Kyoto Sanga have been red hot, surging up the table with Rafael Elias leading the way, and they’ll aim to keep that momentum going when Gamba Osaka visit on Sunday at 19:00 JST. The match will be live on JLeague.co and broadcasters around the world. Rafael has scored seven goals in seven matches since arriving in Kyoto, helping the team to 16 of a po…

The brand-new AFC Champions League Elite kicked off this week and Kawasaki Frontale were one of the standout teams from Matchday 1 with an impressive away win over Ulsan HD.Frontale spent much of the match in their own half, but they defended superbly and goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong was there to make the save when called upon.When Frontale did go forward, th…

Rafael Elias was outstanding in August, scoring five goals to help lead Kyoto Sanga up the table, and that phenomenal play has earned him Konami Monthly MVP honors.The Brazilian was just signed by Sanga in the summer and he made a big impact right off the bat in August.Rafael kicked off the month with a goal that began Sanga’s comeback from 2-0 down for a 3…

Eiji Miyamoto scored a goal for the ages, twisting, turning, and blasting a ball home on the volley to win Goal of the Month for August.Miyamoto had a ball played into him that would have been a handful just to bring down, but the Albirex Niigata man had ambitions far beyond that. He contorted his body to spin away from goal, twist and hit an overhead kick …

Cho Kwi-jae has been named Manager of the Month after guiding Kyoto Sanga to a fabulous August that saw the team make major headway in their bid for another top-flight season.Sanga won three of four matches in August, climbing to 15th place and putting six points between themselves and the relegation zone.Cho expertly integrated new signing Rafael Elias, pu…

Kota Takai put in a terrific August in the heart of the Kawasaki Frontale defense and has been named Young Player of the Month for his outstanding play.The center back has long been touted as one of the best young players in Japan, working his way into the Frontale first team at 18 before becoming a clear first-choice selection this year.In August, Takai co…

The 2024 season ushers in a new era of Asian Football Confederation club championships, with the continental competitions taking on a brand-new look.The top competition, the AFC Champions League Elite, and secondary championship, the AFC Champions League Two, are set to get started this week, with four J.League clubs slated to take part.Japan receives three…

Léo Ceará spent months all alone atop the Meiji Yasuda J1 League scoring chart, but a hot streak by Anderson Lopes created a tie for first place over the last couple weeks. That draw is a thing of the past, though, as Léo Ceará scored his 18th goal of the season in Matchweek 30 to reclaim his place at the summit.The Cerezo Osaka star got on the scoresheet w…

The top spot in the fight for the Meiji Yasuda J1 League title race changed hands yet again in Matchweek 30 as FC Machida Zelvia took back first place.Let’s see how they did it and all the other action from the weekend:Avispa Fukuoka 0, FC Machida Zelvia 3Zelvia climbed back into third place with a second-half, three-goal barrage in Fukuoka, capped by Na Sa…

Kashima Antlers hold the record for most Meiji Yasuda J1 League titles, but it’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima who sit in pole position for the crown this season, setting the stage for this huge match-up when the two teams meet on Saturday at 18:00 JST live on JLeague.co and broadcasters around the world. Sanfrecce are not just first place in J1; they are also …

Vissel Kobe are chasing a second consecutive Meiji Yasuda J1 League title and face a big challenge on Friday at 19:00 JST when Cerezo Osaka come to town in a match that will be live on JLeague.co and broadcasters around the world. A year ago, Vissel were endeavoring to hold off all challengers in pursuit of their first-ever J1 championship. Now they …

Japan defeated Bahrain in emphatic fashion on Tuesday, 5-0, thanks to goals from J.League alums Ayase Ueda, Hidemasa Morita, and Koki Ogawa to take over sole possession of first place in Group C of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying.Former Kashima Antlers man Ueda and Kawasaki Frontale product Morita each scored two goals as the Samurai Blue raced to a victory …

The quarter-finals of the 2024 J.League YBC Levain Cup did not disappoint, featuring extra-time heroics, stoppage-time winners, and shootout drama.Who advanced to the tournament’s final four? Let’s dive into all the action from the quarter-final second legs:Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1, Nagoya Grampus 2 (2-2 on aggregate)Grampus advance on penalties, 1-3Nagoya Gra…

Japan began the third round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying with a statement, thumping China, 7-0, to leap to the top of Group C on the first day.Cerezo Osaka product Takumi Minamino led the way with two goals, while Kawasaki Frontale’s 19-year-old starlet Kota Takai earned his first cap in a terrific night at Saitama Stadium 2002.Former Shonan Bellmare a…

The J.League YBC Levain Cup kicked off the Prime Round with the first legs of the quarter-finals and it was a night for the stars as a few players grabbed the spotlight to put their clubs in terrific position for the final four.Let’s check in on all the action:Albirex Niigata 5, FC Machida Zelvia 0It was a massive night in Niigata for Albirex and a legendar…

The J.League YBC Levain Cup is set to begin the Prime Round with a quartet of two-legged quarter-finals as the historic tournament moves closer to the Japan National Stadium and silverware.This is the first J.League Cup that invited every team from Japan’s top three leagues, making it a J.League competition unlike ever before. But now just eight are left to…

Japan have chosen a 27-man squad for their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against China and Bahrain, and it is a team full of Meiji Yasuda J.League stars present and past.Seven of the players in the squad currently play for J.League clubs, while the remaining 20 all began their careers in the domestic league in some form before moving abroad.FC Mac…

There is a new team atop the Meiji Yasuda J1 League table as Sanfrecce Hiroshima made the leap to first place.Let’s see how they did it and all the other action from Matchweek 29:Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3, FC Tokyo 2Hat-trick hero Tolgay Arslan was unstoppable against FC Tokyo as the German scored three goals to lead Sanfrecce to their seventh consecutive win a…

In a significant development for football fans worldwide, the J.LEAGUE has announced that all 13 matches of the 2024 J.LEAGUE YBC Levain Cup Prime Round will be broadcast worldwide.Outside of Japan and regions with existing broadcast agreements, fans across the globe will be able to watch every game from the quarter-final stage onward on the official J.Leag…

FC Machida Zelvia have been nothing short of sensational in 2024. Despite playing their very first top flight season, they looked like a title contender from Day 1 and rocketed to the top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League. They’ve held first place for 20 weeks this season, including every day since mid-May, but their top spot is now under threat.A red-hot Sanfr…