2023 Japan Football League
The 2023 Japan Football League (Japanese: 第25回日本フットボールリーグ[第25回 JFL 2023], Hepburn: Dai Nijūgokai Nihon Futtobōru Rīgu [Dai Nijūgokai JFL 2023]) will be the tenth season having a fourth-tier status in Japanese football and the 25th season since the establishment of Japan Football League. The matches will continue to be mostly broadcast/streamed live at Japan Football League's channel.[1]
| Season | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 12 March – 26 November |
| Matches played | 56 |
| Goals scored | 125 (2.23 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Tsubasa Sano (5 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Tiamo Hirakata 4–1 Tokyo MU (2 April) |
| Biggest away win | Verspah Oita 0–4 Veertien Mie (30 April) |
| Highest scoring | Tiamo Hirakata 2–4 Criacao Shinjuku (14 May) |
| Highest attendance | 11,150 Criacao Shinjuku 2–1 Briobecca Urayasu (9 April) |
| Lowest attendance | 142 Tokyo MU 0–1 Maruyasu Okazaki (26 March) |
| Total attendance | 42,878 |
| Average attendance | 766 |
← 2022 2024 →
All statistics correct as of 14 May 2023. | |
Overview
Promoted from the JFL
In the previous JFL edition, Nara Club were promoted to the J3 League as league champions, while FC Osaka were promoted to the J3 as runners-up. Coincidentally, both clubs are from the Kansai region, and were promoted from the Kansai Soccer League in the same 2014 season, and then debuted in the JFL in 2015. Now both clubs were again promoted together, this time to the J3 League.
Promoted from the Regional Leagues
Okinawa SV and Briobecca Urayasu were respectively, winners and runners-up of the 2022 Regional Champions League, which gives non-league teams the opportunity to be promoted to the JFL. A meeting between the JFL Board of Directors, which was held on 6 December 2022, determined whether the mentioned teams will have its membership accepted. The results were published on the same day at 13:00 (JST).[2]
In case one or both teams failed to meet the requirements needed to play in the JFL, the next team in the order of priority would have joined the JFL, which goes in order from the first-placed team to the last-placed team in the Regional Champions League. In other words, the two best teams amongst those whom the JFL have approved membership could be promoted. Tochigi City FC, the 3rd-placed, and FC Kariya, the 4th-placed of the competition, could still have been promoted under this hypothetical situation. Nevertheless, it didn't needed to be applied, as both Okinawa and Briobecca won promotion and membership approval from the JFL.[3]
Promotion and relegation between J3 and JFL
This season will be the first to feature promotion/relegation between the J3 League and the Japan Football League, enabling the possibility for teams to be relegated from the J3.[4] The system of promotion/relegation between the leagues can be determined by the eligibility (Promotion to J3 requires a J.League license) of the JFL's champions and runners-up for the season.
- If only the JFL champions holds a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation with the J3's 20th-placed team.
- If only the JFL runners-up holds a license, there will be promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 20th-placed team.
- If both the JFL champions and runners-up hold a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation between the JFL champions and the J3's 20th-placed team, and promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 19th-placed team.
- If both the JFL champions and runners-up do not hold a license, no promotion/relegation between J3 and JFL will take place.
The dates and the host teams of the promotion/relegation play-off were pre-determined by the J.League. In case it happens: It will be played in two legs on 9 and 16 December, with the J3 team hosting the second leg; away-goals rule will not be applied; should the match be tied, it will require extra-time, and if the draw persists, penalty shoot-outs.[5]
Promotion and relegation between JFL and Regional Leagues
For another season, the league decided to change the promotion/relegation system. The league was "forced" to it due to the withdrawal of FC Kagura Shimane from the JFL. As the club decided to withdraw from the JFL only after the league's schedule was already released, the league season will need to be played with 15 teams. On 23 January 2023, the JFL confirmed the following:
- The winner of the 2023 Regional Champions League (JFL promotion series) will be automatically promoted for the 2024 JFL.
- The 15th-placed team from the JFL will play a play-off match against the runners-up of the promotion series, with the winner earning a spot at the 2024 JFL.
Further details about the subject, as well as the league schedule, was released by the league on 10 February.[6] The league officially scheduled the 2023 season on that day.[7]
Withdrawal
On 21 September 2022, via their Twitter account, Kagura Shimane announced it was pending payment of about two and a half months' worth of wages for players and staff.[8] Many discussions were made between the JFL Board of Directors and Kagura Shimane's staff and executives. Only on 23 January 2023, after many postponements regarding the final decision over the subject, it was confirmed that Shimane withdrew from the JFL, just a few days after the league schedule was released.[9][10]
Club name changes
On 27 January 2023, Honda Lock SC and MIO Biwako Shiga officially changed their names to Minebea Mitsumi FC and Reilac Shiga respectively.
Participating clubs
The teams which possess promotion-enabler licenses are highlighted in green in the following table. From 2023, the 100 Year Plan status seems to be no longer required to be given approval for a potential J3 promotion.
| Club Name | Home town | Stadium | Capacity | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briobecca Urayasu | Urayasu, Chiba | Kashiwanoha Stadium | 20,000 |  JRCL (1st) | |
| Criacao Shinjuku | Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo | Ajinomoto Field Nishigaoka | 7,258 | JFL (15th) | 100 Year Plan status[11][12] |
| Honda FC | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | Honda Miyakoda Soccer Stadium | 2,506 | JFL (3rd) | |
| Kochi United | Kōchi, Kōchi | Kōchi Haruno Athletic Stadium | 25,000 | JFL (11th) | J3 license holders [12][13] |
| Maruyasu Okazaki | Okazaki, Aichi | Maruyasu Okazaki Ryūhoku Stadium | 5,000 | JFL (5th) | |
| Minebea Mitsumi | Miyazaki, Miyazaki | Hinata Athletic Stadium | 20,000 | JFL (10th) | |
| Okinawa SV | All cities/towns in Okinawa[lower-alpha 1] | Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium | 10,189[14] | JRCL (2nd) | 100 Year Plan status[12] |
| Reilac Shiga | Kusatsu, Shiga | Higashiōmi Nunobiki Green Stadium | 5,060 | JFL (16th) | 100 Year Plan status applicants |
| ReinMeer Aomori | Aomori, Aomori | Kakuhiro Group Athletic Stadium | 20,809 | JFL (4th) | J3 license holders[12] |
| Sony Sendai | Tagajō, Miyagi | Miyagi Seikyō Megumino Soccer Stadium | 10,000 | JFL (14th) | |
| Suzuka Point Getters | Suzuka, Mie | AGF Suzuka Athletic Stadium | 1,450 | JFL (9th) | Former J3 license holders[Note 1] |
| Tiamo Hirakata | Hirakata, Osaka | Tamayura Athletic Stadium | 2,500 | JFL (13th) | |
| Tokyo Musashino United | Musashino, Tokyo | Musashino Municipal Athletic Stadium | 5,188 | JFL (6th) | |
| Veertien Mie | All cities/towns in Mie[lower-alpha 2] | LA PITA Tōin Stadium | 5,077 | JFL (7th) | J3 license holders[12] |
| Verspah Oita | Yufu, Beppu & Ōita,[15] Ōita | Resonac Soccer/Rugby Field | 4,700 | JFL (8th) | J3 license holders[16][12] |
Personnel and kits
| Club | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Main shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Briobecca Urayasu |  Kei Shibata | soccer junky |
Urata |
| Criacao Shinjuku | Hideaki Kitajima | gym master |
Assetlead |
| Honda FC | Hidekazu Kobayashi |  Umbro |
Honda |
| Kochi United | Takafumi Yoshimoto |  Athleta |
None |
| Maruyasu Okazaki | Hiroyasu Ibata | Athleta |
Maruyasu |
| Minebea Mitsumi | Yosuke Miyaji | Umbro |
MinebeaMitsumi |
| Okinawa SV | Naohiro Takahara | XF |
Nestle Japan |
| Reilac Shiga | Shinji Yamaguchi | Jogarbola |
Rei Beauty Dermatology Clinic |
| ReinMeer Aomori | Kei Shibata | Umbro |
Towa |
| Sony Sendai | Jun Suzuki | Umbro |
Sony |
| Suzuka Point Getters | Yasutoshi Miura | Athleta |
Topia |
| Tiamo Hirakata | Takahiro Futagawa | Jogarbola |
Izawa Towel |
| Tokyo Musashino United | Hiroki Yoda | Yonex |
Yokogawa Electric |
| Veertien Mie | Yasuhiro Higuchi | Sfida |
Cosmo Oil |
| Verspah Oita | Takashi Yamahashi | Yasuda |
Hoyo |
- centering on Tomigusuku, Uruma, and Okinawa
- centering on Kuwana & Yokkaichi
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing | Manner | Exit date | Position in table | Incoming | Incoming date | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Announced on | Departed on | Announced on | Arrived on | ||||||
| Criacao Shinjuku | Ichiro Naruyama | Undisclosed | Pre-season | – | Hideaki Kitajima | Pre-season | [17] | ||
| Honda FC | Hiroyuki Abe | Undisclosed | Pre-season | – | Hidekazu Kobayashi | Pre-season | [18] | ||
| Reilac Shiga | Hiroshi Otsuki | Undisclosed | Pre-season | – | Akira Teramine | Pre-season | [19] | ||
| Tiamo Hirakata | Hiroyuki Takeda | Undisclosed | Pre-season | – | Takahiro Futagawa | Pre-season | [20] | ||
Foreign players
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Briobecca Urayasu | ||
| Criacao Shinjuku |  Hwang Song-su |
|
| Honda FC | ||
| Kochi United | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Tando Velaphi |
|
| Maruyasu Okazaki | ||
| Minebea Mitsumi | ||
| Okinawa SV | ||
| Reilac Shiga |  Mun Jun-su |
 Leung Yau Wai |
| ReinMeer Aomori | ||
| Sony Sendai | ||
| Suzuka Point Getters | Kim Tae-woo |
To Chun Kiu |
| TIAMO Hirakata |  Emeka Basil |
|
| Tokyo Musashino United | ||
| Veertien Mie | Kim Song-sun |
Ryang Hyon-ju |
| Verspah Oita |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sony Sendai | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 15 | Possible promotion to 2024 J3 League[lower-alpha 1] |
| 2 | Reilac Shiga | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 14 | Possible qualification for promotion playoffs[lower-alpha 1] |
| 3 | Minebea Mitsumi | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 13 | |
| 4 | Verspah Oita | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 10 | −1 | 13 | |
| 5 | Kochi United | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 11 | |
| 6 | Suzuka Point Getters | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 11 | |
| 7 | ReinMeer Aomori | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 11 | |
| 8 | Veertien Mie | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 10 | |
| 9 | Honda FC | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 10 | |
| 10 | Tiamo Hirakata | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 10 | |
| 11 | Criacao Shinjuku | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | |
| 12 | Tokyo Musashino United | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 10 | |
| 13 | Maruyasu Okazaki | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 9 | |
| 14 | Okinawa SV | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 10 | −7 | 4 | |
| 15 | Briobecca Urayasu | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 14 | −7 | 3 | Qualification for relegation playoffs |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goal scored; 7) Fair-play points.
Notes:
- Promotion is conditional on holding a valid J3 license (marked in bold in the table). If the champions hold a license, the club will be automatically promoted. If the runners-up hold a license, the club will need to play promotion/relegation play-offs against J3's 19th or 20th-placed team for the season. The club(s) that does not hold a license can not be promoted.
Season statistics
- As of 14 May 2023.
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[21] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tsubasa Sano |
Criacao Shinjuku | 5 |
| 2 | Koya Handa |
Verspah Oita | 4 |
| Yuki Okazaki |
Honda FC | ||
| Shota Tamura |
Veertien Mie | ||
| 5 | Shuga Ara |
Reilac Shiga | 3 |
| Takumi Matsumoto |
Sony Sendai | ||
| Riku Suzuki |
Honda FC | ||
Hat-tricks
A player is yet to score three goals in the same match.
References
- "Informations about 2022 JFL broadcasting system". Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- "JFL Membership Submission 2022". jfl.or.jp (in Japanese). Japan Football League. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- "お知らせ「第２５回日本フットボールリーグ新入会チームについて」". jfl.or.jp (in Japanese). Japan Football League. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- "2023シーズン以降のＪ３クラブ・ＪＦＬクラブの入れ替えについて". jleague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- "Promotion and Relegation between J3 and JFL from 2023 season". jleague.co. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- "２０２２年度第８回ＪＦＬ理事会報告事項（しまね、入替について）". JFL (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- "第25回日本フットボールリーグ 日程発表!" (Press release). 日本フットボールリーグ. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
- FC Kagura Shimane [@fckagurashimane] (21 September 2022). "選手、スタッフ、社員に対する給与の未払いについて" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 November 2022 – via Twitter.
- "JFL退会のお知らせ". FC Kagura Shimane (in Japanese). 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- "２０２２年度第８回ＪＦＬ理事会報告事項（しまね、入替について）". JFL (in Japanese). 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- "J3クラブライセンス申請のお知らせ". Criacao Shinjuku. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
- J3 Licenses - "２０２３シーズンＪ３クラブライセンス判定結果について（Ｊ３入会を希望するクラブ）". jleague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- "2023年シーズンJ3クラブライセンス交付のお知らせ". Kochi United SC (in Japanese). 27 September 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- "【タピスタ（沖縄県陸）】日本フットボールリーグオフィシャルWebサイト". www.jfl.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-03-19.
- "Addition of Oita City as Hometown". verspah.jp/. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- "J3クラブライセンス申請のお知らせ" (in Japanese). 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- "北嶋秀朗氏 トップチームのヘッドコーチ就任のお知らせ". Criacao Shinjuku (in Japanese). 28 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- "2022年度 Honda FC 退団選手・退任スタッフのお知らせ". Honda FC (in Japanese). 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- "寺峰 輝 氏 トップチーム監督就任のお知らせ". MIO Biwako Shiga (in Japanese). 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- "二川 孝広氏 FCティアモ枚方 監督就任のお知らせ". FC Tiamo Hirakata (in Japanese). 20 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- "第２３回 日本フットボールリーグ(2023)". jfl.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 March 2023.
External links
- Official website (in Japanese)