The J.League on Tuesday confirmed the general schedule for all major competitions in the 2018 season.

The MEIJI YASUDA J1 League will open on February 24 and conclude on December 1, including a break from mid-May to July to accommodate the 2018 FIFA World cup.

The MEIJI YASUDA J2 League will run from February 25 to November 17 without a World Cup break.

The J1 Promotion Playoff will be replaced by the new J1 Participation Playoff, featuring J1-eligible J2 clubs between third and sixth place as well as the J1’s 16th-place finisher. 

That playoff will take place on November 25, December 2, and December 8.

The MEIJI YASUDA J3 League will open on March 10 and conclude on December 2.

The 2018 J.League YBC Levain Cup will use a similar format to this year’s; the group stage taking place between March 7 and May 16, while the playoff stage will occur on June 2 and 9. 

The knockout stage will feature a September quarterfinal and October semifinal, with the date of the final still to be determined.

The FUJI XEROX SUPER CUP 2018 will take place on February 10, featuring J.League champions Kawasaki Frontale against the winners of the Emperor’s Cup.