Japanese Regional Leagues
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2010) |
| Founded | 1966 (Kansai and Tokai) 1967 (Kanto) 1973 (Chugoku and Kyushu) 1975 (Hokushin'etsu) 1977 (Shikoku and Tohoku) 1978 (Hokkaido) |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan |
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Divisions | 5 (first level) 6 (second level) |
| Number of teams | 134 |
| Level on pyramid | 5–6 |
| Promotion to | Japan Soccer League (1966–1991) Japan Football League (1992–1998) Japan Football League (1999–present) |
| Relegation to | |
| Domestic cup(s) | Emperor's Cup Shakaijin Cup |
| Current: 2020 Japanese Regional Leagues | |
Japanese Regional Leagues (Japanese: 地域リーグ, Hepburn: Chiiki Rīgu) are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organized on the regional basis. They form the fifth tier of the Japanese association football league system below the nationwide Japan Football League.
Overview[]
Football regions in Japan:
Hokkaido Tōhoku Kantō Hokushinetsu Tōkai Kansai Chūgoku Shikoku Kyushu
Hokkaido subdivision boundaries are by Block League.
Japan is divided regionally in a variety of ways, some of them administrative and some more historical. For the football purposes, the country is divided into nine regions. All regional league champions earn the right to participate in the Regional Football League Competition at the end of the year. Runners-up may also qualify according to criteria set by the Japan Football Association.
Regional league clubs also compete in the All Japan Senior Football Championship, a cup competition. The winner of this cup also earns a berth in the Regional League promotion series, and the runner-up may also qualify depending on space and JFA criteria.
Regional league clubs must win the qualifying cup in their home prefecture in order to compete in the Emperor's Cup.
Since the divisions rarely go over 10 members, the season is shorter and long summer breaks may be taken.
Among the existing Japanese clubs there are ten that have never played in the regional leagues. They are:
- Japan Soccer League co-founders Urawa Red Diamonds, JEF United Chiba, Kashiwa Reysol, Cerezo Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima (listed under current names, all formed the old league in 1965);
- Independent club Shimizu S-Pulse, established as a professional club upon J. League creation in 1992;
- Sagan Tosu who took over the folded Tosu Futures in former JFL in 1997;
- Yokohama FC who were directly admitted into the Japan Football League in 1999 upon their formation;
- Kataller Toyama that formed in 2008 as a result of the fusion of JFL clubs ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP.
- Kagoshima United FC that formed in 2014 as a result of the fusion of Kyushu League clubs Volca Kagoshima and FC Kagoshima, top two in the 2013 Regional Promotion Series, and which joined the JFL as a merged club
Additionally, the forerunners to Tosu Futures, Kashima Antlers, Avispa Fukuoka and Vissel Kobe were originally based in different regions (and won or were promoted from those regions) from where they, or their successors, are based today:
- Kashima Antlers was originally based in Kansai but moved to Kantō in 1975 after reaching the JSL;
- Tosu Futures was originally based in Tōkai but moved to Kyushu in 1994 after reaching the former JFL;
- Avispa Fukuoka was originally based in Tōkai but moved to Kyushu in 1994 after reaching the former JFL;
- Vissel Kobe was originally based in Chūgoku but moved to Kansai in 1995 after reaching the former JFL.
Regional Leagues clubs, 2021[]
Hokkaido Soccer League[]
| Name of league | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido Soccer League 北海道サッカーリーグ |
Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth | Obihiro, Hokkaido |
| Norbritz Hokkaido | Ebetsu, Hokkaido | |
| Muroran, Hokkaido | ||
| Sapporo, Hokkaido | ||
| Shintoku, Hokkaido | ||
| Sapporo, Hokkaido | ||
| Sapporo, Hokkaido | ||
| Iwamizawa, Hokkaido | ||
| Asahikawa, Hokkaido | ||
| Kushiro, Hokkaido |
Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League[]
| Name of league | Division | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League 東北社会人サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Blancdieu Hirosaki FC | Hirosaki, Aomori |
| Sendai, Miyagi | |||
| Cobaltore Onagawa | Onagawa, Miyagi | ||
| FC Ganju Iwate | Morioka, Iwate | ||
| Kamaishi, Iwate | |||
| Kōriyama, Fukushima | |||
| Morioka, Iwate | |||
| Hanamaki, Iwate | |||
| Morioka, Iwate | |||
| [tl] | Akita, Akita | ||
| Tsugaru, Aomori | |||
| Shichigahama, Miyagi | |||
| Division 2 North | Akita FC Cambiare | Akita, Akita | |
| Mizusawa, Iwate | |||
| Hiraizumi, Iwate | |||
| Gonohe, Aomori | |||
| TDK Shinwakai | Nikaho, Akita | ||
| Hokuto Bank SC | Akita, Akita | ||
| Aomori, Aomori | |||
| Tono, Iwate | |||
| Division 2 South | Shibata, Miyagi | ||
| Tsuruoka, Yamagata | |||
| Sendai, Miyagi | |||
| Sendai, Miyagi | |||
| Fukushima, Fukushima | |||
| Yonezawa, Yamagata | |||
| Mikawa, Yamagata | |||
| Iwanuma, Miyagi | |||
| Nagai, Yamagata | |||
| Iwaki, Fukushima |
Kantō Soccer League[]
| Name of league | Division | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanto Soccer League 関東サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Tochigi City FC | Tochigi, Tochigi |
| Briobecca Urayasu | Urayasu, Chiba | ||
| Tokyo United FC | Bunkyō, Tokyo | ||
| Vonds Ichihara | Ichihara, Chiba | ||
| Shinjyuku, Tokyo | |||
| Chiyoda, Tokyo | |||
| Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki | |||
| Tokyo 23 FC | Special wards of Tokyo | ||
| Ryutsu Keizai University FC | Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki | ||
| Joyful Honda Tsukuba FC | Tsukuba, Ibaraki | ||
| Yokohama, Kanagawa | |||
| Yokohama, Kanagawa | |||
| Division 2 | Yokohama, Kanagawa | ||
| Tonan Maebashi | Maebashi, Gunma | ||
| Toho Titanium SC | Chigasaki, Kanagawa | ||
| Tsukubamirai, Ibaraki | |||
| Kusatsu, Gunma | |||
| Vonds Ichihara Vert | Ichihara, Chiba | ||
| Saitama SC | Sayama, Saitama | ||
| Sakado, Saitama | |||
| Katsushika, Tokyo | |||
| Kawaguchi, Saitama |
Hokushinetsu Football League[]
| Name of league | Division | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hokushinetsu Football League 北信越フットボールリーグ |
Division 1 | Fukui United FC | Fukui, Fukui |
| Artista Asama | Tōmi, Nagano | ||
| Toyama Shinjo Club | Toyama, Toyama | ||
| Japan Soccer College | Seiro, Niigata | ||
| Niigata, Niigata | |||
| Kanazawa, Ishikawa | |||
| Sakai, Fukui | |||
| Kamo, Niigata | |||
| Matsumoto, Nagano | |||
| Division 2 | Kamo, Niigata | ||
| Chikuma, Nagano | |||
| Nagaoka, Niigata | |||
| Nagaoka, Niigata | |||
| Shiojiri, Nagano | |||
| Seiro, Niigata | |||
| Komatsu, Ishikawa | |||
| Niigata, Niigata |
Tōkai Adult League[]
| Name of league | Division | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tōkai Adult Soccer League 東海社会人サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Shima, Mie | |
| Miyoshi, Aichi | |||
| Fujieda City Hall SC | Fujieda, Shizuoka | ||
| Shimada, Shizuoka | |||
| Toyota, Aichi | |||
| Nagoya, Aichi | |||
| Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | |||
| Toyota, Aichi | |||
| Division 2 | FC Gifu SECOND | Gifu, Gifu | |
| Toyokawa, Aichi | |||
| Nagoya SC | Nagoya, Aichi | ||
| Seki, Gifu | |||
| Gifu, Gifu | |||
| Kariya, Aichi | |||
| Yokkaichi, Mie | |||
| Kariya, Aichi | |||
| Ōgaki, Gifu |
Kansai Soccer League[]
| Name of league | Division | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansai Soccer League 関西サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Ukyo-ku, Kyoto | |
| Kakogawa, Hyogo | |||
| Ococias Kyoto AC | Kyoto, Kyoto | ||
| Suita, Osaka | |||
| Arterivo Wakayama | Wakayama, Wakayama | ||
| Kashihara, Nara | |||
| Lagend Shiga FC | Moriyama, Shiga | ||
| Suita, Osaka | |||
| Division 2 | Matsubara, Osaka | ||
| Kyoto Shiko Club | Kita-ku, Kyoto | ||
| Moriyama, Shiga | |||
| Izumi, Osaka | |||
| Akashi, Hyōgo | |||
| Takasago, Hyōgo | |||
| Kyoto, Kyoto | |||
| Kobe, Kobe | |||
| Awaji Island |
Chūgoku Soccer League[]
| Name of league | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Chūgoku Soccer League 中国サッカーリーグ |
SRC Hiroshima | Hiroshima, Hiroshima |
| Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima FC | Kurashiki, Okayama | |
| Okayama, Okayama | ||
| Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi | ||
| Kurashiki, Okayama | ||
| Hiroshima, Hiroshima | ||
| Bizen, Okayama | ||
| Hamada, Shimane | ||
| Yonago, Tottori |
Shikoku Soccer League[]
| Name of league | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Shikoku Soccer League 四国サッカーリーグ |
Tokushima, Tokushima | |
| Nankoku, Kōchi | ||
| Kōchi, Kōchi | ||
| Tadotsu, Kagawa | ||
| Niihama, Ehime | ||
| Takamatsu, Kagawa | ||
| Kōchi, Kōchi | ||
| Shimanto, Kōchi |
Kyushu Soccer League[]
| Name of league | Names of teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Kyushu Soccer League 九州サッカーリーグ |
Okinawa SV | Uruma, Okinawa |
| Tsuno, Miyazaki | ||
| Kashima, Saga | ||
| Kumamoto, Kumamoto | ||
| Naha, Okinawa | ||
| Ōita, Ōita | ||
| Kanoya, Kagoshima | ||
| Kawasoe, Saga | ||
| Fukuoka, Fukuoka | ||
| Nakatsu, Oita | ||
| Oita, Oita |
See also[]
- Sport in Japan
- Football in Japan
- Japan Football Association (JFA)
- Soccer/Football
- League system
- Japanese association football league system
- J.League
- J1 League (Tier 1)
- J2 League (Tier 2)
- J3 League (Tier 3)
- Japan Football League (JFL) (Tier 4)
- Regional Champions League (Promotion playoffs to JFL)
- Regional Leagues (Tier 5/6)
- Domestic cup
- Fuji Xerox Super Cup (Super Cup)
- Emperor's Cup (National Cup)
- J.League YBC Levain Cup (League Cup)
- Futsal
- F.League
- JFA Futsal Championship (National Cup)
- F.League Ocean Cup (League Cup)
- Beach soccer
- (National Cup)
References[]
show Football in Japan |
|---|
Categories:
- Japanese Regional Leagues
- Football leagues in Japan