The 2025 J1 League, also known as the 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League (Japanese: 2025 明治安田J1リーグ, Hepburn: 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 Rīgu) for sponsorship reasons, will be the 33rd season of J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. This is the 11th season of the league since its rebrand from J.League Division 1.
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 14 February – 6 December |
← 2024 2026 → | |
Vissel Kobe are the defending champions, having won their second league title in a row on the last matchday of the 2024 season.[1]
Overview
editThis is the last J.League season played in a whole calendar year from late winter to early winter, with the following season onwards played from summer to spring.[2]
The tournament format and match format were announced on 25 November 2024, with the season started on 14 February 2025 and concluded on 6 December 2025.[3]
This season is also the last with an annual format; for 2026 the league will adopt the European calendar for September to May.[4]
Changes from the previous season
editThere were three teams relegated to the 2025 J2 League. Júbilo Iwata, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, and Sagan Tosu, were relegated as they finished 18th, 19th, and 20th respectively in the previous season, ending their one, eight, and 13-year stays in the top flight respectively.
Three teams were promoted from the 2024 J2 League: Shimizu S-Pulse, who won the title and returned to J1 after a two-year absence, Yokohama FC, who finished second, returning to the J1 after just a season playing in the J2 League, and Fagiano Okayama, who finished fifth and won the play-offs; they will play in the top division for the first time in their history.
Clubs
edit
Personnel and kits
edit
Managerial changes
edit| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kashiwa Reysol |  Masami Ihara[5][6]
|
End of contract | 9 December 2024 | Pre-season |  Ricardo Rodríguez[7]
|
11 December 2024 |
| FC Tokyo |  Peter Cklamovski[8]
|
Rikizo Matsuhashi[9]
|
21 December 2024 | |||
| Cerezo Osaka | Akio Kogiku[10]
|
Arthur Papas[11]
|
17 December 2024 | |||
| Avispa Fukuoka | Shigetoshi Hasebe[12]
|
 Kim Myung-hwi[13]
|
13 December 2024 | |||
| Kawasaki Frontale | Toru Oniki[14]
|
Shigetoshi Hasebe[15]
|
12 December 2024 | |||
| Kashima Antlers | Masaki Chugo
|
End of interim spell | Toru Oniki[16]
|
12 December 2024 | ||
| Yokohama F. Marinos |  John Hutchinson
|
 Steve Holland[17]
|
17 December 2024 | |||
| Albirex Niigata | Rikizo Matsuhashi[18]
|
Resigned | 13 December 2024 | Daisuke Kimori[19]
|
19 December 2024 |
Foreign players
editFrom 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.[20] Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Morocco, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia) 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.[21]
League table
edit| 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 | |
| 4 | Fagiano Okayama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Gamba Osaka | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Kashima Antlers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Kashiwa Reysol | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Kawasaki Frontale | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Machida Zelvia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Nagoya Grampus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Kyoto Sanga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Shonan Bellmare | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | FC Tokyo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16 | Tokyo Verdy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | Vissel Kobe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to the J2 League |
| 19 | Yokohama FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 20 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (December 2024) |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "J.League Matchweek 38 Recap: Vissel are champions again". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ ".League season timing to transition from 2026/27 season". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "2025明治安田J1リーグ 大会方式および試合方式について" [2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League Tournament Format and Match Format]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League.
- ^ "2026年前半 シーズン移行期の特別大会について" [Announcement of the 2026 transition tournament.]. www.jleague.co (in Japanese). 17 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- ^ "サッカーJ1 柏レイソル 井原正巳監督 今季かぎりで退任を発表" [Kashiwa Reysol J1 football team manager Masami Ihara announces his retirement at the end of this season] (in Japanese). NHK. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "井原 正巳監督 退任のお知らせ" [Announcement of Director Masami Ihara's Resignation] (in Japanese). Kashiwa Reysol. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "リカルド ロドリゲス監督 就任内定のお知らせ" [Ricardo Rodriguez to assume new managerial role] (in Japanese). Kashiwa Reysol. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "ピーター クラモフスキー監督今シーズン限りでの退任のお知らせ" [Manager Peter Cklamovski to retire at the end of this season]. FCTokyo.co.jp (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "松橋力蔵氏 監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of new manager, Rikizo Matsuhashi]. FCTokyo.co.jp (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 21 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ "小菊 昭雄監督 今シーズンでの契約満了について" [Manager Akio Kogiku: Regarding the expiration of his contract at the end of this season]. Cerezo.com.jp (in Japanese). Cerezo Osaka. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "アーサー パパス氏 監督就任について" [Arthur Papas' appointment as manager]. Cerezo.com.jp (in Japanese). Cerezo Osaka. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "長谷部 茂利 監督 退任のお知らせ" [Announcement of the resignation of Manager Shigetoshi Hasebe]. Avispa.co.jp (in Japanese). Avispa Fukuoka. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "金 明輝 氏 監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of Mr. Kim Myung-hwi's appointment as manager]. Avispa.co.jp (in Japanese). Avispa Fukuoka. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "鬼木達監督 契約満了のお知らせ" [Announcement of contract expiration for manager Toru Oniki]. Frontale.co.jp (in Japanese). Kawasaki Frontale. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "長谷部茂利氏 監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of Shigetoshi Hasebe's appointment as manager]. Frontale.co.jp (in Japanese). Kawasaki Frontale. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ "鬼木 達氏 監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of the appointment of Toru Oniki as manager]. Kashima Antlers. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "Yokohama F. Marinos name Steve Holland as its new manager". Yokohama F. Marinos. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "松橋 力蔵 監督 退任のお知らせ" [Announcement of Director Rikizo Matsuhashi's Resignation] (in Japanese). Albirex Niigata. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "トップチーム 樹森 大介 監督 就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of the appointment of Daisuke Kimori as the new head coach of the top team] (in Japanese). Albirex Niigata. 19 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- ^ "「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.
- ^ "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
edit- Official website
- Official website (in Japanese)
- J.League Data Site
- J.League Data Site (in Japanese)