From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
Japanese Regional Leagues
Japanese football leagues
Japanese football leagues
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Japanese Regional Leagues |
| pixels | 150px |
| country | Japan |
| confed | AFC (Asia) |
| founded | (Kansai and Tokai) |
| (Kanto) | |
| (Chugoku and Kyushu) | |
| (Hokushin'etsu) | |
| (Shikoku and Tohoku) | |
| (Hokkaido) | |
| divisions | 5 (first level) |
| 6 (second level) | |
| teams | 130 |
| promotion | Japan Soccer League (1966–1991) |
| Japan Football League (1992–1998) | |
| Japan Football League (1999–present) | |
| relegation | |
| levels | 5–6 |
| domest_cup | Emperor's Cup |
| Shakaijin Cup | |
| current | 2026–27 Japanese Regional Leagues |
(Kanto) (Chugoku and Kyushu) (Hokushin'etsu) (Shikoku and Tohoku) (Hokkaido) 6 (second level) Japan Football League (1992–1998) Japan Football League (1999–present) Shakaijin Cup
Japanese Regional Leagues are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organised on the regional basis. They form the fifth and sixth tier of the Japanese association football league system below the nationwide Japan Football League.
Overview
Japan is divided regionally in a variety of ways, some of them administrative and some more historical. For football purposes, the country is divided into nine regions. All regional league champions earn the right to participate in the Regional Football League Competition (since 2016 renamed Japanese Regional Football Champions League) 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, took over the folded Tosu Futures in the former JFL in 1997;
- Yokohama FC, directly admitted into the Japan Football League in 1999 upon their formation;
- Kataller Toyama, formed in 2008 as a result of the fusion of JFL clubs ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP.
- Kagoshima United FC, 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 were originally based in Kansai but moved to Kantō in 1975 after reaching the JSL;
- Tosu Futures were 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, 2025
Hokkaido Soccer League
| League | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido Soccer League | ||
| 北海道サッカーリーグ | ASC Hokkaido (ja) | Tomakomai, Hokkaido |
| BTOP Hokkaido | Kuriyama, Hokkaido | |
| Canale Otaru (ja) | Otaru City, Hokkaido | |
| Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth | Obihiro, Hokkaido | |
| Japan Steel Muroran (ja) | Asahikawa, Hokkaido | |
| Norbritz Hokkaido | Ebetsu, Hokkaido | |
| Sabas FC | Sapporo, Hokkaido | |
| Sapporo University Goal Plunderers (ja) | Sapporo, Hokkaido |
Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League
| League | Division | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League | |||
| 東北社会人サッカーリーグ | Division 1 | Blancdieu Hirosaki | Hirosaki, Aomori |
| Cobaltore Onagawa | Onagawa, Miyagi | ||
| Fuji Club 2003 (ja) | Hanamaki, Iwate | ||
| Ganju Iwate | Morioka, Iwate | ||
| Hitome Senbonzakura SUFT (ja) | Sendai, Miyagi | ||
| FC LA U. de Sendai (ja) | Sendai, Miyagi | ||
| Iwanuma, Miyagi | |||
| Sendai, Miyagi | |||
| Shichigahama, Miyagi | |||
| Shichinohe, Aomori | |||
| Division 2 North | Tsugaru, Aomori | ||
| Morioka, Iwate | |||
| Saruta Kogyo | Akita, Akita | ||
| TDK Shinwakai | Nikaho, Akita | ||
| Nippon Steel Corp. Kamaishi (ja) | Kamaishi, Iwate | ||
| Morioka, Iwate | |||
| Ōshū, Iwate | |||
| Nu Perle Hiraizumi Maesawa | Hiraizumi, Iwate | ||
| Division 2 South | Kōriyama, Fukushima | ||
| Iwaki, Fukushima | |||
| FC La U. de Sendai Second (ja) | Sendai, Miyagi | ||
| Merry FC (ja) | Fukushima, Fukushima | ||
| Parafrente Yonezawa (ja) | Yamagata | ||
| Oyama SC | Tsuruoka, Yamagata | ||
| Kōriyama, Fukushima | |||
| Shibata, Miyagi |
Kantō Soccer League
| League | Division | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanto Soccer League | |||
| 関東サッカーリーグ | Division 1 | Toshima, Tokyo | |
| Joyful Honda Tsukuba | Tsukuba, Ibaraki | ||
| Nankatsu SC | Katsushika, Tokyo | ||
| Nihon University N. (ja) | Inagi, Tokyo | ||
| RKD Ryugasaki | Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki | ||
| Toho Titanium SC | Chigasaki, Kanagawa | ||
| Toin University of Yokohama FC (ja) | Yokohama, Kanagawa | ||
| Tokyo 23 | Special wards of Tokyo | ||
| Tokyo United | Bunkyō, Tokyo | ||
| Vonds Ichihara | Ichihara, Chiba | ||
| Division 2 | Atsugi, Kanagawa | ||
| Kawagoe, Saitama | |||
| Chūō, Kōtō, Tokyo | |||
| Yokohama, Kanagawa | |||
| Chiyoda, Tokyo | |||
| Shibuya, Tokyo | |||
| Tokyo International University FC (ja) | Sakado, Saitama | ||
| Tonan Maebashi | Maebashi, Gunma | ||
| Vertfee Yaita | Yaita, Tochigi | ||
| Yokohama, Kanagawa |
Hokushinetsu Football League
| League | Division | Teams | Hometown | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokushinetsu Football League | ||||
| 北信越フットボールリーグ | Division 1 | Artista Asama | Tōmi, Nagano | |
| Fukui United | Fukui, Fukui | |||
| FC Hokuriku (ja) | Kanazawa, Ishikawa | |||
| Japan Soccer College | Seiro, Niigata | |||
| Niigata University of Health and Welfare FC (ja) | Niigata, Niigata | |||
| Niigata University of Management FC (ja) | Kamo, Niigata | |||
| Komatsu, Ishikawa | ||||
| Toyama Shinjo Club | Toyama, Toyama | |||
| Division 2 | Chino, Nagano | |||
| Shiojiri, Nagano | ||||
| CUPS Seiro | Seiro, Niigata | |||
| Kanazawa, Ishikawa | ||||
| FC Matsucelona (ja) | Matsumoto, Nagano | |||
| Toyama, Toyama | ||||
| NUHW FC (ja) | Niigata, Niigata | |||
| Sakai, Fukui |
Tōkai Soccer League
| League | Division | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tōkai Soccer League | |||
| 東海サッカーリーグ | Division 1 | Chukyo University FC (ja) | Nagoya, Aichi |
| Fujieda City Hall SC | Fujieda, Shizuoka | ||
| Fuji, Shizuoka and Fujinomiya, Shizuoka | |||
| FC Ise-Shima | Shima, Mie | ||
| Kariya, Aichi | |||
| FC Kariya | Kariya, Aichi | ||
| Tsu, Mie | |||
| Wyvern FC | Kariya, Aichi | ||
| Division 2 | Chukyo Univ.FC (ja) | Toyota, Aichi | |
| FC Gifu SECOND (ja) | Gifu, Gifu | ||
| Nagoya SC | Nagoya, Aichi | ||
| Toyokawa, Toyohashi, Aichi | |||
| Izu, Shizuoka | |||
| Yatomi, Aichi | |||
| Tokai Gakuen University FC (ja) | Miyoshi, Aichi | ||
| Shimada, Shizuoka |
Kansai Soccer League
| League | Division | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansai Soccer League | |||
| 関西サッカーリーグ | Division 1 | Arterivo Wakayama | Wakayama, Wakayama |
| Awaji Island | |||
| Akashi, Hyōgo | |||
| Cento Cuore Harima | Kakogawa, Hyogo | ||
| Kobe, Hyogo | |||
| Laranja Kyoto | Kyoto, Kyoto | ||
| Moriyama, Shiga | |||
| Ikoma, Nara | |||
| Division 2 | Hannan University Club (ja) | Matsubara, Osaka | |
| Kandai FC 2008 (ja) | Suita, Osaka | ||
| Kyoto, Kyoto | |||
| Osaka, Osaka | |||
| Ococias Kyoto | Kyoto, Kyoto | ||
| Osaka, Osaka | |||
| Kishiwada, Osaka | |||
| St.Andrew's FC (ja) | Izumi, Osaka |
Chūgoku Soccer League
| League | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Chūgoku Soccer League | ||
| 中国サッカーリーグ | Baleine Shimonoseki | Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi |
| Tottori, Tottori | ||
| Belugarosso Iwami | Iwami, Shimane | |
| ENEOS Mizushima (ja) | Kurashiki, Okayama | |
| Fukuyama City FC | Fukuyama, Hiroshima | |
| Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima | ||
| International Pacific University FC (ja) | Okayama, Okayama | |
| Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima FC | Kurashiki, Okayama | |
| SRC Hiroshima | Hiroshima, Hiroshima | |
| Yonago, Tottori |
Shikoku Soccer League
| League | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Shikoku Soccer League | ||
| 四国サッカーリーグ | KUFC Nankoku (ja) | Nankoku, Kōchi |
| Kōchi, Kōchi | ||
| Niihama, Ehime | ||
| Takamatsu, Kagawa | ||
| Takamatsu, Kagawa | ||
| Tadotsu, Kagawa | ||
| FC Tokushima | Tokushima, Tokushima | |
| Shikokuchūō, Ehime |
Kyushu Soccer League
| League | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Kyushu Soccer League | ||
| 九州サッカーリーグ | ||
| Brew Kashima | Kashima, Saga | |
| Fukuoka, Fukuoka | ||
| Kawasoe, Saga | ||
| Fukuoka, Fukuoka | ||
| J-Lease FC | Oita, Oita | |
| Nagasaki, Nagasaki | ||
| NIFS Kanoya FC (ja) | Kanoya, Kagoshima | |
| Nippon Steel Oita SC (ja) | Ōita, Ōita | |
| Nobeoka Agata | Nobeoka, Miyazaki | |
| Veroskronos Tsuno | Tsuno, Miyazaki |
References
References
- "2024年度 東北社会人サッカーリーグ1部 {{!}} 試合日程／結果".
- "2024年度 東北社会人サッカーリーグ2部北 {{!}} 試合日程／結果".
- "2024年度 東北社会人サッカーリーグ2部南 {{!}} 試合日程／結果".
- "第58回関東サッカーリーグ1部".
- "第58回関東サッカーリーグ2部 {{!}} 日程・結果".
- "第50回北信越フットボールリーグDivision1".
- "第50回北信越フットボールリーグDivision2 {{!}} 日程・結果".
- "2024年 1部リーグの試合日程をご案内いたします".
- "第59回アストエンジ関西サッカーリーグDivision１ {{!}} 日程・結果".
- "第59回アストエンジ関西サッカーリーグDivision2 {{!}} 日程・結果".
- "2024年度 第52回 中国サッカーリーグ {{!}} 試合日程／結果".
- "第48回四国サッカーリーグ {{!}} 日程・結果".
- "KYFA第５２回九州サッカーリーグ {{!}} 試合日程／結果".
- "KYFA第５２回九州サッカーリーグ {{!}} 試合日程／結果".
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
Ask Mako anything about Japanese Regional Leagues — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report