The J3 League is a men’s league competition in Japan, formed in 2013. This Xtra-Stats competition page brings together live scores, fixtures and results with standings, player statistics and team statistics, helping visitors review match activity and competition data across the available recorded seasons with key information for each season presented clearly in one place.
Upcoming matches, J3 League
Regular Season - 16
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- Regular Season - 16
Thespakusatsu Gunma
No H2HOsaka
-
- Regular Season - 16
Fukushima United
FC Ryukyu
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- Regular Season - 16
FC Gifu
Kitakyushu
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- Regular Season - 16
Nara Club
Kochi United
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- Regular Season - 16
Matsumoto Yamaga
Kanazawa
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- Regular Season - 16
Ehime FC
No H2HBiwako Shiga
Ningineer Stadium -
- Regular Season - 16
Roasso Kumamoto
Renofa Yamaguchi
Egao Kenko Stadium -
- Regular Season - 16
Parceiro Nagano
Kamatamare Sanuki
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- Regular Season - 16
Sagamihara
No H2HKagoshima United
Sagamihara Gion Stadium -
- Regular Season - 16
Gainare Tottori
Tochigi SC
Axis Bird Stadium
Latest played matches, J3 League
Regular Season - 15
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Regular Season - 15
Osaka
2 - 1Roasso Kumamoto
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
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Regular Season - 15
Gainare Tottori
0 - 1Sagamihara
Axis Bird Stadium
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Regular Season - 15
Nara Club
3 - 0Thespakusatsu Gunma
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Regular Season - 15
Kanazawa
0 - 2Parceiro Nagano
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Regular Season - 15
Tochigi SC
0 - 0Fukushima United
J3 League Standings
| Rank | Club | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Last 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Kagoshima United | 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 18 | 11 | 31 | DDLWW |
| 2 |
|
Nara Club | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 29 | WWLLW |
| 3 |
|
FC Gifu | 15 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 28 | WWLWW |
| 4 |
|
Sagamihara | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 28 | WWDLW |
| 5 |
|
Renofa Yamaguchi | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 27 | DLWLW |
| 6 |
|
Osaka | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 26 | WLWWL |
| 7 |
|
Ehime FC | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 26 | LLLWL |
| 8 |
|
Roasso Kumamoto | 15 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 24 | LDWWW |
| 9 |
|
FC Ryukyu | 15 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 23 | LWWWW |
| 10 |
|
Parceiro Nagano | 15 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 23 | WWLLW |
| 11 |
|
Kanazawa | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 27 | 21 | 6 | 20 | LWWLL |
| 12 |
|
Kitakyushu | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 21 | 23 | -2 | 19 | LWWLW |
| 13 |
|
Tochigi SC | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 18 | DWDWL |
| 14 |
|
Matsumoto Yamaga | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 17 | -2 | 17 | LWLWL |
| 15 |
|
Biwako Shiga | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 19 | 27 | -8 | 17 | WLLLL |
| 16 |
|
Fukushima United | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 27 | 32 | -5 | 15 | DLWWL |
| 17 |
|
Gainare Tottori | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 29 | -14 | 15 | LLDLD |
| 18 |
|
Thespakusatsu Gunma | 15 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 29 | -17 | 13 | LLWLD |
| 19 |
|
Kamatamare Sanuki | 15 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 11 | WLLWL |
| 20 |
|
Kochi United | 15 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 31 | -21 | 9 | WLDLL |
J3 League Statistics
Top scorers 2026
| # | Player | Goals |
|---|
Top assists 2026
| # | Player | Assists |
|---|
Top key passes
Top tackles
Top yellow cards
Top red cards
J3 League teams participation since 2012
History
| Team | Nb participations |
|---|---|
| Parceiro Nagano | 12 |
| Azul Claro Numazu | 11 |
| Fukushima United | 11 |
| Kagoshima United | 10 |
| Gainare Tottori | 10 |
| Sagamihara | 10 |
| Kamatamare Sanuki | 9 |
| Fujieda MYFC | 9 |
| Kataller Toyama | 9 |
| Vanraure Hachinohe | 9 |
| YSCC | 9 |
| FC Ryukyu | 8 |
| Grulla Morioka | 8 |
| Kitakyushu | 7 |
| Blaublitz Akita | 7 |
| FC Gifu | 6 |
| Cerezo Osaka U23 | 5 |
| Gamba Osaka U23 | 5 |
| Biwako Shiga | 5 |
| Imabari | 5 |
| Tegevajaro Miyazaki | 5 |
| Kanazawa | 4 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 4 |
| Tokyo U23 | 4 |
| Honda | 4 |
| Honda Lock | 4 |
| Nara Club | 4 |
| Osaka | 4 |
| Sony Sendai | 4 |
| Tokyo Musashino City | 4 |
| Tochigi Uva | 4 |
| Sagawa Printing | 4 |
| Roasso Kumamoto | 3 |
| Tochigi SC | 3 |
| Thespakusatsu Gunma | 3 |
| Ehime FC | 2 |
| Verspah Oita | 2 |
| Maruyasu Okazaki | 2 |
| Fagiano Okayama II | 2 |
| Hoyo Oita | 2 |
| YSSC | 2 |
| V-varen Nagasaki | 1 |
| Oita Trinita | 1 |
| Machida Zelvia | 1 |
| Renofa Yamaguchi | 1 |
J3 League top scorer teams
J3 League About
J3 League is Japan’s nationwide men’s third-tier professional football league, forming the bottom division of the J.League system and providing a structured route between the Japan Football League (JFL) and the J2 League. It is also known as the Japanese J3 League and is designed to widen access to professional football while giving regional clubs a realistic pathway into the national pyramid.
Identity and purpose
The competition is operated by the Japan Professional Football League (J.League) under the regulatory framework of the Japan Football Association (JFA). Its role extends beyond deciding a league champion. The J3 League helps professionalise clubs outside Japan’s largest metropolitan areas, strengthens football’s regional presence and creates a competitive environment in which community-backed teams can develop sustainably.
As the third and final professional tier, J3 sits below J2 and J1 but above the semi-professional and amateur levels of the Japanese football structure. That position gives the league particular importance: clubs compete for promotion and prestige while also working to meet the financial, stadium and organisational standards required for continued participation in the professional game.
Origins and development
The competition was formed in 2013 and began its modern league era in 2014. It was introduced to create a more coherent national “path to pro” than the former regional structure could provide. The inaugural field included 12 teams, among them the J.League Under-22 selection, reflecting the league’s early combination of established regional clubs and player-development objectives.
Since then, J3 has developed into a full-scale professional division with a nationwide identity. Its clubs represent local communities across Japan, while the competition also serves as a scouting and development environment for players seeking to progress towards the higher J.League divisions. Developmental teams and under-23 structures have appeared within the wider J.League model, although membership depends on the regulations and licensing arrangements applicable to each edition.
Entry, licensing and promotion
Admission is not based solely on sporting performance. Clubs seeking to enter from the JFL generally need to finish in the qualifying positions and satisfy the J.League’s licensing and associate-membership requirements. These conditions can include suitable stadium facilities, financial stability, youth-development infrastructure and the wider standards associated with the J.League’s “100 Year Plan”. A strong league campaign therefore needs to be matched by a credible long-term professional structure.
At the top of J3, the principal reward is advancement to the J2 League. The leading two finishers typically receive automatic promotion, subject to the applicable licensing and competition regulations. A promotion-playoff route for clubs finishing from third to sixth was introduced in 2023, adding another high-pressure route into the second tier. At the other end of the table, clubs can face relegation to the JFL, particularly where sporting results and professional eligibility combine to place them at risk.
League format and match rules
J3 uses a double round-robin league format. Each participating team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away. The season is therefore decided through accumulated performance across the full schedule rather than through a group stage or knockout bracket. The team finishing with the strongest record is crowned champion, while the final standings determine promotion, playoff places and the struggle to retain professional status.
The standard points system is straightforward:
- three points for a win;
- one point for a draw;
- no points for a defeat.
When teams finish level on points, the recorded order of comparison is goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head record and disciplinary points. These criteria determine league positions when the points totals alone cannot separate clubs.
Matches are played over the normal 90 minutes, with half-time separating the two periods. Because J3 is a league competition, regular-season matches do not proceed to extra time or a penalty shootout after a draw. Knockout promotion-playoff matches are a separate context and may use additional tie-break procedures, including extra time and penalties, under the relevant rules.
Season calendar and sporting stakes
The J3 calendar generally runs from late February or early March through November, with some schedules extending into early December. Matches are primarily staged at weekends, supporting local attendance and allowing clubs to remain closely connected to their communities. The timing follows the broader Japanese football calendar and helps avoid the most difficult winter conditions, particularly for clubs in areas affected by heavy snow.
Every fixture carries significance. Promotion can bring greater visibility, stronger revenues and a step closer to the elite level of Japanese football, while relegation can threaten a club’s professional status and financial foundations. For ambitious regional sides, the J3 League is both a destination and a proving ground: it rewards sporting consistency, tests the strength of club operations and keeps the route towards J2 and ultimately J1 open through merit-based competition.