One thing is known in the Meiji Yasuda J2 League - FC Machida Zelvia are the champions and will make their top flight debut next season.
As for the rest of the fight for promotion, it’s entirely up in the air going into the final day of the season. That has set up a scintillating Sunday, when second place and a spot in J1 will be fought for by three different teams, while a total of seven teams could find themselves in the promotion play-off spots.
Shimizu S-Pulse sit in the pole position for second place, sitting on 73 points ahead of their trip to Mito HollyHock. Júbilo Iwata and Tokyo Verdy are right on their heels on 72 points, hoping that S-Pulse drop points in Mito so they can jump up and snag second place. Júbilo play away to Tochigi SC, while Verdy are at Omiya Ardija, setting up a difficult fight for all three teams because they are all away with promotion on the line.
Whichever two teams in the fight for second are unable to secure direct promotion will still have the chance to make the jump because they are assured a spot in the play-off at a minimum. As for which two teams join them, that is still to be decided.
JEF United Chiba are fifth place on 67 points, three clear of Ventforet Kofu and Montedio Yamagata, who play each other on the final day. That guarantees Chiba a spot in the play-off, but their position in it is still to be decided.
Finally, V-Varen Nagasaki are on 62 points and have a very narrow path to making the play-off. They need to defeat Chiba and have Ventforet draw Yamagata for them to move level on points for the final play-off place, with V-Varen holding the edge on goal difference.
The matches to watch in the fight for promotion are:
- Shimizu S-Pulse at Mito HollyHock
- Júbilo Iwata at Tochigi SC
- Tokyo Verdy at Omiya Ardija
- JEF United Chiba vs. V-Varen Nagasaki
- Montedio Yamagata vs. Ventforet Kofu
