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2025 Emperor's Cup
| Tournament details |
|---|
| Japan |
| 24 May – 22 November |
| 88 |
| Machida Zelvia (1st title) |
| Vissel Kobe |
| Machida Zelvia |
| 87 |
| 264 (3.03 per match) |
| 373,643 (4,295 per match) |
| Shota Fujio (Machida Zelvia)5 goals |
The 2025 Emperor's Cup or the JFA 105th Japan Football Championship (Japanese: 天皇杯 JFA 第105回全日本サッカー選手権大会) was the 105th edition of the annually known contested cup. It featured 88 teams representing the prefectural football associations, university football federation, J1 League and the J2 League.
Vissel Kobe were the title holders, winning the 2024 final against Gamba Osaka, just before becoming 2025 J1 League champions, winning the domestic double. They joined the competition along other J1 and J2 League teams in the second round. They were beaten in the final by Machida Zelvia, who won their first ever major title.
Due to the participation of Urawa Red Diamonds in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, they were given automatic qualification to the Round of 16 of the Emperor's Cup, as the Club World Cup takes place between June and July, just when the rest of the J1 League teams are participating in the second and third round of the Emperor's Cup.
The schedule for the first round to the Round of 16 was announced on 4 February 2025.
| Round | Date | Backup date(s) | Matches | Clubs | New entries this round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24–25 May | 28 May | 27 | 54 (47+6+1) → 27 | 47 prefectural qualification cup winners | |
| 6 2025 J2 League clubs | |||||
| 1 amateur designated team | |||||
| 11 June | 18 June | 32 | 60 (27+19+14) → 30 | 19 2025 J1 League clubs | |
| 14 2025 J2 League clubs | |||||
| 16 July | 23 July | 15 | 30 → 15 | None | |
| 6 August | 13 August | 8 | 16 (15+1) → 8 | Urawa Red Diamonds | |
| 27 August | 10 September | 4 | 8 → 4 | None | |
| 16 November | – | 2 | 4 → 2 | ||
| 22 November | – | 1 | 2 → 1 |
As the norm, only J1 and J2 League clubs qualify directly for the first round. All the teams from lower divisions (starting from the J3 League) who wants to qualify to the Emperor's Cup (exception being made to the JFA-seeded team), have to undergo a prefectural qualification, with regulations and schedules varying from one association to another. In total, there are 47 prefectural cup qualifications, with the winners of each prefectural cup earning their right to play in the Emperor's Cup, with all of them assigned to start the competition in the first round.
In bold, it will be displayed the teams that won each final, and not necessarily the home team. All the matches are played on a neutral venue.
All teams playing in the 2024 J1 League join the competition in the second round, except 2025 FIFA Club World Cup participants Urawa Red Diamonds, who join in the Round of 16.
| Club | Apps. | Prefecture | Club | Apps. | Prefecture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kashima Antlers | 40th | Ibaraki | |||
| Urawa Red Diamonds | 59th | Saitama | |||
| Kashiwa Reysol | 57th | Chiba | |||
| FC Tokyo | 31st | Tokyo | |||
| Tokyo Verdy | 50th | Tokyo | |||
| Machida Zelvia | 13th | Tokyo | |||
| Kawasaki Frontale | 42nd | Kanagawa | |||
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 47th | Kanagawa | |||
| Yokohama FC | 26th | Kanagawa | |||
| Shonan Bellmare | 53rd | Kanagawa | |||
| Albirex Niigata | 33rd | Niigata | |||
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 33rd | Shizuoka | |||
| Nagoya Grampus | 48th | Aichi | |||
| Kyoto Sanga | 42nd | Kyoto | |||
| Gamba Osaka | 45th | Osaka | |||
| Cerezo Osaka | 56th | Osaka | |||
| Vissel Kobe | 38th | Hyogo | |||
| Fagiano Okayama | 17th | Okayama | |||
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 73rd | Hiroshima | |||
| Avispa Fukuoka | 33rd | Fukuoka |
Out of 20 participating teams in the 2025 J2 League, 14 join the competition in the second round. Six teams (highlighted with a "†") join the tournament in the first round: the three worst-ranked non-relegated 2024 J2 League teams and those promoted from the 2024 J3 League.
| Club | Apps. | Prefecture | Club | Apps. | Prefecture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo | 44th | Hokkaido | |||
| Vegalta Sendai | 31st | Miyagi | |||
| Blaublitz Akita | 32nd | Akita | |||
| Montedio Yamagata | 33rd | Yamagata | |||
| Iwaki FC | 8th | Fukushima | |||
| Mito HollyHock † | 29th | Ibaraki | |||
| RB Omiya Ardija † | 30th | Saitama | |||
| JEF United Chiba | 60th | Chiba | |||
| Ventforet Kofu | 33rd | Yamanashi | |||
| Kataller Toyama † | 16th | Toyama | |||
| Júbilo Iwata | 48th | Shizuoka | |||
| Fujieda MYFC | 7th | Shizuoka | |||
| Renofa Yamaguchi | 21st | Yamaguchi | |||
| Tokushima Vortis | 37th | Tokushima | |||
| Ehime FC † | 24th | Ehime | |||
| FC Imabari † | 15th | Ehime | |||
| Sagan Tosu | 33rd | Saga | |||
| V-Varen Nagasaki | 18th | Nagasaki | |||
| Roasso Kumamoto | 25th | Kumamoto | |||
| Oita Trinita † | 29th | Oita |
Toyo University was selected by the JFA to receive the automatic qualification for the tournament. They are the defending national university champions, having won the 2024 All Japan University Football Championship.
| Team | Prefecture | League | Level | Apps. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyo University | Tokyo | Kanto University League D1 | UL1 | 1st |
All the 47 prefectural tournament winners (prefectural representatives) join in the first round.
| Prefecture | Team | League | Level | Apps. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido | BTOP Hokkaido | Hokkaido Soccer League | 5 | 2nd |
| Aomori | ReinMeer Aomori | Japan Football League | 4 | 4th |
| Iwate | Iwate Grulla Morioka | Japan Football League | 4 | 18th |
| Miyagi | Sendai University | Tohoku University League Div. 1 | UL1 | 4th |
| Akita | North Asia University | Tohoku University League Div. 1 | UL1 | 3rd |
| Yamagata | Oyama SC | Tohoku Soccer League Div. 2 South | 6 | 4th |
| Fukushima | Fukushima United | J3 League | 3 | 13th |
| Ibaraki | University of Tsukuba | Kanto University League Div. 1 | UL1 | 35th |
| Tochigi | Tochigi SC | J3 League | 3 | 25th |
| Gunma | Thespa Gunma | J3 League | 3 | 22nd |
| Saitama | Tokyo International University | Kanto University League Div. 1 | UL1 | 8th |
| Chiba | Juntendo University | Kanto University League Div. 2 | UL2 | 17th |
| Tokyo | Hosei University | Kanto University League Div. 2 | UL2 | 14th |
| Kanagawa | SC Sagamihara | J3 League | 3 | 4th |
| Yamanashi | Yamanashi Gakuin Univ. Pegasus | Yamanashi Football League | 7 | 7th |
| Nagano | Matsumoto Yamaga | J3 League | 3 | 17th |
| Niigata | Niigata University H&W | Hokushin'etsu University League Div. 1 | UL1 | 8th |
| Toyama | Toyama Shinjo | Hokushinetsu Football League Div. 1 | 5 | 8th |
| Ishikawa | Zweigen Kanazawa | J3 League | 3 | 21st |
| Fukui | Fukui United | Hokushinetsu Football League Div. 1 | 5 | 17th |
| Shizuoka | Honda FC | Japan Football League | 4 | 45th |
| Aichi | Chukyo University | Tokai University League Div. 1 | UL1 | 9th |
| Mie | Veertien Mie | Japan Football League | 4 | 5th |
| Gifu | FC Gifu | J3 League | 3 | 19th |
| Shiga | Moriyama Samurai 2000 | Kansai Soccer League Div. 1 | 5 | 1st |
| Kyoto | Kyoto Sangyo University | Kansai University League Div. 1 | UL1 | 7th |
| Osaka | FC Osaka | J3 League | 3 | 7th |
| Hyogo | Basara Hyogo | Kansai Soccer League Div. 1 | 5 | 1st |
| Nara | Nara Club | J3 League | 3 | 16th |
| Wakayama | Arterivo Wakayama | Kansai Soccer League Div. 1 | 5 | 17th |
| Tottori | Gainare Tottori | J3 League | 3 | 27th |
| Shimane | Belugarosso Iwami | Chugoku Soccer League | 5 | 4th |
| Okayama | International Pacific University FC | Chugoku Soccer League | 5 | 1st |
| Hiroshima | Fukuyama City | Chugoku Soccer League | 5 | 5th |
| Yamaguchi | Baleine Shimonoseki | Chugoku Soccer League | 5 | 5th |
| Kagawa | Kamatamare Sanuki | J3 League | 3 | 25th |
| Tokushima | FC Tokushima | Shikoku Soccer League | 5 | 10th |
| Ehime | Lvnirosso NC | Shikoku Soccer League | 5 | 1st |
| Kochi | Kochi United | Japan Football League | 4 | 10th |
| Fukuoka | Giravanz Kitakyushu | J3 League | 3 | 16th |
| Saga | Brew Saga | Kyushu Soccer League | 5 | 12th |
| Nagasaki | Mitsubishi Nagasaki SC | Kyushu Soccer League | 5 | 12th |
| Kumamoto | Hirondelle Kumamoto | Kumamoto Football League | 7 | 1st |
| Oita | Verspah Oita | Japan Football League | 4 | 14th |
| Miyazaki | Veroskronos Tsuno | Kyushu Soccer League | 5 | 2nd |
| Kagoshima | Kagoshima United | J3 League | 3 | 11th |
| Okinawa | Okinawa SV | Japan Football League | 4 | 6th |
On 7 March 2025, the JFA announced the match pairings for the tournament, with its respective dates and kick-offs being revealed up to the Round of 16. Match pairings for the quarter-finals onwards were not announced at the time.
| J2 League (2) | J3 League (3) | Japan Football League (4) | Regional 1st Divs. (5) | Regional 2nd Divs. (6) | Prefectural leagues (7) | University Leagues (UL) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 / 6 | 14 / 14 | 6 / 6 | 15 / 15 | 1 / 1 | 2 / 2 | 10 / 10 | 54 / 88 |
| J1 League (1) | J2 League (2) | J3 League (3) | Japan Football League (4) | Regional 1st Divs. (5) | University Leagues (UL) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 / 20 | 17 / 20 | 11 / 14 | 4 / 7 | 6 / 15 | 3 / 10 | 60 / 88 |
| J1 League (1) | J2 League (2) | J3 League (3) | Japan Football League (4) | University Leagues (UL) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 / 20 | 10 / 20 | 2 / 14 | 1 / 7 | 1 / 10 | 30 / 88 |
| J1 League (1) | J2 League (2) | J3 League (3) | University Leagues (UL) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 / 20 | 2 / 20 | 1 / 14 | 1 / 10 | 16 / 88 |
The match-ups from this stage onwards was determined on 14 August 2025.
| J1 League (1) | J3 League (3) | Other leagues (2/4+) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 / 20 | 1 / 20 | 0 / 48 | 8 / 88 |
| J1 League (1) | Total |
|---|---|
| 2 / 20 | 2 / 88 |
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shota Fujio | Machida Zelvia | ||
| Kosuke Sagawa | Blaublitz Akita | ||
| Soki Hoshino | Tochigi SC | ||
| Naoki Maeda | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | ||
| Kota Mori | Fukushima United | ||
| Motoki Nagakura | FC Tokyo | ||
| Yuma Suzuki | Kashima Antlers |
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2025 J1 League
-
2025 J2 League
-
2025 J3 League
-
2025 Japan Football League
-
2025 Japanese Super Cup
-
Emperor's Cup 2025, JFA.jp
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