Japanese Regional Leagues (Japanese: 地域リーグ, Hepburn: Chiiki Rīgu) are a group of 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 below the nationwide Japan Football League.
 | |
| Founded | 1966 (Kansai and Tokai) 1967 (Kanto) 1973 (Chugoku and Kyushu) 1975 (Hokushin'etsu) 1977 (Shikoku and Tohoku) 1978 (Hokkaido) |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan |
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Divisions | 5 (first level) 6 (second level) |
| Number of clubs | 130 |
| Level on pyramid | 5–6 |
| Promotion to | Japan Soccer League (1966–1991) Japan Football League (1992–1998) Japan Football League (1999–present) |
| Relegation to | Japanese Prefectural Leagues |
| Domestic cup(s) | Emperor's Cup Shakaijin Cup |
| Current: 2025 Japanese Regional Leagues | |
Overview
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Hokkaido Tōhoku Kantō Hokushinetsu Tōkai Kansai Chūgoku Shikoku Kyushu
Hokkaido subdivision boundaries are by Block League.
Japan is divided regionally in a variety of ways, some of them administrative and some more historical. For football purposes, the country is divided into nine regions. All regional league champions earn the right to participate in the Regional Football League Competition (since 2016 renamed Japanese Regional Football Champions League) at the end of the year. Runners-up may also qualify according to criteria set by the Japan Football Association.
Regional league clubs also compete in the All Japan Senior Football Championship, a cup competition. The winner of this cup also earns a berth in the Regional League promotion series, and the runner-up may also qualify depending on space and JFA criteria.
Regional league clubs must win the qualifying cup in their home prefecture in order to compete in the Emperor's Cup.
Since the divisions rarely go over 10 members, the season is shorter and long summer breaks may be taken.
Among the existing Japanese clubs there are ten that have never played in the regional leagues. They are:
- Japan Soccer League co-founders Urawa Red Diamonds, JEF United Chiba, Kashiwa Reysol, Cerezo Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima (listed under current names, all formed the old league in 1965);
- Independent club Shimizu S-Pulse, established as a professional club upon J. League creation in 1992;
- Sagan Tosu, took over the folded Tosu Futures in the former JFL in 1997;
- Yokohama FC, directly admitted into the Japan Football League in 1999 upon their formation;
- Kataller Toyama, formed in 2008 as a result of the fusion of JFL clubs ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP.
- Kagoshima United FC, formed in 2014 as a result of the fusion of Kyushu League clubs Volca Kagoshima and FC Kagoshima, top two in the 2013 Regional Promotion Series, and which joined the JFL as a merged club
Additionally, the forerunners to Tosu Futures, Kashima Antlers, Avispa Fukuoka and Vissel Kobe were originally based in different regions (and won or were promoted from those regions) from where they, or their successors, are based today:
- Kashima Antlers were originally based in Kansai but moved to Kantō in 1975 after reaching the JSL;
- Tosu Futures were originally based in Tōkai but moved to Kyushu in 1994 after reaching the former JFL;
- Avispa Fukuoka was originally based in Tōkai but moved to Kyushu in 1994 after reaching the former JFL;
- Vissel Kobe was originally based in Chūgoku but moved to Kansai in 1995 after reaching the former JFL.
Regional Leagues clubs, 2025
editHokkaido Soccer League
edit| League | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido Soccer League 北海道サッカーリーグ |
ASC Hokkaido (ja) | Tomakomai, Hokkaido |
| BTOP Hokkaido | Kuriyama, Hokkaido | |
| Canale Otaru (ja) | Otaru City, Hokkaido | |
| Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth | Obihiro, Hokkaido | |
Japan Steel Muroran (ja) 
|
Asahikawa, Hokkaido | |
| Norbritz Hokkaido | Ebetsu, Hokkaido | |
| Sabas FC
|
Sapporo, Hokkaido | |
| Sapporo University Goal Plunderers (ja) | Sapporo, Hokkaido |
Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League
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Kantō Soccer League
editHokushinetsu Football League
editTōkai Soccer League
editKansai Soccer League
editChūgoku Soccer League
editShikoku Soccer League
editKyushu Soccer League
editSee also
edit
References
edit- ^ "2024年度 東北社会人サッカーリーグ1部 | 試合日程／結果". tohoku-fa.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "2024年度 東北社会人サッカーリーグ2部北 | 試合日程／結果". tohoku-fa.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "2024年度 東北社会人サッカーリーグ2部南 | 試合日程／結果". tohoku-fa.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "第58回関東サッカーリーグ1部". goalnote.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "第58回関東サッカーリーグ2部 | 日程・結果". goalnote.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "第50回北信越フットボールリーグDivision1". goalnote.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "第50回北信越フットボールリーグDivision2 | 日程・結果". goalnote.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "2024年 1部リーグの試合日程をご案内いたします". tokai-sl.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "第59回アストエンジ関西サッカーリーグDivision１ | 日程・結果". goalnote.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "第59回アストエンジ関西サッカーリーグDivision2 | 日程・結果". goalnote.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "2024年度 第52回 中国サッカーリーグ | 試合日程／結果". csl-jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "第48回四国サッカーリーグ | 日程・結果". goalnote.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "KYFA第５２回九州サッカーリーグ | 試合日程／結果". football-system.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "KYFA第５２回九州サッカーリーグ | 試合日程／結果". football-system.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
External links
edit- Japanese Regional Leagues summary – Soccerway
- Hokkaido Football Association
- Tohoku Football Association
- Kanto Soccer League
- Hokushinetsu Football League
- Tokai Member of Society League
- Kansai Soccer League
- Chūgoku Soccer League
- Shikoku Soccer League
- Kyushu Soccer League
- Japan Football Federation for Members of Society