Japan Football League
.png) | |
| Country |
 Japan |
|---|---|
| Confederation | AFC |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 4 (since 2014) |
| Promotion to | J3 League |
| Relegation to | Japanese Regional Leagues |
| Domestic cup(s) | Emperor's Cup |
| Current champions |
Sony Sendai (2015) |
| Most championships |
Honda FC (5 titles) |
| Website | http://www.jfl.or.jp/ |
 2016 Japan Football League | |
- For the league before 1998 (Japan Futtobōru Rīgu (ジャパンフットボールリーグ), referred to in this page as "the former JFL"), see Japan Football League (1992–1998).
The Japan Football League, (日本フットボールリーグ Nihon Futtobōru Rīgu) also known as simply the JFL is the 4th tier of the Japanese association football league system, positioned beneath three divisions of J.League, and the top tier of amateur football in the country. Despite its officially amateur status the league features fully professional teams that hold J.League associate membership among its ranks.
History
The Japan Football League started from the 1999 season when the second division of J. League (J2) was also born. Until then, J. League consisted of only one division and the former JFL was the second highest division. Out of 16 teams who played the last season of the former JFL, 9 decided and were accepted to play in J2 and the other 7 teams as well as Yokogawa Electric, the winners of the Regional Promotion Series, formed the new Japan Football League. These 8 teams together with Yokohama FC that was allowed to participate as a special case after the merger of Yokohama Flügels and Yokohama Marinos competed in the inaugural 1999 season.
The 9 teams that competed in the first season were as follows: Denso SC, Honda Motors, Jatco FC, Kokushikan University F.C., Mito HollyHock, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, Sony Sendai, Yokohama FC and Yokogawa Electric.
In the second season the number of clubs was increased from 9 to 12, reaching 16 in 2001. In 2002 it was briefly 18 clubs before going back to 16 the next season and settling for good at 18 in 2006. For the 2012 season it had 17 clubs due to the late withdrawal of Arte Takasaki.
The league suffered another contraction after 2013 season, as 10 of its 18 teams joined the newly created J3 League. It also moved a tier down the pyramid, making it fourth-tier league since 2014.
Three former JFL clubs have competed in the top flight: Yokohama FC (2007), Otsuka Pharmaceuticals (2014, as Tokushima Vortis), and Matsumoto Yamaga (2015).
Overview
JFL clubs may be affiliated to companies, or be entirely autonomous clubs or reserve teams of these. Until 2010, university clubs (which as a rule do not play in the Japanese football league system) were recommended by the Japan University Football Association and played off against bottom JFL teams for entrance. B-teams are allowed to participate but only A-squads of truly autonomous clubs are eligible for J. League Associate Membership, and with it, promotion to J.League.
Promotion from JFL
In the 2012 and 2013 seasons, a club that satisfies the following criteria will be promoted to J. League Div. 2.
- Have J. League Associate Membership
- Finish the season in the top two in JFL
- If only the champion is an Associate Member, it will be automatically promoted.
- If both the champion and runner-up are Associate Members, the champion will be automatically promoted and the runner-up will play a Promotion/Relegation Series against the second-to-last club in J2.
- If only the runner-up is an Associate Member, it will play the Promotion/Relegation Series against the last club in J2.
- Pass the final inspection by J.League Committee
As the establishment of J3 League in 2014 season. The Top 2 requirement is no longer necessary should a team is approved by J. League Committee and is a J. League Associate Member. However, they'll start at J3 instead. The JFL will be the highest tier of amateur level football league in Japan again, through, they still serve the purpose of helping potential J.League participants to participate the J3.
Relegation from JFL
Up to two teams at the bottom of the league may face a direct relegation or relegation/promotion play-off against the teams finishing at the top of the All Japan Regional Football Promotion League Series. The number of the teams who need to compete in the play-off varies depending on the number of the teams that are promoted to J3 or withdrawn from the JFL.
Emperor's Cup eligibility
Until 2008, only the club at the top of the standings at half-season (17 matches completed) was qualified for the Emperor's Cup, entering it at the third round along with the clubs in J2, but the allotment was widened to the top three clubs in 2010 due to the expansion of J2. Every other club must qualify through a qualifying cup in their own prefecture and then must enter at the first round.
2016 season
Competition format
The league follows the Apertura and Clausura system, with two winners of each stage contesting the championship in the playoff.
Participating clubs (2016)
| Club Name | First Season in JFL |
Seasons in JFL |
Home Town(s) | Current Spell in JFL |
Last title |
Qualifiable base for J.League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azul Claro Numazu | 2014 | 3 | Numazu, Shizuoka | 2014– | – | Yes |
| Briobecca Urayasu | 2016 | 1 | Urayasu, Chiba | 2016– | – | No |
| Fagiano Okayama Next | 2014 | 3 | Okayama, Okayama | 2014– | – | No |
| Honda FC | 1999 | 18 | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | 1999– | 2014 | No |
| Honda Lock | 2005 | 10 | Miyazaki, Miyazaki | 2009– | – | No |
| Maruyasu Okazaki | 2014 | 3 | Okazaki, Aichi | 2014– | – | No |
| MIO Biwako Shiga | 2008 | 9 | Kusatsu, Shiga | 2008– | – | Yes |
| Nara Club | 2015 | 2 | Nara, Nara | 2015– | – | Yes |
| FC Osaka | 2015 | 2 | All cities/towns in Osaka | 2015– | – | Yes |
| ReinMeer Aomori | 2016 | 1 | Aomori, Aomori | 2016– | – | No |
| Ryutsu Keizai Dragons | 2015 | 2 | Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki | 2015– | – | No |
| Sony Sendai | 1999 | 18 | Miyagi Prefecture | 1999– | 2015 | No |
| Tochigi Uva | 2010 | 7 | Tochigi, Tochigi | 2010– | – | Yes |
| Vanraure Hachinohe | 2014 | 3 | Hachinohe, Aomori | 2014– | – | Yes |
| Verspah Oita | 2012 | 5 | Ōita, Ōita | 2012– | – | No |
| Tokyo Musashino City | 1999 | 18 | Musashino, Tokyo | 1999– | – | Yes |
- Pink background denotes clubs that were most recently promoted from Japanese Regional Leagues through the Regional Promotion Series.
- "Qualifiable base for J. League" indicates the club has the basic prerequisites for 100 Year Plan status. Clubs who actually hold the status are denoted in bold.
Former clubs
| Club Name | First Season in JFL |
Seasons in JFL |
Home Town(s) | Last Spell in JFL |
Last JFL title |
Current League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALO's Hokuriku | 2000 | 8 | Toyama, Toyama | 2000–2007 | – | Defunct, merged into Kataller Toyama |
| Arte Takasaki | 2004 | 8 | Takasaki, Gunma | 2004–2011 | – | Defunct |
| Kyoto BAMB 1993 | 2000 | 4 | Kyoto, Kyoto | 2000–2004 | – | Kansai League D1 |
| Blaublitz Akita | 2007 | 7 | All cities/towns in Akita | 2007–2013 | – | J3 |
| Ehime FC | 2001 | 5 | All cities/towns in Ehime | 2001–2005 | 2005 | J2 |
| Fagiano Okayama | 2008 | 1 | All cities/towns in Okayama | 2008 | – | J2 |
| Fukushima United | 2013 | 1 | Fukushima, Fukushima | 2013 | – | J3 |
| Gainare Tottori | 2001 | 10 | All cities/towns in Tottori | 2001–2010 | 2010 | J3 |
| FC Gifu | 2007 | 1 | All cities/towns in Gifu | 2007 | – | J2 |
| Mito HollyHock | 1999 | 1 | Mito, Ibaraki | 1999 | – | J2 |
| Jatco FC | 1999 | 5 | Numazu, Shizuoka | 1999–2003 | – | Defunct |
| JEF Reserves | 2006 | 6 | Ichihara, Chiba | 2006–2011 | – | Defunct |
| Kagoshima United | 2014 | 2 | Kagoshima, Kagoshima | 2014–2015 | – | J3 |
| Kamatamare Sanuki | 2011 | 3 | All cities/towns in Kagawa | 2011–2013 | – | J2 |
| FC Kariya | 1999 | 11 | Kariya, Aichi | 1999–2009 | – | Tōkai League D1 |
| Kataller Toyama | 2008 | 1 | All cities/towns in Toyama | 2008 | – | J3 |
| Kokushikan University | 1999 | 6 | Machida, Tokyo | 1999–2003 | – | Kantō University League |
| Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima | 2005 | 5 | Kurashiki, Okayama | 2005–2009 | – | Chugoku League |
| Fujieda MYFC | 2012 | 2 | Fujieda, Shizuoka | 2012–2013 | – | J3 |
| New Wave Kitakyushu | 2008 | 2 | Kitakyushu, Fukuoka | 2008–2009 | – | J2 |
| Otsuka Pharmaceuticals | 1999 | 6 | All cities/towns in Tokushima | 1999–2004 | 2004 | J2 |
| Nagano Parceiro | 2011 | 3 | Nagano, Nagano | 2011–2013 | 2013 | J3 |
| Profesor Miyazaki | 2002 | 1 | All cities/towns in Miyazaki | 2002 | – | Defunct |
| Rosso Kumamoto | 2001 | 4 | Kumamoto, Kumamoto | 2006–2007 | – | J2 |
| Renofa Yamaguchi | 2014 | 1 | Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi | 2014 | – | J3 |
| FC Ryukyu | 2006 | 8 | All cities/towns in Okinawa | 2006–2013 | – | J3 |
| Ryutsu Keizai University | 2005 | 6 | Ryugasaki, Ibaraki | 2005–2010 | – | Kantō League D1 |
| SC Sagamihara | 2013 | 1 | Sagamihara, Kanagawa | 2013 | – | J3 |
| Sagawa Express Osaka | 2002 | 5 | Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka | 2002–2006 | – | Defunct, merged into Sagawa Shiga |
| Sagawa Express Tokyo | 2001 | 6 | Kōtō, Tokyo | 2001–2006 | – | Defunct, merged into Sagawa Shiga |
| Sagawa Shiga | 2007 | 6 | Moriyama, Shiga | 2007–2012 | 2011 | Defunct |
| Shizuoka Sangyo University | 2000 | 3 | Iwata, Shizuoka | 2000–2002 | – | Tōkai University League |
| SP Kyoto FC | 2003 | 13 | Uji, Kyoto | 2003–2015 | – | Defunct |
| Thespa Kusatsu | 2004 | 1 | All cities/towns in Gunma | 2004 | – | J2 |
| Tochigi SC | 2000 | 9 | Utsunomiya, Tochigi | 2000–2008 | – | J2 |
| V-Varen Nagasaki | 2009 | 4 | All cities/towns in Nagasaki | 2009–2012 | 2012 | J2 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 2010 | 2 | Matsumoto, Nagano | 2010–2011 | – | J1 |
| YKK AP | 2001 | 7 | Kurobe, Toyama | 2001–2007 | – | Defunct, merged into Kataller Toyama |
| Yokohama FC | 1999 | 2 | Yokohama, Kanagawa | 1999–2000 | 2000 | J2 |
| YSCC Yokohama | 2012 | 2 | Yokohama, Kanagawa | 2012–2013 | – | J3 |
| Machida Zelvia | 2009 | 4 | Machida, Tokyo | 2013 | – | J3 |
| Zweigen Kanazawa | 2010 | 4 | Kanazawa, Ishikawa | 2010–2013 | – | J2 |
- Pink background denotes clubs that were most recently promoted to J3 League.
Championship, promotion and relegation history
Most successful clubs
Clubs in bold compete in JFL as of 2015 season. Clubs in italic no longer exist.
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda FC | |
|
2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2014 | 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004 |
| Sagawa Shiga | |
|
2007, 2009, 2011 | 2010 |
| Otsuka Pharmaceuticals | |
|
2003, 2004 | 2001 |
| Yokohama FC | |
|
1999, 2000 | |
| Nagano Parceiro | |
|
2013 | 2011, 2012 |
| Ehime FC | |
|
2005 | |
| Gainare Tottori | |
|
2010 | |
| V-Varen Nagasaki | |
|
2012 | |
| Sony Sendai | |
|
2015 | |
| Sagawa Express Tokyo | 0 | 2 | 2002, 2006 | |
| YKK AP | |
|
2005 | |
| Rosso Kumamoto | |
|
2007 | |
| Tochigi SC | |
|
2008 | |
| Tokyo Musashino City | |
|
2009 | |
| Kamatamare Sanuki | |
|
2013 | |
| SP Kyoto FC | |
|
2014 | |
| Vanraure Hachinohe | |
|
2015 |
Third-tier league: 1999–2013
Fourth-tier League: 2014–
Beginning in 2014 the Japan Football League switched to the Apertura and Clausura format to determine the champions.
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Promoted to J3 after the season | Promoted from Regional Leagues before the season | Relegated to Regional Leagues after the season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Honda FC (A) | SP Kyoto FC (C) | Renofa Yamaguchi | Fagiano Okayama Next Kagoshima United Vanraure Hachinohe Azul Claro Numazu Maruyasu Industries SC Renofa Yamaguchi | None |
| 2015 | Sony Sendai (C) | Vanraure Hachinohe (A) | Kagoshima United | Nara Club FC Osaka Ryutsu Keizai Dragons | SP Kyoto FC (withdrew) |
| 2016 | ReinMeer Aomori Briobecca Urayasu | ||||
External links
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Template:AFC fourth leagues