2024 J1 League

J1 League
Season2024
Dates23 February – 8 December 2024
← 2023
2025 →

The 2024 J1 League, also known as the 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League (Japanese: 2024 明治安田J1リーグ, Hepburn: 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 Rīgu) for sponsorship reasons, will be the 32nd season of J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. This will also be the tenth season of the league since its rebrand from J.League Division 1.

Vissel Kobe are the defending champions, having won their first ever league title with one match to spare in the previous season.[1]

Overview

For the first time since 2021, the number of the clubs in the league increased from 18 to 20. At the end of season, three clubs will be relegated to the J2 League for the 2025 season, without relegation play-offs between J1 and J2 clubs.[2]

Changes from the previous season

Only one club was relegated to the 2024 J2 League. Due to the re-introduction of 20 clubs league format, Yokohama FC, being the sole team going down to the second division, after just one season in the J1 League, have been replaced by three teams promoted from the 2023 J2 League. The first club promoted was Tokyo-based Machida Zelvia, debuting in the J1 as the J2 champions following a seven-year run in the Japanese second tier.[3][4] Another automatic promotion spot to 2024 J1 obtained by Júbilo Iwata, who made a swift comeback after just a single season absence by finishing second, thus marking the return of a team from Shizuoka in the Japanese first division since 2022.[5] The last promotion spot was earned by Tokyo Verdy, returning to the top flight for the first time since 2008 by finishing third in the J2 League and later won the promotion play-offs. This brings back the Tokyo derby between Verdy and FC Tokyo in the J1 for the first time since that season as well as the first season in which three clubs from the capital city are competing at the highest tier of Japanese football system.[6][7]

Participating clubs

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Locations of the 2024 J1 League teams
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2024 J1 League teams in Greater Tokyo Area
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2024 J1 League teams in Keihanshin
Club Location Stadium Capacity
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Hokkaido Sapporo Dome 38,794
Kashima Antlers Ibaraki Prefecture Kashima Soccer Stadium 39,170
Urawa Red Diamonds Saitama Prefecture Saitama Stadium 2002 62,010
Kashiwa Reysol Chiba Prefecture Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium 15,109
FC Tokyo Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium 49,970
Tokyo Verdy
Machida Zelvia Machida GION Stadium 15,489
Kawasaki Frontale Kanagawa Prefecture Todoroki Stadium 26,827
Yokohama F. Marinos Nissan Stadium 71,822
Shonan Bellmare Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka 15,380
Albirex Niigata Niigata Prefecture Denka Big Swan Stadium 41,684
Júbilo Iwata Shizuoka Prefecture Yamaha Stadium 15,156
Nagoya Grampus Aichi Prefecture Toyota Stadium 43,739
Kyoto Sanga Kyoto Prefecture Sanga Stadium by Kyocera 21,623
Gamba Osaka Osaka Prefecture Panasonic Stadium Suita 39,694
Cerezo Osaka Yodoko Sakura Stadium 24,481
Vissel Kobe Hyōgo Prefecture Noevir Stadium 28,996
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima 28,520
Avispa Fukuoka Fukuoka Prefecture Best Denki Stadium 21,562
Sagan Tosu Saga Prefecture Ekimae Stadium 24,130

Personnel and kits

Club Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Main shirt sponsor
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Serbia Mihailo Petrović Japan Hiroki Miyazawa Thailand Grand Sport Ishiya
Kashima Antlers Serbia Ranko Popović Japan Shoma Doi United States Nike LIXIL
Urawa Red Diamonds Norway Per-Mathias Høgmo Japan Hiroki Sakai United States Nike Polus
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Kashiwa Reysol Japan Masami Ihara Japan Taiyo Koga Japan Yonex Hitachi
FC Tokyo Australia Peter Cklamovski Japan Masato Morishige United States New Balance Mixi
Tokyo Verdy Japan Hiroshi Jofuku Japan Koki Morita Italy Givova Ramsdens Currency
Machida Zelvia Japan Go Kuroda Japan Masuyuki Okuyama Germany Adidas CyberAgent
Kawasaki Frontale Japan Toru Oniki Japan Kento Tachibanada Germany Puma Fujitsu
Yokohama F. Marinos Australia Harry Kewell Japan Takuya Kida Germany Adidas Nissan
Shonan Bellmare Japan Satoshi Yamaguchi Japan Kazuki Oiwa Japan Mizuno RiPTy
Albirex Niigata Japan Rikizo Matsuhashi Japan Yuto Horigome Germany Adidas Kameda Seika
Júbilo Iwata Japan Akinobu Yokouchi Japan Yuto Suzuki England Admiral Yamaha
Nagoya Grampus Japan Kenta Hasegawa Japan Sho Inagaki Japan Mizuno Toyota GR 86
Kyoto Sanga South Korea Cho Kwi-jae Japan Temma Matsuda Germany Puma Kyocera
Gamba Osaka Spain Dani Poyatos Japan Takashi Usami Denmark Hummel Panasonic
Cerezo Osaka Japan Akio Kogiku Japan Hiroshi Kiyotake Germany Puma Yanmar
Vissel Kobe Japan Takayuki Yoshida Japan Hotaru Yamaguchi Japan Asics Rakuten Mobile
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Germany Michael Skibbe Japan Sho Sasaki United States Nike Edion
Avispa Fukuoka Japan Shigetoshi Hasebe Japan Tatsuki Nara Japan Yonex Shin Nihon Seiyaku Kimura Information
Technology
Sagan Tosu Japan Kenta Kawai Japan Naoyuki Fujita United States New Balance Cygames

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in the table Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Kashima Antlers Japan Daiki Iwamasa[8] End of contract 4 December 2023 Pre-season Serbia Ranko Popović[9] 21 December 2023
Yokohama F. Marinos Australia Kevin Muscat[10] Resigned 6 December 2023 Australia Harry Kewell[11] 31 December 2023
Urawa Red Diamonds Poland Maciej Skorża[12] 23 December 2023 Norway Per-Mathias Høgmo[13] 23 December 2023

Foreign players

From the 2021 season, there are no limitations on signing foreign players, but clubs can only register up to five of them for a single matchday squad.[14] Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Morocco, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Tunisia, Egypt, and Qatar) were exempted from these restrictions.

  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
  • Player's name in italics indicates the player has Japanese nationality in addition to their FIFA nationality, holds the nationality of a J.League partner nation, or is exempt from being treated as a foreign player due to having been born in Japan and being enrolled in, or having graduated from an approved type of school in the country.[15]
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 Left mid-season
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Brazil Douglas Oliveira South Korea Gu Sung-yun South Korea Kim Gun-hee Thailand Supachok Sarachat
Kashima Antlers Brazil Guilherme Parede South Korea Park Eui-jeong
Urawa Red Diamonds Denmark Alexander Scholz Denmark Kasper Junker Netherlands Bryan Linssen Norway Marius Høibråten Sweden Samuel Gustafson
Kashiwa Reysol Australia Taiga Oliver Harper Brazil Diego Brazil Matheus Sávio Netherlands Jay-Roy Grot
FC Tokyo Brazil Diego Oliveira Brazil Henrique Trevisan Brazil Jája Silva
Tokyo Verdy Brazil Matheus Vidotto
Machida Zelvia Australia Mitchell Duke Brazil Ademilson Brazil Erik Chile Byron Vásquez South Korea Jang Min-gyu South Korea Na Sang-ho
Kawasaki Frontale Brazil Jesiel Brazil Marcinho France Bafétimbi Gomis South Korea Jung Sung-ryong
Yokohama F. Marinos Brazil Anderson Lopes Brazil Eduardo Brazil Élber Brazil Yan Matheus South Korea Nam Tae-hee
Shonan Bellmare South Korea Song Bum-keun South Korea Kim Min-tae
Albirex Niigata Australia Thomas Deng Brazil Danilo Gomes New Zealand Michael Fitzgerald Peru Kazuyoshi Shimabuku
Júbilo Iwata Brazil Bruno José Brazil Dudu Pacheco Brazil Léo Gomes Brazil Matheus Peixoto Brazil Ricardo Graça Brazil Weverton North Korea Ri Kyong-su South Korea Park Se-gi
Nagoya Grampus Australia Mitchell Langerak Brazil Thales
Kyoto Sanga Brazil Marco Túlio New Zealand Michael Woud Suriname Warner Hahn
Gamba Osaka Brazil Dawhan Brazil Juan Alano Israel Neta Lavi Tunisia Issam Jebali
Cerezo Osaka Belgium Jordy Croux Brazil Capixaba Brazil Léo Ceará South Korea Kim Jin-hyeon South Korea Yang Han-been
Vissel Kobe Brazil Jean Patric Brazil Lincoln Brazil Matheus Thuler Spain Juan Mata
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Brazil Douglas Vieira Brazil Ezequiel Brazil Marcos Júnior Cyprus Pieros Sotiriou Switzerland Nassim Ben Khalifa
Avispa Fukuoka Brazil Douglas Grolli Brazil Lukian Brazil Wellington
Sagan Tosu Brazil Vinícius Araújo Kenya Teddy Akumu South Korea Koh Bong-jo South Korea Lee Yoon-sung Spain Arnau Riera

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Albirex Niigata 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the AFC Champions League Elite league stage
2 Avispa Fukuoka 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Cerezo Osaka 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the AFC Champions League 2 group stage
4 Gamba Osaka 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Júbilo Iwata 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Kashima Antlers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Kashiwa Reysol 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Kawasaki Frontale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Kyoto Sanga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Machida Zelvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Nagoya Grampus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Sagan Tosu 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Shonan Bellmare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Urawa Red Diamonds 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 FC Tokyo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 Tokyo Verdy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to the J2 League
19 Vissel Kobe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 Yokohama F. Marinos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 23 February 2024. Source: J1 League
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 goals scored; 7) Fewer disciplinary points.

Results table

Home \ Away ANI AFU COS GOS HCS JIW KSA KSR KWF KYS MCZ NGR STO SHI SHB TOK TOV URD VKO YFM
Albirex Niigata —
Avispa Fukuoka —
Cerezo Osaka — a
Gamba Osaka a —
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo —
Júbilo Iwata —
Kashima Antlers —
Kashiwa Reysol —
Kawasaki Frontale —
Kyoto Sanga —
Machida Zelvia —
Nagoya Grampus —
Sagan Tosu —
Sanfrecce Hiroshima —
Shonan Bellmare —
FC Tokyo — a
Tokyo Verdy a —
Urawa Red Diamonds —
Vissel Kobe —
Yokohama F. Marinos —
First match(es) will be played: 23 February 2024. Source: J1 League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Awards

References

  1. ^ "Vissel Kobe win 2023 Meiji Yasuda J1 League title". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  2. ^ "League Structure and Competition Format from 2024 Season Unify the number of clubs in each category to 20 League Cup changed to a knockout competition with participation of all J1, J2 and J3 clubs". Japan Professional Football League. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Machida Zelvia clinches first-ever promotion to J1". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  4. ^ "FC Machida Zelvia cap amazing season with J2 title". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Júbilo Iwata win on final day to earn promotion to J1". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Tokyo Verdy promoted back to J1 after dramatic play-off final". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Football: Late draw seals J1 return for Verdy at Shimizu's expense". Mainichi Shimbun. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  8. ^ "岩政 大樹監督 退任のお知らせ" [Notice of retirement of director Daiki Iwamasa]. Antlers.co.jp (in Japanese). Kashima Antlers. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  9. ^ "ランコ ポポヴィッチ氏 監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of appointment of Mr. Ranko Popovic as manager]. Antlers.co.jp (in Japanese). Kashima Antlers. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  10. ^ "ケヴィン マスカット監督 退任のお知らせ" [Announcement regarding resignation of manager Kevin Muscat]. F-Marinos.com (in Japanese). Yokohama F. Marinos. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Yokohama F.Marinos name Harry Kewell as its new manager". F-Marinos.com. Yokohama F. Marinos. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  12. ^ "AFC Champions League winning Skorża to leave Urawa Reds after season". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  13. ^ "Announcement of appointment of Pair Matthias Hegumo (sic) as coach". Urawa-Reds.co.jp (in Japanese). Urawa Red Diamonds. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  14. ^ "「ホームグロウン制度」の導入と「外国籍選手枠」の変更について" [About the introduction of the "homegrown system" and the change of the "foreign player quota"]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 20 November 2018. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018.
  15. ^ "プロサッカー選手の契約、登録および移籍に関する規則" [Rules for contracting, registering and transferring professional soccer players] (PDF). JFA.jp (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. Retrieved 1 March 2022.

External links