Kyoto Sanga returned to the Meiji Yasuda J1 League in 2022 and barely survived to see another season in the top flight. Some big changes are on the horizon as they aim for a stronger sophomore campaign, but will it be enough?Last seasonKyoto started the season decently, spending most of the first 20 matchweeks in the top 10 of the table. Veteran striker Pet…

Albirex Niigata’s 14-year stint in J1 came to an end in 2017, but they are back after five years in the second division wilderness. What are Albi bringing to the top flight?Last seasonEver since being relegated to J2, Albirex slowly climbed the table of the league year-by-year and it culminated in a spectacular 2022 campaign. They were nothing short of bril…

Shinji Kagawa is returning to where it all began, signing with Cerezo Osaka.The 33-year-old began his career with the Sakura and broke into the national team before heading to Europe, where he spent the last 12 years playing at the very highest level. He won the Premier League with Manchester United and two German Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund in…

Yokohama FC are back in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League after a year in the second division. Can they stay up this time around?Last seasonRelegation sent the Fulie back to J2 after two seasons in the top flight, but they were not about to spend much time there.They rode a spectacular year by Koki Ogawa, whose 26 goals were 10 more than the next best in J2, to a …

J.League has announced that the FUJIFILM SUPER CUP 2023 will be available for viewing worldwide on the J.LEAGUE International YouTube Channel. Details on broadcasting to be announced when decided.

If there was one thing that defined the 2022 Meiji Yasuda J1 League, it was the uncompromising commitment to running.

Yuki Soma has parlayed his terrific play for Nagoya Grampus and inclusion in Japan's squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup into a move to Casa Pia in the Portuguese top flight. The winger is joining Casa Pia on loan in hopes of helping the club qualify for continental competition.Soma debuted with Nagoya in 2018 and spent part of the following season on loa…

The 2023 J.League campaign is set, with the fixtures for all three divisions and the J.League YBC Levain Cup released on Friday.The top-flight’s 34-matchweek slate will run from February 17 through to December 3, with last year’s winners Yokohama F·Marinos visiting 2021 kings Kawasaki Frontale to open the season on Friday Night J.League.Newly-promoted sides…

Nguyen Cong Phuong has starred for Vietnam and now he's in line to become the first-ever Vietnamese player to play in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League.Cong Phuong already played in Japan, suiting up for Mito Hollyhock in J2 when he was 21. He then moved on, playing for Incheon United in South Korea and Sint-Truiden in Belgium on loan, in addition to a stint …

Pratama Arhan will return to Tokyo Verdy for the 2023 J.League season. The Indonesia star joined the Meiji Yasuda J2 League club last year to much fanfare and will be back for the upcoming campaign. Arhan was a star at PSIS Semarang in the top flight of Indonesia football and broke through as one of the national team’s best players, drawing interest f…

Thailand won the 2023 AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup, earning the crown of ASEAN champion for a record seventh time, thanks in large part to heroics from former J.League star Theerathon Bunmathan.Theerathon, who became the first Thai player to win the Meiji Yasuda J1 League when he helped Yokohama F·Marinos to the title in 2019, won the cup for Thailand with a…

Since the J.LEAGUE Asia Strategy program was first launched in 2012, over 30 players from seven different Southeast Asian countries have come to play on Japanese soil. Le Cong Vinh (Vietnam) was the first young player to make the move to the J.League, back in 2013. Now, 10 years later, as we celebrate the great milestone of the J.League’s 30th birthda…

The J.League announced the details of promotion and relegation between J3 and JFL from 2023 season as follows.Review of the ranking requirements for J.League PromotionThe clubs must be ranked 2nd or higher in the JFL annual standings* Even if the JFL clubs ranked 2nd and higher does not have the J.League club license, the clubs ranked 3rd and below in the J…

On behalf of the entire J.LEAGUE, I wish everyone a very Happy New Year.In the third season under the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of spectators in 2022 recovered to over 70% of that in 2019, even with restrictions still in place on attendance and the watching style. Sounds of cheering have also returned to the stadiums since June.As I have always said, fo…

Tomoki Iwata has become the latest player to move from the Meiji Yasuda J1 League to Celtic FC, joining the Scottish giants from Yokohama F·Marinos.The 25-year-old versatile defensive midfielder is coming off a sparkling 2022 campaign, winning J.League MVP honors as he led the Tricolor to the title.It was a breakout campaign for Iwata, who is from Oita and …

The Japan Football Association and Hajime Moriyasu have agreed to a new contract that will keep the Samurai Blue boss in charge through 2026.Moriyasu has been Japan manager since 2018, leading his team to the AFC Asian Cup final the following year. He then qualified Japan for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and guided them to the Round of 16, defeating previous wor…

In one of the biggest moves of the offseason, Cerezo Osaka have signed Léo Ceará from Yokohama F·Marinos.The Brazilian is coming off a dazzling 2022 campaign, scoring 11 goals and adding three assists to help Marinos capture the Meiji Yasuda J1 League crown. Léo Ceara’s play stole headlines last summer when Anderson Lopes was out of action for Yokoham…

Tomoaki Makino announced his retirement on Sunday, ending a 17-year career that saw him play for his hometown Sanfrecce Hiroshima, dabble abroad, become a legend at Urawa Reds, and finish at Vissel Kobe as a J.League icon.Makino was born in Hiroshima and came up in the Sanfrecce Hiroshima academy before making his debut for his local club in 2006. He helped…

Vietnamese football star Nguyen Cong Phuong has joined Meiji Yasuda J1 League club Yokohama FC from V.League 1 side Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC.The 27-year-old attacker has made 50 full appearances for the Vietnam national team, with 11 goals scored in those matches, and an assist in the most recent FIFA World Cup AFC qualifying cycle against Japan.This marks Phuo…

Another Meiji Yasuda J1 League season is nearly here, with the home openers for all 18 clubs announced Friday.The new campaign with begin with Kawasaki Frontale hosting defending champions Yokohama F·Marinos, kicking off 34 matchweeks of action in the top flight of Japanese football.Check out who your favorite club is starting the season against at home, wi…