Michael Skibbe has worked wonders since joining as Sanfrecce Hiroshima manager in 2022. He led the club to a third-place finish in his first season, with a J.League YBC Levain Cup crown and Emperor’s Cup final appearance to boot. Then, he followed it up with another third-place finish last season.So what does the German have up his sleeve as Sanfrecce open …

Tokyo Verdy are one of the Meiji Yasuda J.League’s most historic clubs. They won the first two titles and have featured some of the most famous players in league history, like Kazuyoshi Miura, but things took a turn and they spent the last 15 years mired in the second division.Now, Verdy are back in the top flight — and you can follow their return live on J…

Avispa Fukuoka had a magical 2023 campaign and now they head into the new year aiming for even more. That begins with their season opening clash with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on Saturday at 14:00 JST in a contest that will be streamed live on JLeague.co.Fukuoka recorded their best-ever top flight finish last season, coming in seventh place. They also won …

Vissel Kobe had a season for the ages in 2023, winning the first Meiji Yasuda J1 League title in club history. Now they’re back to defend their crown and it all begins on Saturday at 13:00 JST when they visit newly-promoted Júbilo Iwata in a match that will be streamed live on JLeague.co.Vissel were led by joint Top Scorer and J1 MVP Yuya Osako last year an…

The 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League season is set to begin!The new campaign officially kicks off on Friday at 14:00 JST at Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima, the brand new home ground of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, as the hosts square off against Urawa Reds.To make things all the better, you can watch the contest live on JLeague.co or on your local broadcaster.The Viola are …

Urawa Reds have won every trophy on offer and their three AFC Champions League titles are the second-most of any club on the continent. Needless to say, they dream big in Saitama and 2024 will be no different, but let's start with last season ...2023 reviewUrawa began the year with all focus on the AFC Champions League and it paid off. They won the con…

Toru Oniki is the most successful manager in J.League history after the Kawasaki Frontale boss won the Fujifilm Super Cup 2024 for his record 10th trophy.Frontale’s Super Cup triumph broke the tie between Oniki and the legendary Oswaldo de Oliveira, who won nine trophies, putting the Japanese boss all alone in the top spot. Oniki ended his playing car…

The J.League is the hub of Japanese football development, with every player on the national team coming through a J.League club and making their professional debut in the domestic league.With Samurai Blue stars impressing on the highest stage in Europe, interest has ignited in the J.League as a talent incubator, so it's only fitting that we take a look…

A goal from Sai van Wermeskerken sealed victory for Kawasaki Frontale at the Fujifilm Super Cup 2024 as the new signing made an instant impact to defeat Vissel Kobe, 1-0, at the National Stadium on Saturday.The Emperor's Cup holders were defensively rock solid all afternoon, with 19-year-old center back Kota Takai impressing throughout in a composed, c…

Same-day tickets for the FUJIFILM SUPER CUP 2024 on Saturday, February 17th at the National Stadium (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) will be made available as follows.FUJIFILM SUPER CUP 2024 same-day ticket sales method■Ticket sales start time: From 9:30 at the ticket box near E Gate■Seat types scheduled for sale[Reserved Seats]●Category 5: 5,600 yen●Category 6: Adults…

Kawasaki Frontale’s first match of 2024 went according to plan as they traveled to China and defeated Shandong Taishan, 3-2, in the first leg of their AFC Champions League Round of 16 tie.New signing Erison scored in his Frontale debut when he converted from the penalty spot after 28 minutes and his compatriot Marcinho doubled the lead five minutes later wh…

Nagoya Grampus are J.League originals with a historic first-division title in 2010 that lives fondly in the memories of their fans.Can they reach those heights again in the 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League? Let's break it all down.2023 reviewFor much of 2023, it looked like Nagoya were taking a major step up for the first time in years. They were in second …

Avispa Fukuoka lived an unforgettable dream in 2023 and will be hoping for even more joy in 2024. Let's step back before we jump forward...2023 reviewAvispa lost their season opener, but then immediately went on a six-match unbeaten streak. They'd go even better during the summer when a six-match winning streak gave them hope of securing their bes…

For years, Kawasaki Frontale were the class of the J.League.Four J1 titles in six years were won in Kawasaki, on top of a mighty domestic cup haul, but that run of dominance quite clearly came to an end last season with an eighth-place finish.Let's reflect on 2023 and look forward to what 2024 might hold for Kawasaki.2023 reviewFrontale were never high…

Cerezo Osaka are an ambitious club loading up to position themselves right alongside the J.League elite in 2024. But before we look forward it's imperative to unpack the season that was in 2023.2023 reviewCerezo spent much of the summer in the fight for the top three spots and the AFC tournament berths that come with them, but things turned late in the…

Football in Japan is officially back this weekend.Vissel Kobe and Kawasaki Frontale will go head-to-head in the Fujifilm Super Cup 2024 this Saturday and you can catch all the action live, no matter where you are on the planet.Vissel earned their place in this showpiece event as the 2023 Meiji Yasuda J1 League champions. They were the most complete team in …

Albirex Niigata’s return to the Meiji Yasuda J1 League was a smashing success in 2023. What will 2024 have in store for them?2023 reviewMost teams spend their first season after promotion just trying to stay afloat, but not these Swans. They went undefeated in their first four matches to start the season strong and did not lose in their last nine contests t…

FC Tokyo have been the capital's lone top-flight club for years, but that changes this season.There’s competition in the big city now and the blue and red side of town is up for the challenge.Let's dig in to what 2024 might hold, but first we'll start with last season.2023 reviewFC Tokyo unveiled their new visual identity during the campaign,…

Kawasaki Frontale are ready to kick off the new Japanese football season at the Fujifilm Super Cup, but how did a team that finished eighth in the 2023 Meiji Yasuda J1 League earn the right to start off 2024 with a crack at a trophy?The answer is that Frontale finished off last year by winning the 103rd edition of the Emperor’s Cup.Frontale entered the comp…

The Fujifilm Super Cup 2024 will mark the official kick-off of the 2024 Japanese football season and, crucially for the two teams involved, the chance to win the year’s first trophy.For Vissel Kobe, it is a chance to build on what was the best year in the history of the club. Vissel were spectacular in 2023. They were the second-highest scoring team i…