This is a list of association football clubs in Japan from the 2026–27 season.
Japan Professional Football League (J.League)
editThree leagues will consist of 20 teams from 2024 onwards.
J1 League
editFirst division of the Japanese professional football system with 20 clubs:
- Avispa Fukuoka
- Cerezo Osaka
- Fagiano Okayama
- Gamba Osaka
- JEF United Chiba
- Kashima Antlers
- Kashiwa Reysol
- Kawasaki Frontale
- Kyoto Sanga
- Machida Zelvia
- Mito HollyHock
- Nagoya Grampus
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima
- Shimizu S-Pulse
- FC Tokyo
- Tokyo Verdy
- Urawa Red Diamonds
- V-Varen Nagasaki
- Vissel Kobe
- Yokohama F. Marinos
J2 League
editSecond division of the Japanese professional football system with 20 clubs:
- Albirex Niigata
- Blaublitz Akita
- Fujieda MYFC
- Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
- FC Imabari
- Iwaki FC
- Júbilo Iwata
- Kataller Toyama
- Montedio Yamagata
- Oita Trinita
- RB Omiya Ardija
- Sagan Tosu
- Shonan Bellmare
- Tegevajaro Miyazaki
- Tochigi City FC
- Tokushima Vortis
- Vanraure Hachinohe
- Vegalta Sendai
- Ventforet Kofu
- Yokohama FC
J3 League
editThird and last division of the Japanese professional football system with 20 clubs:
Japan Football League (JFL)
editFirst division of the Japanese amateur football system and the only nationwide division for amateur clubs.
16 clubs:
- Azul Claro Numazu (L)
- Briobecca Urayasu Ichikawa
- Criacao Shinjuku (L)
- Honda FC (C)
- Iwate Grulla Morioka (L)
- J-Lease FC
- Maruyasu Okazaki (C)
- Minebea Mitsumi FC (C)
- Okinawa SV
- ReinMeer Aomori (L)
- Tiamo Hirakata
- Veertien Mie (L)
- Verspah Oita (L)
- Vonds Ichihara
- Yokogawa Musashino
- Yokohama Sports & Culture Club
Japanese Regional Leagues
editIt are a group of nine parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organized on the regional basis. They form the fifth and sixth tier of the Japanese association football league system.
Hokkaidō League
edit- ASC Hokkaido (Tomakomai, Hokkaido)
- Sabas (Sapporo, Hokkaido, Hokkaido)
- BTOP Hokkaido (Kuriyama, Hokkaido)
- Canale Otaru (Otaru, Hokkaido)
- Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth (Obihiro, Hokkaido)
- Japan Steel Muroran (Muroran, Hokkaido)
- Norbritz Hokkaido (Sapporo, Hokkaido)
- Sapporo Univ. Goal Plunderers (Sapporo, Hokkaido) (Un)
Tōhoku League
editDivision 1
edit- Blancdieu Hirosaki (Hirosaki, Aomori)
- Cobaltore Onagawa (Onagawa, Miyagi)
- Fuji Club 2003 (Hanamaki, Iwate) (Un)
- Ganju Iwate (Hachimantai, Iwate)
- Hitome Senbonzakura ft. S.U.F.T. (Shibata, Miyagi) (Un)
- Michinoku Sendai (Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture)
- Shichigahama SC (Shichigahama, Miyagi)
- Shichinohe SC (Shichinohe, Aomori)
- Sendai Sasuke (Sendai, Miyagi)
- FC La Universidad de Sendai (Shibata, Miyagi) (Un)
Division 2
editNorth
editSouth
edit- Chaneaule Koriyama (Koriyama, Fukushima)
- Iwaki Furukawa (Iwaki, Fukushima)
- Merry (Fukushima, Fukushima)
- Oyama Club (Morioka, Iwate)
- Parafrente Yonezawa (Yonezawa, Yamagata)
- Primeiro Fukushima (Fukushima prefecture)
- Ricoh Industry Tohoku (Shibata, Miyagi) (C)
- FC La Universidad de Sendai Segunda (Sendai, Miyagi) (Un)
Kantō Soccer League (KSL)
editDivision 1
edit- Aries Toshima (Toshima, Tokyo)
- Edo All United (Edogawa, Tokyo)
- Nankatsu SC (Katsushika, Tokyo)
- FC N. (Inagi, Tokyo) (Un)
- RKD Ryugasaki (Un)
- Shibuya City FC (Shibuya, Tokyo)
- Toho Titanium (Kanagawa Prefecture)
- Toin University of Yokohama FC (Yokohama, Kanagawa) (Un)
- Tokyo 23 (Special wards of Tokyo)
- Tokyo United (Bunkyō, Tokyo)
Division 2
edit- Atsugi Hayabusa (Atsugi, Kanagawa)
- Coedo Kawagoe (Kawagoe, Saitama)
- Esperanza SC (Yokohama, Kanagawa)
- Hitachi Building System SC (Chiyoda, Tokyo) (C)
- Joyful Honda Tsukuba (Tsukuba, Ibaraki) (C)
- Onodera FC (Yokohama, Kanagawa)
- Tochigi City U-25 (Tochigi, Tochigi)
- Tokyo International University (Sakado, Saitama) (Un)
- Tonan Maebashi (Maebashi, Gunma)
- Vertfee Yaita (Yaita, Tochigi)
Hokushin'etsu League (HFL)
editDivision 1
edit- '05 Kamo FC (Kamo, Niigata) (Un)
- Artista Asama (Tōmi, Nagano)
- Fukui United (Fukui, Fukui)
- FC Hokuriku (Kanazawa, Ishikawa) (Un)
- JSC FC (Seirō, Niigata) (aka. College of Upward Players in Soccer or CUPS)
- Niigata UHW (Niigata, Niigata) (Un)
- SR Komatsu (Komatsu, Ishikawa)
- Toyama Shinjo Club (Toyama, Toyama)
Division 2
edit- FC Abies (Chino, Nagano)
- Antelope Shoijiri (Shiojiri, Nagano)
- CUPS Seirō (Seirō, Niigata) (Japan Soccer College "B" team)
- Kanazawa Gakuin University (Kanazawa, Ishikawa) (Un)
- FC Matsucelona (Matsumoto, Nagano) (Un)
- N-Style Toyama (Toyama)
- NUHW FC (Niigata, Niigata) (Un B team)
- Sakai Phoenix (Sakai, Fukui)
Tōkai League
editKansai League
editDivision 1
edit- Arterivo Wakayama (Wakayama, Wakayama)
- Asuka FC (Kashihara, Nara)
- FC AWJ (Awaji, Hyōgo)
- Basara Hyōgo (Akashi, Hyōgo) (renamed from FC Easy 02 Akashi)
- Cento Cuore Harima (Harima, Hyōgo)
- Kobe FC 1970 (Kobe)
- Laranja Kyoto (Kyoto, Kyoto)
- Velago Ikoma (Ikoma, Nara) (relocated from Lagend Shiga)
- Moriyama Samurai 2000 (Moriyama, Shiga)
Division 2
editChūgoku League
edit- Baleine Shimonoseki (Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi)
- Banmel Tottori (Tottori, Tottori)
- Belugarosso Iwami (Hamada, Shimane)
- Eneos Mizushima (Kurashiki, Okayama)
- Fukuyama City FC (Fukuyama, Hiroshima)
- Hatsukaichi FC (Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima)
- International Pacific University FC (Okayama, Okayama) (Un)
- Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima (Kurashiki, Okayama) (C)
- SRC Hiroshima (Hiroshima, Hiroshima)
- Yonago Genki SC (Yonago, Tottori)
Shikoku League
editKyūshū League (Kyu-League)
edit- Brew Kashima (Kashima, Saga)
- Itazuke FC (Fukuoka, Fukuoka)
- Kawasoe Club (Saga, Saga)
- KMG Holdings FC (Fukuoka, Fukuoka) (C)
- J-Lease FC (Ōita)
- MHI Nagasaki SC (Nagasaki, Nagasaki)
- NIFS Kanoya FC (Kanoya, Kagoshima) (Un)
- Nippon Steel Oita SC (Ōita, Ōita)
- Nobeoka Agata (Nobeoka, Miyazaki)
- Veroskronos Tsuno (Tsuno, Miyazaki)
Notes
edit- Teams with "L" are JFL teams which have a J.League club license issued for the 2025 season.[1][2]
- Teams with "C" are company teams.
- Teams with "Un" are feeder (or "B") teams for their universities' main football teams.
- In the Regional Leagues, first divisions equal to Japanese fifth tier of league football, while second divisions equal to the sixth tier. So, regional leagues who only have one single division, such as Shikoku, have teams going straight from the prefectural top divisions to the fifth tier in case of a promotion.
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ 2025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） [Regarding the results of the 2025 J3 Club License assessment (Clubs wishing to join J3)]. J.League (in Japanese). J.League. September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ↑ クラブライセンス交付第一審機関（ＦＩＢ）決定による2025シーズン Ｊ１・Ｊ２クラブライセンス判定結果について [Regarding the results of the 2025 J1 and J2 Club License assessment by the club license issuing First Instance Body (FIB)]. J.League (in Japanese). J.League. September 24, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2025.