Football league
Former logo This logo was used from 2015 to 2018 J3 League ( japanese : J3リーグ, Hepburn : J3 Rīgu ) or plainly J3 is the third base division of Japan Professional Football League ( 日本プロサッカーリーグ, Nihon Puro Sakkā Rīgu ) that has established a third-tier professional association football league in Japan starting in 2013.

Reading: J3 League

The third-tier countrywide league is a relatively late development in japanese football with the foremost attack dated 1992 ( second class of the old JFL ), though it only lasted for two seasons. In 1999, following the establishment of J2 League, a new Japan Football League was created, becoming the third base tier onwards. After introduction of J3 the JFL has been moved down the pyramid and become a fourth-tier countrywide league, for the beginning time in history of japanese football. The league is known by their entitle sponsor, the Meiji Yasuda J3 League ( japanese : 明治安田生命J3リーグ ). [ 2 ]

amateurish earned run average ( until 2013 ) [edit ]

A national third tier of japanese affiliation football was first established along with its professionalization in 1992, when the newly created Japan Football League kicked off with two tiers below the professional J. League. Among the 10 master clubs of the third base tier included the forerunners to Kyoto Sanga FC, Ventforet Kofu, Omiya Ardija, Avispa Fukuoka and Vissel Kobe ( the latter two being located in different regions from their J. League successors ). But after a issue of clubs were lost for assorted reasons – some were promoted to J.League and the others folded – the league contracted the second class in 1994 and continued with the single second-tier division. The third gear tier football was reintroduced in 1999 upon creation of in full professional J2. The old JFL was dissolved but a new Japan Football League was formed the lapp year in order to establish a countrywide top-tier amateur league. But despite its officially amateur status the league promptly became de facto semi-professional, serving as the cradle of the future J. League members. Since the establishment of associate membership system in 2006 the number of professional clubs holding or actively seeking for this status has grown steadily and reached its flower in 2013 temper when 6 full members and 2 erstwhile candidates made up to about half of the league ‘s 18 teams. Through the naturally of the season this number grew even bigger, to 10 full associate members that formed the core of J3 .

professionalization and establishment ( 2013 ) [edit ]

airless to the end of 2012 football temper japanese media began to spread rumors [ 3 ] [ 4 ] about the approaching professional third-tier league, referred to as either “ J3 ” or “ J.Challenge League ”. Most of the sources agreed that the new league will feature around 10–12 clubs, most of which will be consociate members. The league would besides provide more relax license criteria in comparison to J2 – e.g. the stadium seating capacity of good 3,000 with no compulsory floodlight. [ 5 ] After the discussion on J1-J2 Joint Committee on 16 January 2013, all J.League clubs agreed in principle with an establishment of the new league starting 2014. [ 6 ] This decisiveness was formally put into impel by J.League Council in a 26 February administrator suffer. [ 7 ] The league was planned to launch with 10 teams, but another session of J.League Council in July decided that inaugural temper of J3 will feature 12 teams. [ 8 ] To participate, a clubhouse must have held an companion membership, or have submitted an application before 30 June 2013, and then passed an inspection to obtain a participation license issued by J.League Council. [ 9 ] On 19 November, J.League confirmed the following clubs to participate in the inaugural J3 season : [ 10 ]

future plans [edit ]

The league has not provided a clear expansion timeline so far but it was most likely that J3 continued to accommodate newly teams after its inaugural temper. The following is a list of clubs that may get promoted to J.League in the approximate future : [ 12 ]
early teams have applied for J.League companion membership but were denied. Most of these clubs continue to aim for J3 as their ultimate goal .
Two teams, one withdrew its J3 license and the other its J.League 100 Year design condition, once associate degree membership :
Some sources claim that J3 was intended to reach up to 60 clubs in the future, being split into three regionalized divisions running in parallel. [ 13 ]

timetable [edit ]

Year

Important events

No. J3
clubs

Prom.
slots

Rel.
slots

2014

  • The J.League adopts three divisions, as the following clubs join Division 3:
    • Gainare Tottori (relegated from J2 League).
    • Blaublitz Akita, Fukushima United, Fujieda MYFC, Nagano Parceiro, FC Ryukyu, SC Sagamihara, YSCC Yokohama, FC Machida Zelvia, and Zweigen Kanazawa (pre-existing from Japan Football League).
    • Grulla Morioka (promoted directly from Japanese Regional Leagues’ Tohoku Soccer League).

A J.League U-22 Selection is besides included, composed of the best J1 and J2 youngsters to prepare them for the 2016 Olympics.

Read more: Sevilla FC

  • The Japan Football League becomes the nationwide fourth tier, and first tier for amateur clubs.
  • Zweigen Kanazawa becomes the first J3 champions and get promoted to J2. Nagano Parceiro lost the Promotion/Relegation Series against the J2 21st placed team.

11+1

1.5

0

2015

  • Kataller Toyama is relegated from J2.
  • Renofa Yamaguchi is promoted from Japan Football League (JFL) and in its first J3 season becomes champions and got promoted to J2.
  • FC Machida Zelvia is also promoted as it finished in 2nd place and won the Promotion/Relegation Series against newly relegated Oita Trinita, the first former J1 team to play in J3.

12+1

1.5

0

2016

  • Tochigi SC and Oita Trinita are relegated from J2.
  • Kagoshima United FC is promoted from JFL.
  • J. League U-22 Selection disbanded. Cerezo Osaka, Gamba Osaka and FC Tokyo introduced U-23 reserve teams to reach 16 teams and change the league to a two-round system.

13+3

1.5

0

2017

  • Giravanz Kitakyushu is relegated from J2.
  • Azul Claro Numazu is promoted from JFL.
  • Promotion/Relegation series abolished; runner-up promoted automatically.

14+3

2

0

2018

  • Roasso Kumamoto and Kamatamare Sanuki are relegated from J2.
  • Vanraure Hachinohe is promoted from JFL.

15+3

2

0

2019

  • Kagoshima United and FC Gifu are relegated from J2.
  • FC Imabari is promoted from JFL.

16+3

2

0

2020

  • FC Tokyo U-23 withdraws from J3. Cerezo and Gamba Osaka dissolve their U-23s after the season.
  • Tegevajaro Miyazaki is promoted from JFL.

16+2

2

0

2021

  • SC Sagamihara, Ehime FC, Giravanz Kitakyushu, and Matsumoto Yamaga are relegated from J2.
  • Iwaki FC is promoted from JFL.

15

2

0

2022

18

2

0

2022 season [edit ]

League format [edit ]

For this season, the league is played in two rounds ( home-and-away ), each team playing a total of 34 matches. [ 14 ] Each team must have at least 3 players holding professional contracts. besides, from the 2016 season, 5 foreign players are allowed per team, plus 1 more from J.League ‘s ASEAN partner nation of or from other AFC countries. The matchday roll will consist of 18 players, and up to 3 substitutes will be allowed in a plot. [ 15 ]

promotion and relegation [edit ]

Rules for promotion to J2 are largely like to those of Japan Football League in late seasons : to be promoted, a club must hold or be granted a J2 license and finish in crown 2 of the league. Since 2017, the champions and the runner-up have been promoted directly and replace the 21st- and 22nd-placed J2 clubs. If lone the supporter or runner-up holds or is given a J2 license, merely the bottom club of J2 is relegated ; if both top 2 finishers are ineligible for promotion, then no teams will be promoted to or relegated from J2. [ 14 ] At a J.League board meet in August 2021, 60 clubs ( of which 20 are J3 ) were targeted for the entire league, and a hypothesis that J3 will have exceeded 20 clubs by the 2023 season was brought up. Mitsuru Murai, the J.League president, revealed that he was discussing how to adjust to 20 clubs. At this time, he was asked, “ If there is a hypothesis of the [ J3 ] league having 21 teams, is it okay to understand that there are teams that will fall from J3 to JFL ? ” While under retainer, he admitted that the J3 and JFL were considering the initiation of delegating to the latter league adenine early as after the 2022 season. [ 16 ] Later in November, Murai announced that forwarding from and relegation to the JFL had been planned following the 2023 temper. [ 17 ]

Participating clubs ( 2022 ) [edit ]

  • Pink background indicates clubs most recently promoted from JFL
  • Gray background indicates the club most recently relegated from J2
  • “Year joined” is the year the club joined the J. League (J3 League unless otherwise indicated).
  • “First season in D3,” “Seasons in D3,” and “Current spell in D3” include seasons in JFL

Stadiums ( 2022 ) [edit ]

primary venues used in the J3 League :

former clubs [edit ]

  • Pink background indicates clubs most recently promoted to J2
  • “Year joined” is the year the club joined the J. League (J3 League unless otherwise indicated).
  • “First season in D3,” “Seasons in D3,” and “Current spell in D3” include seasons in JFL

Championship/Promotion History [edit ]

* Bold designates the promote club ;
† Lost the J2–J3 playoffs ;
‡ Won the J2–J3 playoffs and got promoted ;

Most successful clubs [edit ]

Clubs in bold compete in J3 as of 2022 season .

Players and managers [edit ]

Managers [edit ]

top scorers [edit ]

See besides [edit ]

Domestic cup

References [edit ]