Japanese Professional Soccer League is called J1 League. In this article we are going to see all the teams in Japan and some curiosities about the JFA J-League.
When it comes to the top tier of Japanese football, the J1 League is often considered one of the most competitive and exciting leagues in the world.
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Table of Contents
About the J-League
Nihon Puro Sakkā Rīgu [日本プロサッカーリーグ] is the Japanese name for the J.League, which can also be called Meiji Yasuda J.League. It is the second largest football championship in all of Asia.
The numbering after the J refers to the division of the league. That is, J1 is the first division of the Japanese professional football/socceer league, made up of 3 divisions like in many countries.
The J-League had its first championship on May 15, 1993 with a total of ten teams, formed by players from the former post-war Japan Football League.
The league is currently sponsored by the Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company and is known as the Meiji Yasuda J1 League. The official website of the league is www.j-league.com
How does the J1-League work?
The J1-League is divided into two phases. The first stage, called the regular season, runs from February to November, with all 18 teams playing.
Each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away. The team with the most points at the end of the regular season is crowned champion.
The second stage of J1-League is called playoffs. The playoffs are contested by the top four teams in the regular season. These teams play against each other in a two-legged play-off, with the winner advancing to the final.
The final is a single match, played in a neutral location, with the winner being crowned champion of the Liga J1. We also recommend reading: Why does Japan's national team play in blue in football?
Facts about the J-League
Let’s see now some curiosities involving the Japanese Football League:
Short players? Not really...
It may seem unexpected, but the J-League has some of the tallest players in the world, even though the Japanese are short in stature, the average height in the J-League is 1.78m.
This is partly due to the league's foreign player quota, which allows each team to have up to four foreign players in its starting lineup.
Asia's biggest league
J1-League has the highest average attendance of any football league in Asia with over 20,000 viewers per game. As mentioned, it is the second biggest league in Asia.
This is due in part to the ionate of the Japanese fans, who are known for their impressive displays of and ion for their teams.
In of international competition, the J1-League is the most successful league in Asia. Japanese teams have won the AFC Champions League a total of five times, with three of those wins coming in the past four years.
Valuable players in the J-League
According to a recent study, the J1 League is home to four of the most valuable football players in the world. These players are worth an estimated total of €1.1 billion, which is more than the total value of the Premier League!
Some famous Japanese players are Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda and Yuto Nagatomo. The league is home to some of the most successful clubs in Asia, including defending champions Kawasaki Frontale and Urawa Reds.
The Champions of the J1-League
Below we have the J1-League champion teams of each year from 1993 to 2022. Kashima Antlers being the team with the most victories of all years.
| 1993 | Verdy Kawasaki |
| 1994 | Verdy Kawasaki |
| 1995 | Yokohama F. Marinos |
| 1996 | Kashima Antlers |
| 1997 | Júbilo Iwata |
| 1998 | Kashima Antlers |
| 1999 | Júbilo Iwata |
| 2000 | Kashima Antlers |
| 2001 | Kashima Antlers |
| 2002 | Júbilo Iwata |
| 2003 | Yokohama F. Marinos |
| 2004 | Yokohama F. Marinos |
| 2005 | Gamba Osaka |
| 2006 | Urawa Red Diamonds |
| 2007 | Kashima Antlers |
| 2008 | Kashima Antlers |
| 2009 | Kashima Antlers |
| 2010 | Nagoya Grampus |
| 2011 | Kashiwa Reysol |
| 2012 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
| 2013 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
| 2014 | Gamba Osaka |
| 2015 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
| 2016 | Kashima Antlers |
| 2017 | Kawasaki Frontale |
| 2018 | Kawasaki Frontale |
| 2019 | Yokohama F. Marinos |
| 2020 | Kawasaki Frontale |
| 2021 | Kawasaki Frontale |
| 2022 | Yokohama F. Marinos |
List of Japanese Football Teams and Clubs
Let's see now the list of all current J-League Football teams, from the first to the third division.
Please note that team names usually take the second name as the Location to which it belongs.
J1-League Teams
- Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
- Kashima Antlers
- Urawa Reds
- Kashiwa Reysol
- F.C.Tokyo
- Kawasaki Frontale
- Yokohama F･Marinos
- Shonan Bellmare
- Shimizu S-Pulse
- Jubilo Iwata
- Nagoya Grampus
- Kyoto Sanga F.C.
- Gamba Osaka
- Cerezo Osaka
- Vissel Kobe
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima
- Avispa Fukuoka
- Sagan Tosu
J2-League Teams
- Iwate Grulla Morioka
- Vegalta Sendai
- Blaublitz Akita
- Montedio Yamagata
- Mito Hollyhock
- Tochigi SC
- Thespakusatsu Gunma
- Omiya Ardija
- JEF United Chiba
- Tokyo Verdy
- FC Machida Zelvia
- Yokohama FC
- Ventforet Kofu
- Albirex Niigata
- Zweigen Kanazawa
- Fagiano Okayama
- Renofa Yamaguchi FC
- Tokushima Vortis
- V-Varen Nagasaki
- Roasso Kumamoto
- Oita Trinita
- FC Ryukyu
J3-League Teams
- Vanraure Hachinohe
- Fukushima United FC
- Iwaki FC
- YSCC Yokohama
- SC Sagamihara
- Matsumoto Yamaga FC
- AC Nagano Partner
- Kataller Toyama
- Fujieda MYFC
- Numazu light blue
- FC Gifu
- Gainare Tottori
- Kamatamare Sanuki
- Ehime FC
- FC Imabari
- Giravanz Kitakyushu
- Tegevajaro Miyazaki
- Kagoshima United FC
