Former logo
This logo was used from 2015 to 2018 J3 League ( japanese : J3リーグ, Hepburn : J3 Rīgu ) or just J3 is the third division of Japan Professional Football League ( 日本プロサッカーリーグ, Nihon Puro Sakkā Rīgu ) that has established a third-tier professional association football league in Japan starting in 2013.
Reading: J3 League – Wikipedia
The third-tier countrywide league is a relatively recent development in japanese football with the first try dated 1992 ( second division of the old JFL ), though it only lasted for two seasons. In 1999, following the institution of J2 League, a newly Japan Football League was created, becoming the one-third tier onwards. After introduction of J3 the JFL has been moved down the pyramid and become a fourth-tier countrywide league, for the first time in history of japanese football. The league is known by their title patronize, the Meiji Yasuda J3 League ( japanese : 明治安田生命J3リーグ ). [ 2 ]
amateur era ( until 2013 ) [edit ]
A national third base tier of japanese association football was first established along with its professionalization in 1992, when the newly created Japan Football League kicked off with two tiers below the professional J. League. Among the 10 original clubs of the third tier included the forerunners to Kyoto Sanga FC, Ventforet Kofu, Omiya Ardija, Avispa Fukuoka and Vissel Kobe ( the latter two being located in different regions from their J. League successors ). But after a phone number of clubs were lost for assorted reasons – some were promoted to J.League and the others folded – the league contracted the moment part in 1994 and continued with the unmarried second-tier division. The one-third tier football was reintroduced in 1999 upon creation of fully professional J2. The old JFL was dissolved but a new Japan Football League was formed the like class in orderliness to establish a nationally top-tier amateur league. But despite its formally amateur condition the league cursorily became de facto semi-professional, serving as the cradle of the future J. League members. Since the establishment of companion membership arrangement in 2006 the number of professional clubs holding or actively seeking for this status has grown steadily and reached its peak in 2013 temper when 6 wide members and 2 former candidates made up to about half of the league ‘s 18 teams. Through the class of the season this act grew even bigger, to 10 broad associate degree members that formed the core of J3 .
professionalization and administration ( 2013 ) [edit ]
close to the end of 2012 football season japanese media began to spread rumors [ 3 ] [ 4 ] about the approaching professional third-tier league, referred to as either “ J3 ” or “ J.Challenge League ”. Most of the sources agreed that the newfangled league will feature around 10–12 clubs, most of which will be consociate members. The league would besides provide more relaxed license criteria in comparison to J2 – e.g. the stadium seating capacity of just 3,000 with no mandatary floodlight. [ 5 ] After the discussion on J1-J2 Joint Committee on 16 January 2013, all J.League clubs agreed in principle with an institution of the new league begin 2014. [ 6 ] This decision was formally put into impel by J.League Council in a 26 February administrator meeting. [ 7 ] The league was planned to launch with 10 teams, but another school term of J.League Council in July decided that inauguration season of J3 will feature 12 teams. [ 8 ] To participate, a clubhouse must have held an associate membership, or have submitted an application before 30 June 2013, and then passed an inspection to obtain a participation license issued by J.League Council. [ 9 ] On 19 November, J.League confirmed the following clubs to participate in the inauguration J3 temper : [ 10 ]
future plans [edit ]
The league has not provided a clear expansion timeline however but it was most probably that J3 continued to accommodate new teams after its inaugural address temper. The pursuit is a number of clubs that may get promoted to J.League in the near future : [ 12 ]
other teams have applied for J.League companion membership but were denied. Most of these clubs continue to aim for J3 as their ultimate goal .
Two teams, one withdrew its J3 license and the other its J.League 100 Year plan status, once consociate membership :
Some sources claim that J3 was intended to reach improving to 60 clubs in the future, being split into three regionalized divisions running in analogue. [ 13 ]
timetable [edit ]
| Year | Important events | No. J3 clubs |
Prom. slots |
Rel. slots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 |
A J.League U-22 Selection is besides included, composed of the best J1 and J2 youngsters to prepare them for the 2016 Olympics. Read more: FIFA 21 Pro Clubs
|
11+1 | 1.5 | 0 |
| 2015 |
|
12+1 | 1.5 | 0 |
| 2016 |
|
13+3 | 1.5 | 0 |
| 2017 |
|
14+3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 |
|
15+3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 |
|
16+3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 |
|
16+2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 |
|
15 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
2022 season [edit ]
League format [edit ]
For this season, the league is played in two rounds ( home-and-away ), each team playing a sum of 34 matches. [ 14 ] Each team must have at least 3 players holding professional contracts. besides, from the 2016 season, 5 foreign players are allowed per team, plus 1 more from J.League ‘s ASEAN collaborator country of or from other AFC countries. The matchday roll will consist of 18 players, and up to 3 substitutes will be allowed in a plot. [ 15 ]
promotion and relegation [edit ]
Rules for promotion to J2 are largely exchangeable to those of Japan Football League in late seasons : to be promoted, a baseball club must hold or be granted a J2 license and finish in top 2 of the league. Since 2017, the champions and the runner-up have been promoted directly and replace the 21st- and 22nd-placed J2 clubs. If alone the supporter or runner-up holds or is given a J2 license, merely the penetrate cabaret of J2 is relegated ; if both exceed 2 finishers are ineligible for promotion, then no teams will be promoted to or relegated from J2. [ 14 ] At a J.League board meet in August 2021, 60 clubs ( of which 20 are J3 ) were targeted for the entire league, and a possibility that J3 will have exceeded 20 clubs by the 2023 temper was brought up. Mitsuru Murai, the J.League chair, revealed that he was discussing how to adjust to 20 clubs. At this time, he was asked, “ If there is a possibility of the [ J3 ] league having 21 teams, is it okay to understand that there are teams that will fall from J3 to JFL ? ” While under consideration, he admitted that the J3 and JFL were considering the introduction of relegation to the latter league a early as after the 2022 season. [ 16 ] Later in November, Murai announced that promotion from and relegation to the JFL had been planned following the 2023 season. [ 17 ]
Participating clubs ( 2022 ) [edit ]
- Pink background indicates clubs most recently promoted from JFL
- Gray background indicates the club most recently relegated from J2
- “Year joined” is the year the club joined the J. League (J3 League unless otherwise indicated).
- “First season in D3,” “Seasons in D3,” and “Current spell in D3” include seasons in JFL
Stadiums ( 2022 ) [edit ]
primary coil venues used in the J3 League :
early clubs [edit ]
- Pink background indicates clubs most recently promoted to J2
- “Year joined” is the year the club joined the J. League (J3 League unless otherwise indicated).
- “First season in D3,” “Seasons in D3,” and “Current spell in D3” include seasons in JFL
Championship/Promotion History [edit ]
* Bold designates the promote club ;
† Lost the J2–J3 playoffs ;
‡ Won the J2–J3 playoffs and got promoted ;
Most successful clubs [edit ]
Clubs in bold compete in J3 as of 2022 season .
Players and managers [edit ]
Managers [edit ]
exceed scorers [edit ]
See besides [edit ]
- Domestic cup
References [edit ]
Read more: FIFA 21 Pro Clubs