The J1 League is a men’s football league in Japan, established in 1992. This page brings together live scores, fixtures, results, standings, and player and team statistics, with recorded competition coverage spanning seasons from 2012 to 2025. Follow available season data and use the competition page to review match outcomes, table positions, and performance statistics.
Upcoming matches, J1 League
Regular Season - 14
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- Regular Season - 14
Machida Zelvia
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
-
- Regular Season - 14
Vissel Kobe
Urawa
-
- Regular Season - 14
Gamba Osaka
Cerezo Osaka
Saitama Stadium 2002 -
- Regular Season - 14
JEF United Chiba
Mito Hollyhock
Fukuda Denshi Arena
Regular Season - 15
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- Regular Season - 15
Vissel Kobe
Mito Hollyhock
-
- Regular Season - 15
Kashima
Shimizu S-pulse
-
- Regular Season - 15
Kashiwa Reysol
JEF United Chiba
SANKYO FRONTIER Kashiwa Stadium -
- Regular Season - 15
Kyoto Sanga
Urawa
Sanga Stadium by Kyocera -
- Regular Season - 15
Tokyo Verdy
Nagoya Grampus
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- Regular Season - 15
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Yokohama F. Marinos
Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima
Latest played matches, J1 League
Regular Season - 14
Regular Season - 13
J1 League Standings
J-League
| Rank | Club | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Last 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
FC Tokyo | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 33 | 8 | 25 | 33 | WWWDW |
| 2 |
|
Kashiwa Reysol | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 31 | 20 | 11 | 31 | WWWDL |
| 3 |
|
Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 32 | 10 | 22 | 29 | WWLWW |
| 4 |
|
Machida Zelvia | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 30 | 10 | 20 | 28 | DDWWW |
| 5 |
|
Vissel Kobe | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 26 | WDLWL |
| 6 |
|
Kashima | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29 | 24 | 5 | 23 | LWLDW |
| 7 |
|
Yokohama F. Marinos | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 22 | DWDDD |
| 8 |
|
Kawasaki Frontale | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 28 | 24 | 4 | 22 | LLWWW |
| 9 |
|
Urawa | 13 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 21 | 27 | -6 | 21 | LWWWL |
| 10 |
|
Fagiano Okayama | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 22 | -6 | 17 | DLLWL |
| 11 |
|
Kyoto Sanga | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 23 | -4 | 16 | WWDDL |
| 12 |
|
Nagoya Grampus | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 23 | -8 | 14 | LLDDW |
| 13 |
|
Cerezo Osaka | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 23 | -10 | 14 | LDDLD |
| 14 |
|
Tokyo Verdy | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 14 | WWWDL |
| 15 |
|
Shimizu S-pulse | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 23 | -13 | 14 | LLLLD |
| 16 |
|
V-varen Nagasaki | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 22 | -5 | 13 | DLLWL |
| 17 |
|
Gamba Osaka | 13 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 12 | DDWDL |
| 18 |
|
JEF United Chiba | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 10 | WDLDD |
| 19 |
|
Mito Hollyhock | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 25 | -13 | 9 | LLLLL |
| 20 |
|
Avispa Fukuoka | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 25 | -11 | 8 | DLLLL |
J1 League Statistics
Top scorers 2027
| # | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Léo Ceará
Kashima |
12 |
| 2 |
A. Suzuki
Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
10 |
| 3 |
M. Nagakura
FC Tokyo |
8 |
| 4 |
Marcinho
Kawasaki Frontale |
8 |
| 5 |
Rafael Elias
Kyoto Sanga |
7 |
| 6 |
A. Čavrić
Kashima |
7 |
| 7 |
K. Tanimura
Yokohama F. Marinos |
6 |
| 8 |
Y. Osako
Vissel Kobe |
6 |
| 9 |
Y. Segawa
Kashiwa Reysol |
5 |
| 10 |
A. Watanabe
Mito Hollyhock |
5 |
Top assists 2027
| # | Player | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
T. Kaneko
Urawa |
6 |
| 2 |
Y. Suzuki
Kashima |
5 |
| 3 |
Masa
Kashiwa Reysol |
4 |
| 4 |
Rafael Elias
Kyoto Sanga |
4 |
| 5 |
Y. Soma
Machida Zelvia |
4 |
| 6 |
K. Matsumura
Yokohama F. Marinos |
4 |
| 7 |
A. Suzuki
Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
4 |
| 8 |
R. Watanabe
Urawa |
3 |
| 9 |
Derik Lacerda
Kawasaki Frontale |
3 |
| 10 |
H. Motoyama
Fagiano Okayama |
3 |
Top tackles
J1 League teams participation since 2012
History
| Team | Nb participations |
|---|---|
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 14 |
| Urawa | 14 |
| Kashima | 14 |
| FC Tokyo | 14 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 14 |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 14 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 13 |
| Nagoya Grampus | 13 |
| Vissel Kobe | 13 |
| Gamba Osaka | 13 |
| Sagan Tosu | 13 |
| Cerezo Osaka | 12 |
| Shimizu S-pulse | 11 |
| Shonan Bellmare | 11 |
| Vegalta Sendai | 10 |
| Consadole Sapporo | 9 |
| Albirex Niigata | 9 |
| Jubilo Iwata | 8 |
| Avispa Fukuoka | 6 |
| Ventforet Kofu | 5 |
| Omiya Ardija | 5 |
| Oita Trinita | 4 |
| Kyoto Sanga | 4 |
| Yokohama FC | 4 |
| Tokushima Vortis | 3 |
| Machida Zelvia | 2 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 2 |
| Tokyo Verdy | 2 |
| V-varen Nagasaki | 1 |
| Fagiano Okayama | 1 |
| Montedio Yamagata | 1 |
J1 League top scorer teams
Goals scored vs. conversion rate
| Team | Goals scored | Total shots | Conversion % |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Tokyo | 33 | 235 |
|
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 32 | 256 |
|
| Kashiwa Reysol | 31 | 215 |
|
| Machida Zelvia | 30 | 187 |
|
| Kashima | 29 | 217 |
|
| Kawasaki Frontale | 28 | 214 |
|
| Urawa | 21 | 207 |
|
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 21 | 166 |
|
| Vissel Kobe | 21 | 165 |
|
| Kyoto Sanga | 19 | 160 |
|
| V-varen Nagasaki | 17 | 160 |
|
| Fagiano Okayama | 16 | 201 |
|
| Nagoya Grampus | 15 | 191 |
|
| JEF United Chiba | 15 | 149 |
|
| Gamba Osaka | 14 | 178 |
|
| Avispa Fukuoka | 14 | 167 |
|
| Cerezo Osaka | 13 | 169 |
|
| Mito Hollyhock | 12 | 123 |
|
| Tokyo Verdy | 12 | 131 |
|
| Shimizu S-pulse | 10 | 144 |
|
J1 League About
J1 League is Japan’s top-flight men’s professional football league, the leading domestic competition in the country’s club pyramid and a league-format tournament rather than a knockout cup. It forms the summit of the J.League system, bringing together licensed professional clubs competing for the national title, continental qualification and the right to remain among Japan’s elite.
Role, origins and governance
The competition was established in 1992 and began its inaugural season in 1993, replacing the amateur Japan Soccer League with a professional model designed to raise standards across Japanese football. Its creation helped place club football at the centre of Japan’s sporting culture, connecting professional teams with local communities while creating a stronger pathway for player development and international competition.
The J1 League is administered by the Japan Professional Football League, commonly known as the J.League, within Japan’s wider football governance structure and in association with the Japan Football Association. Its purpose extends beyond deciding a champion. The competition supports the development of professional clubs, encourages investment in stadiums and academies, and provides a high-level platform for players, coaches and officials. The league’s community-based club model remains one of its defining characteristics.
The J1 League is part of a wider promotion-and-relegation pyramid. Entry is therefore earned through sporting performance as well as controlled by licensing. Clubs seeking to compete in the division must satisfy J1 licensing standards covering areas such as financial stability, stadium facilities, administration and youth development. Promotion from the J2 League and relegation from J1 are subject to the regulations in force for the relevant season, including any applicable play-offs or adjustments to the number of clubs.
How the league format works
J1 League fixtures are played in a double round-robin format. Each club normally meets every other club twice during the season: once at home and once away. The result is a single cumulative league table, with no group stage and no knockout phase. Clubs progress through the campaign by building points across the full schedule rather than advancing through successive rounds.
A win earns three points, a draw one point and a defeat no points. Matches are played over two 45-minute halves, with added time determined by the referee. Regular-season fixtures that are level after normal time finish as draws; they do not proceed to extra time or a penalty shoot-out.
When clubs finish level on points, ranking is determined through the competition’s published tie-break procedure. The standard order is goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head record and disciplinary points, followed, if necessary, by a draw. Competition regulations can be amended, so the official rules for a particular season remain decisive, especially where changes to scheduling, club numbers or ranking criteria are introduced.
Calendar and season progression
The competition has traditionally followed a spring-to-autumn calendar, generally beginning in late February and concluding towards the end of the year. This seasonal pattern reflects Japan’s climate and differs from the conventional August-to-May cycle used by many major European leagues. The campaign unfolds across a sequence of matchweeks, with interruptions possible for international fixtures and domestic cup commitments.
The league runs alongside other major Japanese competitions, notably the Emperor’s Cup and the J.League Cup. These are separate tournaments with their own entry rules and formats, so success in one does not replace the need to compete through the J1 League schedule. The league table remains the central measure of sustained performance, rewarding consistency across home and away fixtures rather than a single cup run.
Titles, continental access and survival
The team finishing first is crowned J.League champion, securing the country’s premier domestic club honour. Final league positions also carry wider consequences. High-placed clubs may qualify for the Asian Football Confederation’s leading club competitions, either directly or through a qualifying route, according to the allocation and regulations applicable to that season. These competitions provide Japanese clubs with the opportunity to test themselves against the strongest sides from across Asia.
At the opposite end of the table, clubs face the pressure of relegation to J2. Relegation can affect sporting planning, finances, recruitment and long-term club development, making the lower positions as consequential as the title race. Promotion and relegation ensure that the division remains connected to the rest of the Japanese football pyramid: established clubs must continue to perform, while ambitious J2 teams have a defined route to the top flight.
With its professional foundations, community identity, licensing framework and demanding full-season format, the J1 League is both Japan’s principal domestic competition and a key institution in the development of Japanese football. Its records, fixtures, standings and season histories provide a detailed picture of how clubs compete at the highest level of the country’s league system.