights would be appreciated!
Tokyo Verdy vs Gamba Osaka on Sunday 2nd would be awesome.
Looking through the clubs from the three J. League divisions, sad to see this poison has now reached Japan.
Goodbye Omiya Ardija. Say hello to RB Omiya Ardija, in August last year Red Bull became 100% owners of the club, and as of January have gone for the rebrand in full.
Omiya Ardija’s old crest featured a squirrel on the right, which is the animal of Omiya. On the left, there are 5 lines, which reference the historic roads that run through Omiya, including the famous Nakasendō, which runs to the Hikawa Shrine, right near their home ground, Nack5 Stadium.
Another club to revamp their logo is another J2 side, V-Varen Nagasaki. The trend of simplification that is running through Japanese football strikes again.
I feel a little bit heartbroken about the last badge revamp, another simplication of what I thought was just about the most beautiful badge in the J.Leagues. FC Ryukyu. This is the second attempt at a rebrand after supporters strongly rejected a new design last year, the backlash so much that the club returned to the old badge for a season.
Damn these really are all downgrades.
1 Like
It’ll be worth it when RBOA are finishing ahead of Urawa every season.
Red Bull must sell so many drinks to be able to afford all of these football and formula one teams etc. I always thought it was more of a niche type product