2026–27 J1 League

J1 League
Season2026–27
Dates7 August 2026 – 6 June 2027[1]
Matches20
Goals67 (3.35 per match)
Top goalscorerBrazil Léo Ceará (Kashima Antlers)
Japan Akito Suzuki (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
(3 goals at each)
Biggest home winSanfrecce Hiroshima 3-0 JEF United Chiba
(8 August 2026)
Avispa Fukuoka 3-0 Cerezo Osaka
(15 August 2026)
Biggest away winFC Tokyo 1-5 Machida Zelvia
(8 August 2026)
JEF United Chiba 0-4 Machida Zelvia
(15 August 2026)
Highest scoringYokohama F. Marinos 3-4 Kashima Antlers
(7 August 2026)
Gamba Osaka 4-3 Urawa Reds
(7 August 2026)
Longest winning run2
Kashima Antlers, Kashiwa Reysol, Machida Zelvia, Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Longest losing run2
JEF United Chiba, Nagoya Grampus, Urawa Red Diamonds
← 2025 (100 Year Vision League)
2026
2027–28 →
All statistics correct as of 15 August 2026.

The 2026–27 J1 League is the 34th season of J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. This is the 12th season of the league since its rebrand from J.League Division 1 and the first to have encompassed two calendar years, having switched from the single-year season format.

Kashima Antlers are the defending champions, having won a record-extending ninth J.League title on the last matchday of the 2025 season. It was their record-breaking ninth top flight title, their first trophy since winning the 2018 AFC Champions League, and the first league title since 2016.[2]

Overview

This is the first J.League season played in two calendar years from summer to spring, having always played in a whole calendar year from late winter to early winter since its inaugural season in 1993.[3]

Changes from the previous season

Three teams were relegated to the 2026–27 J2 League. Yokohama FC, Shonan Bellmare, and Albirex Niigata, were relegated as they finished 18th, 19th, and 20th respectively in the 2025 season, ending their one, eight, and three-year stays in the top flight respectively.

Three teams were promoted from the 2025 J2 League: Mito HollyHock, who won the title and play top flight football for the first time ever and second team from Ibaraki Prefecture in J1 League, V-Varen Nagasaki, who finished second, play only its second ever season in the J1 after seven seasons playing in the J2 League, and JEF United Chiba, who finished third and won the play-offs to play their first season in the top tier since their most recent relegation in 2008.

Clubs

ClubLocationStadiumCapacity
Kashima Antlers Ibaraki Prefecture Kashima Soccer Stadium 39,095
Mito HollyHock Kasamatsu Stadium 22,002
Urawa Red Diamonds Saitama Prefecture Saitama Stadium 2002 62,040
JEF United Chiba Chiba Prefecture Fukuda Denshi Arena 19,470
Kashiwa Reysol Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium 15,109
FC Tokyo Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium 47,851
Tokyo Verdy
Machida Zelvia Machida GION Stadium 15,320
Kawasaki Frontale Kanagawa Prefecture Uvance Todoroki Stadium by Fujitsu 26,827
Yokohama F. Marinos Nissan Stadium 71,624
Shimizu S-Pulse Shizuoka Prefecture IAI Stadium Nihondaira 19,594
Nagoya Grampus Aichi Prefecture Toyota Stadium 42,753
Kyoto Sanga Kyoto Prefecture Sanga Stadium by Kyocera 21,269
Gamba Osaka Osaka Prefecture Panasonic Stadium Suita 39,694
Cerezo Osaka Yodoko Sakura Stadium 24,481
Vissel Kobe Hyōgo Prefecture Noevir Stadium Kobe 27,974
Fagiano Okayama Okayama Prefecture JFE Harenokuni Stadium 15,479
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima 28,407
Avispa Fukuoka Fukuoka Prefecture Best Denki Stadium 21,546
V-Varen Nagasaki Nagasaki Prefecture Peace Stadium Connected by SoftBank 20,268

Personnel and kits

ClubManagerCaptainKit manufacturerKit sponsors
Main Other(s)
Avispa Fukuoka Japan Shinya Tsukahara Japan Takumi Kamijima[4] Japan Yonex Shin Nihon Seiyaku
List
    • Front: Agekke Corporation, Hakata Green Hotel
    • Back: Apaman Property, Septeni
    • Sleeves: Soft Service SSV Group, Fukuoka
    • Shorts: Pietro Dressings
Cerezo Osaka Spain Pablo Machín Japan Shunta Tanaka[5] Japan Mizuno Yanmar
List
Fagiano Okayama Japan Takashi Kiyama Japan Ryo Takeuchi[6] Brazil Penalty GROP
List
    • Front: Ryobi Systems, Serio Inc.
    • Back: Chugoku Bank, Okanetsu
    • Sleeves: Okayama Shinkin Bank
    • Shorts: Sanyo Shimbun, Bisho Co., Ltd.
FC Tokyo Japan Rikizo Matsuhashi Japan Sei Muroya[7] United States New Balance Tokyo Gas
List
Gamba Osaka Japan Tomokazu Myojin Japan Shinnosuke Nakatani[8] Denmark Hummel Panasonic
List
JEF United Chiba Japan Yoshiyuki Kobayashi Japan Daisuke Suzuki[9] Denmark Hummel Fuji Electric
List
Kashima Antlers Japan Toru Oniki Japan Gaku Shibasaki[10] United States Nike LIXIL
List
Kashiwa Reysol Spain Ricardo Rodríguez Japan Taiyo Koga[11] Japan Yonex Hitachi
Kawasaki Frontale Japan Shigetoshi Hasebe Japan Yasuto Wakizaka[12] Germany Puma Fujitsu
List
Kyoto Sanga Serbia Ranko Popović Brazil Rafael Elias[13] Germany Puma Kyocera
List
Machida Zelvia Japan Go Kuroda Japan Gen Shoji[14] Germany Adidas CyberAgent
List
Mito HollyHock Japan Daisuke Kimori Japan Arata Watanabe[15] Japan Soccer Junky K's Holdings
List
Nagoya Grampus Serbia Mihailo Petrović Japan Sho Inagaki[16] Japan Mizuno Toyota GR Corolla
List
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Germany Bartosch Gaul Japan Sho Sasaki[17] United States Nike EDION
List
Shimizu S-Pulse Japan Takayuki Yoshida United States Jelani Reshaun Sumiyoshi[18] Germany Puma Suzuyo (H & A) / Star Micronics (3rd)
List
Tokyo Verdy Japan Hiroshi Jofuku Japan Koki Morita[19] Brazil Athleta Nicigas
List
    • Front: The Super Sports XEBIO
    • Back: Miroku Jyoho Service, Classmethod
    • Sleeves: Good Com Asset, Tokyo
    • Shorts: BRI Group
Urawa Red Diamonds South Korea Cho Kwi-jae Japan Shūsaku Nishikawa, Japan Yūta Miyamoto, Japan Takurō Kaneko, Japan Ryōma Watanabe[20] United States Nike Polus
List
Vissel Kobe Germany Michael Skibbe Japan Tetsushi Yamakawa[21] Japan Asics Rakuten Mobile
List
    • Front: Danton, Debs
    • Back: Kawasaki, Henri Charpentier
    • Sleeves: Noevir, Kobe
    • Shorts: Digital Alliance Holdings (H) / Garden Plus (A)
V-Varen Nagasaki Japan Takuya Takagi Japan Hotaru Yamaguchi[22] United States Fanatics Japanet
List
Yokohama F. Marinos Australia Steve Corica Japan Takuya Kida[23] Germany Adidas Nissan
List

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in the table Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Yokohama F. Marinos Japan Hideo Ōshima Sacked 3 June 2026[24] Pre-season Australia Steve Corica 21 June 2026[25]
Kyoto Sanga Japan Tatsuma Yoshida End of interim spell 7 June 2026[26] Serbia Ranko Popović 8 June 2026[27]
Urawa Reds Japan Tatsuya Tanaka 16 June 2026 South Korea Cho Kwi-jae 16 June 2026[28]
Cerezo Osaka Australia Arthur Papas Resigned 3 July 2026[29] Spain Pablo Machín 3 July 2026[30]
Gamba Osaka Germany Jens Wissing Resigned 10 July 2026 [31] Japan Tomokazu Myojin 18 July 2026 [32]

Foreign players

From the 2019 season, there are no limitations on signing foreign players, but clubs can only register up to five of them for a single matchday squad.[33] 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.[34]
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 Player 9 Player 10 Player 11 Former player (s)
Avispa Fukuoka Brazil Werik Popó Spain Oriol Romeu
Cerezo Osaka Australia Jackson Irvine Brazil Lucas Fernandes Brazil Thiago Andrade Malaysia Dion Cools Syria Pablo Sabbag
Fagiano Okayama Brazil Léo Gaúcho Brazil Lucão Brazil Oberdan Germany Lennart Moser South Korea Na Sang-ho
FC Tokyo Brazil Marcelo Ryan Denmark Alexander Scholz Denmark Nicolai Vallys South Korea Kim Seung-gyu
Gamba Osaka Australia Eli Adams Brazil Welton China Zhang Aolin Tunisia Issam Jebali Turkey Deniz Hümmet
JEF United Chiba Australia Dan Hall Brazil Dudu Pacheco Brazil Erison Brazil Matheus Índio Portugal Leonardo Rocha Spain José Aurelio Suárez
Kashima Antlers Brazil Élber Brazil Léo Ceará Brazil Matheus Bueno Brazil Yan Matheus Serbia Aleksandar Čavrić South Korea Kim Tae-hyeon
Kashiwa Reysol
Kawasaki Frontale Brazil Derik Lacerda Brazil Kayke Queiroz Brazil Marcinho Brazil Pedro Romano China Noriharu Kan Croatia Filip Uremović Germany Svend Brodersen Serbia Lazar Romanić South Korea Lee Keun-hyeong
Kyoto Sanga Brazil Alex Souza Brazil David Silva Brazil Everton Maceió Brazil Halls Brazil Henrique Trevisan Brazil João Pedro Brazil Marco Túlio Brazil Rafael Elias Brazil Thiago Brazil Weverton South Korea Yoon Sung-jun
Machida Zelvia Australia Mitch Duke Australia Tete Yengi Brazil Erik Germany Aki Koch Israel Neta Lavi Kosovo Ibrahim Drešević Philippines Nicholas Guimarães South Korea Cha Je-hoon South Korea Kim Min-tae
Mito HollyHock Brazil Matheus Leiria Brazil Patryck Ferreira Poland Jakub Słowik
Nagoya Grampus Brazil Marcus Índio Brazil Mateus Castro Togo Yves Avelete
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Ivory Coast Sébastien Haller South Korea Kim Ju-sung
Shimizu S-Pulse Brazil Capixaba Brazil Dieguinho Brazil Mateus Brunetti South Korea Eom Joo-young South Korea Oh Se-hun South Korea Park Seung-wook South Korea Won Du-jae United States Jelani Reshaun Sumiyoshi
Tokyo Verdy Brazil Matheus Vidotto South Korea Kim Hyun-woo
Urawa Red Diamonds Australia Luka Didulica Brazil Danilo Boza Brazil Matheus Sávio Sweden Samuel Gustafson
Vissel Kobe Brazil Anderson Lopes Brazil Caetano Brazil Diego Brazil Jean Patric Brazil Matheus Thuler Nigeria Richard Monday Ubong
V-Varen Nagasaki Brazil Diego Pituca Brazil Eduardo Brazil Emerson Deocleciano Brazil Matheus Jesus Brazil Thiago Santana Jamaica Norman Campbell Serbia Luka Radotić South Korea Noh Hyeung-jun
Yokohama F. Marinos Australia Thomas Deng Belgium Jordy Croux Brazil Tevis Gabriel Brazil Yuri Colombia Jeison Quiñones Israel Dean David South Korea Park Il-gyu Spain Rubén Blanco

Foreign players by confederation

Foreign players by confederation
CONMEBOL (53) Brazil (52),  Colombia (1)
AFC (27) South Korea (15),  Australia (7),  China (2),  Malaysia (1),  Philippines (1),  Syria (1)
UEFA (20) Germany (3),  Serbia (3),  Spain (3),  Denmark (2),  Israel (2),  Belgium (1),  Croatia (1),  Kosovo (1),  Poland (1),  Portugal (1),  Sweden (1),  Turkey (1)
CAF (4) Ivory Coast (1),  Nigeria (1),  Togo (1),  Tunisia (1)
CONCACAF (2) Jamaica (1),  United States (1)
Total foreign players: 106

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Machida Zelvia 3 3 0 0 12 2 +10 9 Qualification for the AFC Champions League Elite league stage
2 Kashiwa Reysol 3 3 0 0 9 4 +5 9
3 Kashima Antlers 3 3 0 0 9 6 +3 9
4 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3 2 1 0 8 2 +6 7
5 Yokohama F. Marinos 3 2 0 1 5 4 +1 6
6 Cerezo Osaka 3 2 0 1 3 4 −1 6
7 Mito HollyHock 3 1 1 1 5 4 +1 4
8 Vissel Kobe 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 4
9 Fagiano Okayama 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
10 Gamba Osaka 3 1 1 1 6 7 −1 4
11 FC Tokyo 3 1 1 1 5 7 −2 4
12 Avispa Fukuoka 3 1 0 2 5 4 +1 3
13 Nagoya Grampus 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
14 Kawasaki Frontale 3 0 3 0 4 4 0 3
15 Shimizu S-Pulse 3 1 0 2 1 2 −1 3
16 V-Varen Nagasaki 3 1 0 2 4 6 −2 3
17 Tokyo Verdy 3 0 2 1 2 4 −2 2
18 Kyoto Sanga 3 0 1 2 4 7 −3 1 Relegation to the J2 League
19 Urawa Red Diamonds 3 0 0 3 5 11 −6 0
20 JEF United Chiba 3 0 0 3 0 9 −9 0
Updated to match(es) played on 23 August 2026. Source: JLeague.jp,
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

Home \ Away AFU COS FOK GOS JEF KSA KSR KWF KYS MCZ MIH NGR SHI SSP TOK TOV URD VVN VKO YFM
Avispa Fukuoka — 3–0 0–1
Cerezo Osaka — 2–1 a 1–0
Fagiano Okayama — 0–0 1–0
Gamba Osaka a — 4–3
JEF United Chiba — 0–4
Kashima Antlers 3–2 — 2–1
Kashiwa Reysol — 2–1 4–2
Kawasaki Frontale — 2–2
Kyoto Sanga — 1–3
Machida Zelvia — 3–1
Mito HollyHock 1–1 —
Nagoya Grampus 3–1 — 0–1
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3–0 1–1 —
Shimizu S-Pulse — 0–1
FC Tokyo 2–0 1–5 — a
Tokyo Verdy 1–3 1–1 a —
Urawa Red Diamonds 1–4 —
V-Varen Nagasaki 2–1 —
Vissel Kobe 2–2 —
Yokohama F. Marinos 3–4 1–0 —
Updated to match(es) played on 15 August 2026. Source: J.League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.


See also

References

  1. ↑ "2026/27シーズン　明治安田Ｊリーグの開催期間を決定" [2026/27 Season Meiji Yasuda J-League held period decided]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "J1 League Match Week 38 Recap: Kashima celebrate ninth title after victory over Yokohama F･M". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 7 December 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  3. ↑ "J.League season timing to transition from 2026/27 season". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  4. ↑ "２０２６／２７シーズン キャプテン・副キャプテン決定のお知らせ". アビスパ福岡公式サイト | AVISPA FUKUOKA Official Website (in Japanese). 26 July 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "2026/27シーズン キャプテン、副キャプテン決定のお知らせ". セレッソ大阪オフィシャルウェブサイト | Cerezo OSAKA (in Japanese). 1 August 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "2026/27シーズン キャプテン・副キャプテン決定のお知らせ | ファジアーノ岡山 FAGIANO OKAYAMA". ファジアーノ岡山［Fagiano OKAYAMA］公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "2026/27シーズン キャプテン決定のお知らせ｜ニュース｜FC東京オフィシャルホームページ". FC-Tokyo (in Japanese). 29 July 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "2026/27シーズン キャプテン・リーダーシップグループ決定のお知らせ". ガンバ大阪オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "2026/27シーズンキャプテン・副キャプテンについて｜ニュース｜ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉 公式ウェブサイト". ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉 公式ウェブサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Announcement of Captain, Vice-Captain, and Player Representative for the 2026/27 Season". 鹿島アントラーズ オフィシャルサイト. 22 July 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "柏レイソル Official Site". 柏レイソル Official site (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "2026/27シーズン「キャプテン・副キャプテン」決定のお知らせ | KAWASAKI FRONTALE". 川崎フロンターレ オフィシャルWEBサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "キャプテン・副キャプテン決定のお知らせ". 京都サンガF.C.｜オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "2026/27シーズン キャプテン・副キャプテン決定のお知らせ | お知らせ | ＦＣ町田ゼルビア" (in Japanese). 22 July 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "2026/27シーズン キャプテン・副キャプテン 決定のお知らせ". 水戸ホーリーホック公式サイト (in Japanese). 26 July 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "２０２６／２７シーズン 名古屋グランパス キャプテン・副キャプテン決定のお知らせ｜ニュース｜名古屋グランパス公式サイト". 名古屋グランパス公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "2026/27明治安田J1リーグ リーダーグループ決定のお知らせ". サンフレッチェ広島 オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). 4 August 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "2026/27 シーズン キャプテン・副キャプテン決定のお知らせ". 清水エスパルス公式WEBサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "2026/27シーズン キャプテンについて". URAWA RED DIAMONDS OFFICIAL WEBSITE (in Japanese). 5 August 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  21. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "【公式】V・ファーレン長崎". 【公式】V・ファーレン長崎 (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "2026/27 シーズン キャプテン・副キャプテン決定のお知らせ | ニュース". 横浜F・マリノス 公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  24. ↑ "大島 秀夫監督 解任のお知らせ".
  25. ↑ "Yokohama F. Marinos Name Steve Corica as New Manager".
  26. ↑ "曺貴裁監督との契約について" [Regarding the contract with manager Cho Kwi-jae]. Sanga-FC.jp (in Japanese). Kyoto Sanga. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  27. ↑ "ランコ・ポポヴィッチ氏 監督就任のお知らせ".
  28. ↑ "Announcement of the appointment of Mr. Cho Kwi-jae as manager".
  29. ↑ "アーサー パパス監督　退任のお知らせ". 5 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "パブロ マチン氏　監督就任のお知らせ".
  31. ↑ "イェンス・ヴィッシング監督 退任のお知らせ".
  32. ↑ "明神 智和コーチ 監督就任のお知らせ".
  33. ↑ "「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.
  34. ↑ "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.
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