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J. League Division 2
The or simply J2 is the second division of the and the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Yasuda Life and it is thus officially known as the . Until the 2014 season it was named the J.League Division 2. Second-tier club football has existed in Japan since 1972 during the Japan Soccer League era; however, it was only professionalized during the 1999 season with ten clubs. The league took one relegating club from the top division and nine clubs from the second-tier semi-professional former JFL to create the J2 League. The remaining seven clubs in the Japan Football League, the newly formed Yokohama FC, and one promoting club from the Regional Leagues, formed the nine-club JFL, then the third tier of Japanese football. The third tier is now represented by the J3 League. History Phases of Japanese second-tier association football ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal in most countries and territories in Asia. The AFC was formed in 1954. It has 47 members. The Asian Ladies Football Confederation (ALFC) was the section of AFC that managed women's association football in Asia. The group was independently founded in April 1968 in a meeting involving Taiwan, British Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 1986, ALFC merged with AFC. Executive Committee Members 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification Playoffs In June 2025, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed that Qatar and Saudi Arabia will host the Asian qualifying playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The playoffs will feature six teams, comprising the third- and fourth-placed teams from the recent third round of Asian qualifiers. These teams will be divided into two groups of three, with the winners of each group advancing to the intercontinental playoff round. The deci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japan Football League
The , also known as simply the JFL, is the 4th tier of the Japanese association football league system, positioned beneath the three divisions of the J.League. The league features fully professional teams that hold J.League 100 Year Plan club status, J.League associate membership among its ranks. Relationship and position of J. League and Japan Football League (JFL) According to the official document published in December 2013 when the J3 League was established, the J3 League was the 3rd level of the J.League. The J.League and non-J.League amateur leagues have different hierarchical structures, and the J3 League was ranked on the same level as the JFL. In addition, the JFL itself has the same recognition in the material showing the league composition on the official website. Therefore, the JFL is treated as equal to J3 in theory, but in practice it is considered equivalent to a 4th division. History The Japan Football League started from the 1999 Japan Football League, 1999 seas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oita Trinita
is a Japanese football club located in Ōita, Capital of Ōita Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football. Name origin The club's name, ''Trinita'', is the Italian translation of the word '' trinity (trinità)'', which was the club's original name before being changed in 1999, and ''Ōita'', the club's home town. The combined word expresses the will of the local citizens, companies, and government to support the team. Another connection to the Italian culture can be found in the city nickname Azzurro ("light blue" in Italian). History The club was formed as Ōita Trinity in 1994 and advanced through the Ōita Prefectural League and the Kyushu League before finishing as the runner-up of the 1996 National League, resulting in promotion to the JFL. In 1999, the club changed its name to ''Trinita'' due to copyright infringement concerns. The same year, the club joined J.League Division 2, the second-highest flight in Japan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mito HollyHock
is a Japanese professional football (soccer) club located in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture. The team currently playing in the J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football. Name origin Its nickname "HollyHock" derives from the family crest of the Tokugawa clan who governed from Mito in the Edo period. History The club was founded in 1990 as Prima Aseno FC by the factory workers of Prima Ham (a food company) in Tsuchiura. It changed its name to Prima Ham FC Tsuchiura and gained promotion to the Japan Football League after finishing as runner-up in the 1996 Regional League play-off. It merged with FC Mito (founded in 1994) and re-branded itself as Mito HollyHock before the start of the 1997 season when Prima Ham decided to discontinue its financial support to the club. Mito's application to play in the inaugural 1999 season of J. League Division 2 was initially turned down due to financial unstability, and low home attendance at their stadium. However, after finish ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Júbilo Iwata
is a Japanese professional association football, football team based in Iwata, Shizuoka, Iwata, located in Shizuoka Prefecture. The club competes in J2 League following relegation from J1 League in 2024 J1 League, 2024. Etymology The team's name ''Júbilo'' means 'joy' in Spanish and Portuguese. History Origins and rise to the top (1972–1996) The team started out as the company team for Yamaha Motor Corporation in April 1972. After making its way through the Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka and Tōkai region, Tōkai football leagues, it played in the Japan Soccer League until it reorganized as the J.League at the end of 1992. Their first glory happened when they won both the Emperor's Cup and promotion as List of winners of J2 and predecessors, champions of the JSL Division 2 in 1982. They won their first Japanese league title in the 1987/88 season. Due to problems in the upcoming professionalization, Yamaha decided to relegate themselves and not be one of the J.League ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cerezo Osaka
is a Japanese professional football club based in Osaka. The club currently plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The club's name ''Cerezo'' (Spanish for cherry blossom) is also the flower of the city of Osaka. The official hometowns of the club are Osaka and Sakai. There exists a local rivalry with Suita-based Gamba Osaka. History Beginnings (1957–1992) The club, originally called Yanmar Diesel, started in 1957 as the company team of Yanmar and was an original founder ("Original Eight") of the now-disbanded Japan Soccer League (JSL) in 1965. With four Japanese league titles to its credit, it was a mainstay of the JSL Division 1 until 1990 when it was first relegated, and joined the former Japan Football League (JFL) in 1992. Privatised and registered under a new name (1993–''present'') In 1993, the club incorporated as Osaka Football Club Co., Ltd. and adopted the name Cerezo Osaka after a public contest. In 1994, they won th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kashiwa Reysol
is a Japanese professional association football, football club based in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. Their home stadium is Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium, also known as "Hitachidai". ''Reysol'' is a portmanteau of the Spanish words ''Rey'' and ''Sol'', meaning "Sun King". The name alludes to their parent company Hitachi, whose name means "rising sun" in Japanese. The club was formed in 1940 and was a founding member ("Original Eight") of the Japan Soccer League (JSL) in 1965. Since the league's inception, they have spent the majority of their existence in the top tier of Japanese football. They have been List of Japanese football champions, Japanese League champions twice in 1972 Japan Soccer League, 1972 and 2011 J.League Division 1, 2011, and have won three J.League Cup, League Cups in 1976 JSL Cup, 1976, 1999 J.League Cup, 1999 and 2013 J.League Cup, 2013, and th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shonan Bellmare
is a Japanese professional football club based in Hiratsuka, in the west of Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. Their home stadium is Hiratsuka Athletics Stadium. '' Shonan'' refers to a coastal area along Sagami Bay that includes Hiratsuka. ''Bellmare'' is a portmanteau of the Italian words ''bello'' and ''mare'', meaning "beautiful sea". History Early years as corporate team (1968–1992) The club was founded in 1968 as "Towa Real Estate SC" in Nasu, Tochigi. They were promoted to the Japan Soccer League (JSL) Division 1 in 1972. They changed their name to "Fujita Kogyo SC" when Towa Estate Development gave up the ownership to their parent company Fujita Industries, which moved the club to Hiratsuka. They won the JSL three times (including two doubles with the Emperor's Cup) between 1977 and 1981. They were nevertheless relegated to the JSL's Division 2 in 1990. Altho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Regional Football League Competition
The Japanese Regional Champions League (, ''Zenkoku Chiiki Sakkā Championzu Rīgu''), known before 2016 as Japan Regional Football League Competition, is a nationwide play-off tournament meant as a transition for Japanese football clubs competing in regional leagues to the Japan Football League. History Until 1976, the main entrance route for regional clubs to the Japan Soccer League was the All Japan Senior Football Championship, a cup competition. In 1977, to test clubs in a league environment before entrance to the league, the Japan Football Association devised this tournament. In 1984 and 1985 more promotion places were added due to the JSL, expanding its divisions. In 1992 it began promoting clubs to the former JFL's second division and, from 1994 to 1998, to its single division. In 1999 and 2000 it added extra promotion places due to the formation and expansion of the new JFL. Yamaha Motors (Júbilo Iwata) are, thus far, the only Regional Series champions to later become ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
All Japan Senior Football Championship
The , officially called the All Japan Adults Football Tournament, is a football (soccer) cup competition in Japan. It is run by the Japan Football Association. As it only involves non-league teams (teams not affiliated to either J.League or the Japan Football League), it can be considered an equivalent of the FA Trophy or FA Vase in England. Overview The "Shakaijin", "Shakaijin Cup" or "Zensha" as it is known, was first established in 1965 to determine potential entrants to the Japan Soccer League. The winner and runner-up played off in a promotion and relegation series against the bottom two clubs of the JSL. This continued even after the JSL added a Second Division in 1972. Since 1977, however, there is a system called the " Regional Football Champions League" to promote new league entrants (to the JSL 2nd Division, the former Japan Football League, and the current Japan Football League), thus the "Shakaijin" is now effectively a non-league cup competition. The 1999 edition w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kofu Club
is a Japanese professional football club from Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture. The team currently competes in the J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football, hosting their home matches in the JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, located in Kōfu. Ventforet has won a total of 1 J2 League title and 1 Emperor's Cup in their history. Name origin The word "Ventforet" is a compound formed from two French root words: "vent" (wind) and "forêt" (forest). The name alludes to the famous phrase Fū-rin-ka-zan (風林火山) that Takeda Shingen, a prominent Kōfu-based ''daimyō'' in the Sengoku period, emblazoned on his war banners. The phrase contains four similies: as swift as the wind; as silent as a forest; as fierce as fire; as immovable as a mountain. History Kofu Club (1965–1994) The club was founded in 1965 when the old boys' club of Kofu Dai-ichi High School, the Kakujo Club, started to recruit graduates of other high schools with the intention of promotion to the Japan Socc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kyoto Shiko Club
is a Japanese professional football club based in Kyoto. The club plays in the J1 League, the top tier of football in the country. Its name "Sanga" comes from the Sanskrit word ''sangha'', a term meaning "group" or "club" and often used to denote the Buddhist priesthood, associating the club with Kyoto's many Buddhist temples. The club was formerly known as Kyoto Purple Sanga with "purple", the colour of the team uniforms, an imperial colour reflecting Kyoto's status as Japan's ancient imperial capital city. It was decided that, from 2007, the team will simply be known as "Kyoto Sanga". They are the oldest club competing in the J.League. Kyoto Sanga have won two J2 League titles and one Emperor's Cup. History The club was started as Kyoto Shiko Club, one of the few proper Japanese football clubs in the sense of being strictly dedicated to football and not being part of a company. Like Ventforet Kofu, it could not rise to a Japan Soccer League First Division dominated by compa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
