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2020 J1 League

28th season of J1 League From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2020 J1 League, also known as the 2020 Meiji Yasuda J1 League (Japanese: 2020 明治安田生命J1リーグ, Hepburn: 2020 Meiji Yasuda Seimei J1 Rīgu) for sponsorship reasons, was the 28th season of the J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. This was sixth season of J1 League as renamed from J. League Division 1. The league began on 21 February and eventually ended on 19 December 2020. The league was planned to have a season break to avoid clashing with the 2020 Summer Olympics,[2] but the Olympics were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.[3]

Season2020
Dates21 February – 19 December 2020
ChampionsKawasaki Frontale
3rd J1 title
3rd Japanese title
RelegatedNone
Quick facts Season, Dates ...
J1 League
Season2020
Dates21 February – 19 December 2020
ChampionsKawasaki Frontale
3rd J1 title
3rd Japanese title
RelegatedNone
Champions LeagueKawasaki Frontale
Gamba Osaka
Nagoya Grampus
Cerezo Osaka
Matches306
Goals857 (2.8 per match)
Top goalscorerMichael Olunga
(28 goals)
Biggest home winUrawa Red Diamonds 6–0 Vegalta Sendai
(18 October 2020)
Biggest away winHokkaido Consadole Sapporo 1–6 Kawasaki Frontale
(15 August 2020)
Highest scoringNagoya Grampus 6–2 Urawa Red Diamonds
(8 August 2020)
Yokohama F. Marinos 6–2 Urawa Red Diamonds
(14 November 2020)
Longest winning run12 matches
Kawasaki Frontale
Longest unbeaten run13 matches
Kawasaki Frontale
Longest winless run17 matches
Vegalta Sendai
Longest losing run7 matches
Shimizu S-Pulse
Highest attendance34,521[1]
Yokohama F. Marinos 1–2 Gamba Osaka
(23 February 2020)
Lowest attendance1,948[1]
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 4–1 Shimizu S-Pulse
(9 September 2020)
(excluding matches played behind closed doors)
Total attendance1,773,481[1]
Average attendance5,796[1]
(including matches played behind closed doors)
← 2019
2021 →
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Yokohama F. Marinos were the defending champions while Kashiwa Reysol and Yokohama FC entered the league as promoted teams from the 2019 J2 League, replacing Júbilo Iwata and Matsumoto Yamaga who were relegated to the 2020 J2 League.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

On 25 February, all J.League matches until 15 March were postponed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.[4] After that, it was announced that it would be postponed further until 29 March.[5] On 19 March, the J.League announced no relegation would take place for the 2020 season, with the J1 League expanding to 20 clubs for the 2021 season.[6] On 25 March, the league announced that it would be suspended again from 3 April to 6 May.[7]

On 3 April, the Japan Professional Football League decided to resume the league, gradually resumed J3 from 25 April, J2 from 2 May, and J1 from 9 May.[8] However, the league was postponed again.

On 29 May, the JPFL decided to resume the season on 27 June.[9] The season is projected to resume on 4 July.[10] On 9 June, the JPFL announced the new schedule of the 2020 season.[11] On 15 June, it was announced that the first 2 matches in each league (J1, J2, and J3) would be held without spectators. After 10 July, as a general rule, the maximum number of people allowed is 5,000. The stadiums with less than 10,000 capacity would have up to 50% of the capacity. Away supporters are not allowed. After August, the maximum stadium capacity was 50%, and there would be "high alert spectator matches".[12]

After the 11th J.League extraordinary executive committee meeting on 20 July, it was announced that the "super strict alert audience game" extended to 10 August in view of the spread of coronavirus infection.[13]

Clubs

2020 J1 League is located in Japan
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
Greater Tokyo Area†
Greater Tokyo Area†
Keihanshin‡
Keihanshin‡
Shimizu S-Pulse
Sagan Tosu
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Vegalta Sendai
Oita Trinita
Nagoya Grampus
† Greater Tokyo teams FC TokyoKawasaki FrontaleUrawa Red DiamondsShonan BellmareYokohama F. MarinosYokohama FCKashima AntlersKashiwa Reysol
† Greater Tokyo teams
‡ Keihanshin teams Cerezo OsakaGamba OsakaVissel Kobe
Locations of the 2020 J1 League teams
2020 J1 League teams in Greater Tokyo Area
2020 J1 League teams in Keihanshin

For the 2020 season, there were only two changes in the league. Kashiwa Reysol returned as the 2019 J2 League champions and Yokohama FC as runners-up after 13 seasons absence from the top tier of Japanese football. They replaced Matsumoto Yamaga (one season in J1) and Júbilo Iwata (four seasons in J1), who were relegated to the 2020 J2 League.

Meanwhile, Shonan Bellmare remained in the J1 League after defeating Tokushima Vortis in the 2019 J2 League play-off final.

More information Club, Location ...
Club Location Stadium Capacity Last season
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Hokkaido Sapporo Dome
Sapporo Atsubetsu Stadium		 41,484
20,861		 J1 (10th)
Vegalta Sendai Miyagi Prefecture Yurtec Stadium Sendai 19,694 J1 (11th)
Kashima Antlers Ibaraki Prefecture Kashima Soccer Stadium 40,728 J1 (3rd)
Urawa Red Diamonds Saitama Prefecture Saitama Stadium 2002 63,700 J1 (14th)
Kashiwa Reysol Chiba Prefecture Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium 15,900 J2 (champions)
FC Tokyo Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium 49,970 J1 (2nd)
Yokohama FC Kanagawa Prefecture Mitsuzawa Stadium 15,046 J2 (2nd)
Yokohama F. Marinos Nissan Stadium 72,327 J1 (champions)
Shonan Bellmare BMW Stadium Hiratsuka 18,500 J1 (16th)
Kawasaki Frontale Todoroki Stadium 26,232 J1 (4th)
Shimizu S-Pulse Shizuoka Prefecture IAI Stadium Nihondaira 20,339 J1 (12th)
Nagoya Grampus Aichi Prefecture Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Toyota Stadium		 27,001

45,000

 J1 (13th)
Gamba Osaka Osaka Prefecture Panasonic Stadium Suita 39,694 J1 (7th)
Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Stadium 47,853 J1 (5th)
Vissel Kobe Hyōgo Prefecture Noevir Stadium Kobe 30,132 J1 (8th)
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture Edion Stadium 36,894 J1 (6th)
Oita Trinita Ōita Prefecture Showa Denko Dome Oita 40,000 J1 (9th)
Sagan Tosu Saga Prefecture Ekimae Stadium 24,130 J1 (15th)
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Personnel and kits

More information Club, Manager ...
Club Manager Kit manufacturer Front shirt sponsor
Cerezo Osaka Spain Miguel Ángel Lotina[14] Puma Yanmar
FC Tokyo Japan Kenta Hasegawa[15] Umbro XFLAG
Gamba Osaka Japan Tsuneyasu Miyamoto[16] Umbro Panasonic
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Serbia Mihailo Petrović[17] Kappa Ishiya
Kashima Antlers Brazil Antônio Carlos Zago[18] Nike Lixil
Kashiwa Reysol Brazil Nelsinho Baptista[19] Yonex Hitachi
Kawasaki Frontale Japan Toru Oniki[20] Puma Fujitsu
Nagoya Grampus Italy Massimo Ficcadenti[21] Mizuno Toyota
Oita Trinita Japan Tomohiro Katanosaka[22] Puma Daihatsu Kyushu
Sagan Tosu South Korea Kim Myung-hwi[23] New Balance Kimura Information Technology
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Japan Hiroshi Jofuku[24] Nike EDION
Shimizu S-Pulse Japan Hiroaki Hiraoka[25] Puma Suzuyo
Shonan Bellmare Japan Bin Ukishima[26] Penalty Meldia
Urawa Red Diamonds Japan Tsuyoshi Otsuki[27] Nike Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Vegalta Sendai Japan Takashi Kiyama[28] Adidas Iris Ohyama
Vissel Kobe Japan Atsuhiro Miura[29] Asics Rakuten
Yokohama FC Japan Takahiro Shimotaira[30] Soccer Junky Onodera Group
Yokohama F. Marinos Australia Ange Postecoglou[31] Adidas Nissan
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Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Incoming manager Date of appointment
Vissel Kobe Germany Thorsten Fink Change of director 21 September 2020[32] Japan Atsuhiro Miura 25 September 2020[33]
Shimizu S-Pulse Australia Peter Cklamovski Sacked 1 November 2020[34] Japan Hiroaki Hiraoka 1 November 2020[35]
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Foreign players

As of 2019 season, there are no more restrictions on a number of signed foreign players, but clubs can only register up to five foreign players for a single match-day squad.[36] Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia and Qatar) are exempt from these restrictions.

  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
  • Player's name in italics indicates the player has Japanese nationality in addition to their FIFA nationality, or is exempt from being treated as a foreign player due to having been born in Japan and being enrolled in, or having graduated from school in the country.[37]
More information Club, Player 1 ...
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 Player 9 Player 10 Former players
Cerezo Osaka Argentina Leandro Desábato Australia Pierce Waring Brazil Bruno Mendes Croatia Matej Jonjić South Korea Ahn Joon-soo South Korea Kim Jin-hyeon Thailand Tawan Khotrsupho Brazil Lucas Mineiro
FC Tokyo Brazil Adaílton Brazil Arthur Silva Brazil Diego Oliveira Brazil Leandro Lebanon Joan Oumari
Gamba Osaka Brazil Ademilson Brazil Patric Philippines Jefferson Tabinas South Korea Kim Young-gwon South Korea Lee Yun-oh South Korea Shin Won-ho
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Brazil Anderson Lopes Brazil Douglas Oliveira Brazil Lucas Fernandes England Jay Bothroyd Portugal Hugo Vieira South Korea Kim Min-tae Thailand Chanathip Songkrasin Thailand Kawin Thamsatchanan South Korea Gu Sung-yun
Kashima Antlers Brazil Everaldo Brazil Juan Alano Brazil Léo Silva South Korea Kwoun Sun-tae
Kashiwa Reysol Brazil Cristiano Brazil Matheus Sávio Brazil Richardson Kenya Michael Olunga South Korea Kim Seung-gyu Brazil Júnior Santos
Kawasaki Frontale Brazil Diogo Mateus Brazil Jesiel Brazil Leandro Damião South Korea Jung Sung-ryong
Nagoya Grampus Australia Mitchell Langerak Brazil Gabriel Xavier Brazil João Schmidt Brazil Mateus South Korea Oh Jae-suk
Oita Trinita South Korea Mun Kyung-gun
Sagan Tosu Brazil Eduardo Brazil Tiago Alves China Wang Jianan North Korea Ryang Yong-gi South Korea An Yong-woo South Korea Cho Dong-geon South Korea Kim Min-ho South Korea Park Il-gyu South Korea Park Jeong-su Uruguay Renzo López
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Brazil Douglas Vieira Brazil Ezequiel Brazil Leandro Pereira Brazil Rhayner
Shimizu S-Pulse Brazil Carlinhos Júnior Brazil Elsinho Brazil Junior Dutra Brazil Neto Volpi Brazil Renato Augusto Brazil Valdo South Korea Hwang Seok-ho Thailand Teerasil Dangda
Shonan Bellmare Brazil Riuler Norway Tarik Elyounoussi
Urawa Red Diamonds Australia Thomas Deng Brazil Ewerton Brazil Leonardo Curaçao Quenten Martinus Brazil Fabrício
Brazil Maurício Antônio
Vegalta Sendai Brazil Pará Mozambique Simão Mate Junior Poland Jakub Słowik Portugal Alexandre Guedes South Korea Kim Jung-ya Spain Isaac Cuenca
Vissel Kobe Belgium Thomas Vermaelen Brazil Dankler Brazil Douglas Spain Andrés Iniesta Spain Sergi Samper
Yokohama FC Brazil Leandro Domingues Brazil Maguinho Netherlands Calvin Jong-a-Pin
Yokohama F. Marinos Brazil Erik Brazil Júnior Santos Brazil Marcos Júnior Brazil Thiago Martins Thailand Theerathon Bunmathan Brazil Edigar Junio
South Korea Park Il-gyu
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League table

It was decided on 19 March to change the format regarding the rules for promotion/relegation for the end of the season for the J1, J2 and J3 leagues,[38] such that there would be no relegation this season, that two clubs from the J2 League would be promoted to the 2021 J1 League, and that two clubs from the J3 League would be promoted to the 2021 J2 League (subject to licensing regulations).

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Kawasaki Frontale (C) 34 26 5 3 88 31 +57 83 Qualification for AFC Champions League group stage[a]
2 Gamba Osaka 34 20 5 9 46 42 +4 65
3 Nagoya Grampus 34 19 6 9 45 28 +17 63
4 Cerezo Osaka 34 18 6 10 46 37 +9 60 Qualification for AFC Champions League play-off round[a]
5 Kashima Antlers 34 18 5 11 55 44 +11 59
6 FC Tokyo 34 17 6 11 47 42 +5 57
7 Kashiwa Reysol 34 15 7 12 60 46 +14 52
8 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 34 13 9 12 46 37 +9 48
9 Yokohama F. Marinos 34 14 5 15 69 59 +10 47
10 Urawa Red Diamonds 34 13 7 14 43 56 −13 46
11 Oita Trinita 34 11 10 13 36 45 −9 43
12 Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 34 10 9 15 47 58 −11 39
13 Sagan Tosu 34 7 15 12 37 43 −6 36
14 Vissel Kobe 34 9 9 16 50 59 −9 36
15 Yokohama FC 34 9 6 19 38 60 −22 33
16 Shimizu S-Pulse 34 7 7 20 48 70 −22 28
17 Vegalta Sendai 34 6 10 18 36 61 −25 28
18 Shonan Bellmare 34 6 9 19 29 48 −19 27
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Source: J.League Data Site
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Head-to-head goal scored; 6) Number of wins; 7) Goals scored; 8) Fair-play points.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. [a]
    Since the winners of the 2020 Emperor's Cup, Kawasaki Frontale, qualified for the Champions League group stage, the spot given to the Emperor's Cup winners (Champions League group stage) was passed to the third-placed team and the spot given to the third-place team (Champions League play-off round) was passed to the fourth-placed team.

Results table

More information Home \ Away, ANT ...
Home \ Away ANT BEL CER CON FMA FRO GAM GRA REY RED SAG SFR SSP TOK TRI VEG VIS YFC
Kashima Antlers — 1–0 1–1 0–2 4–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–4 4–0 2–0 1–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–1 2–2 3–2
Shonan Bellmare 1–0 — 0–1 0–0 1–0 0–1 1–2 0–1 3–2 2–3 0–0 1–1 0–3 0–1 1–2 0–1 1–1 1–0
Cerezo Osaka 1–2 1–0 — 2–0 4–1 1–3 1–1 0–2 0–0 3–0 1–2 0–1 2–0 0–0 1–0 2–1 0–0 1–0
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 1–0 2–1 1–3 — 3–1 1–6 0–1 0–0 0–1 3–4 1–1 0–2 5–1 1–1 1–1 3–3 2–3 3–0
Yokohama F. Marinos 2–3 3–2 1–2 4–1 — 1–3 1–2 2–1 1–1 6–2 1–1 3–1 3–0 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–3 4–0
Kawasaki Frontale 2–1 3–1 5–2 0–2 3–1 — 5–0 3–0 3–1 3–1 0–0 5–1 5–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 3–2 3–2
Gamba Osaka 2–0 0–1 1–2 2–1 1–1 0–1 — 2–1 2–1 1–3 1–1 1–0 0–2 1–3 2–1 0–4 1–0 2–1
Nagoya Grampus 1–3 3–1 1–0 3–0 2–1 1–0 2–2 — 0–1 6–2 1–0 1–0 3–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 2–1 0–0
Kashiwa Reysol 2–3 3–2 1–3 4–2 1–3 2–3 3–0 0–1 — 1–1 1–2 1–1 0–0 0–1 1–1 5–1 4–3 1–3
Urawa Red Diamonds 1–0 0–0 3–1 0–2 0–0 0–3 1–2 0–1 0–4 — 2–2 1–0 1–1 0–1 2–1 6–0 1–2 0–2
Sagan Tosu 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–2 0–0 2–1 0–1 — 0–0 1–1 3–0 2–2 0–1 0–1 3–0
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3–0 1–0 1–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 1–2 2–0 0–1 1–1 3–0 — 4–1 3–3 1–2 1–1 2–1 1–1
Shimizu S-Pulse 1–2 1–1 3–1 3–1 3–4 2–2 1–2 1–2 1–2 1–2 1–1 2–3 — 1–3 4–2 2–3 3–1 2–3
FC Tokyo 1–2 3–0 2–0 1–0 0–4 0–4 0–1 1–0 1–3 2–0 2–3 1–0 3–1 — 2–3 1–0 1–0 2–1
Oita Trinita 1–4 2–2 0–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 0–1 0–3 0–0 0–0 2–0 0–2 2–1 0–1 — 0–2 1–1 1–0
Vegalta Sendai 1–3 0–0 2–3 2–2 0–1 2–3 1–4 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–3 0–0 0–0 2–2 0–3 — 2–3 0–0
Vissel Kobe 1–3 0–2 0–1 4–0 3–3 2–2 0–2 1–0 2–3 0–1 4–3 0–3 3–1 2–2 1–1 1–2 — 1–1
Yokohama FC 1–0 4–2 1–2 1–2 3–1 1–5 0–2 3–2 0–3 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–0 2–3 1–1 2–1 —
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Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Top scorers

Further information: J.League Top Scorer
More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Kenya Michael Olunga Kashiwa Reysol 28
2 Brazil Everaldo Kashima Antlers 18
3 Brazil Leandro Pereira Sanfrecce Hiroshima 15
4 Japan Yu Kobayashi Kawasaki Frontale 14
5 Brazil Erik Yokohama F. Marinos 13
Brazil Júnior Santos
Brazil Leandro Damião Kawasaki Frontale
Japan Kaoru Mitoma
9 Japan Kyogo Furuhashi Vissel Kobe 12
10 Brazil Leonardo Urawa Red Diamonds 11
Brazil Marcos Júnior Yokohama F. Marinos
Japan Akihiro Ienaga Kawasaki Frontale
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Hat-tricks

More information Player, Club ...
Player Club Against Result Date
Kenya Michael Olunga Kashiwa Reysol Vegalta Sendai 5–1 (H) 26 July 2020
Brazil Everaldo Kashima Antlers Oita Trinita 4–1 (A) 1 August 2020
Japan Naoki Maeda4 Nagoya Grampus Urawa Red Diamonds 6–2 (H) 8 August 2020
Japan Shun Nagasawa Vegalta Sendai Gamba Osaka 4–0 (A) 14 November 2020
Brazil Júnior Santos Yokohama F. Marinos Urawa Red Diamonds 6–2 (H) 14 November 2020
Japan Akihiro Ienaga Kawasaki Frontale Gamba Osaka 5–0 (H) 25 November 2020
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  • 4 Player scored 4 goals

Attendances

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Kawasaki Frontale 77,587 21,117 0 6,466 −72.2%†
2 Yokohama F. Marinos 90,196 34,521 0 6,443 −76.1%†
3 Nagoya Grampus 67,997 11,854 0 6,182 −77.6%†
4 Cerezo Osaka 72,310 15,535 0 6,026 −72.0%†
5 Vissel Kobe 69,243 25,059 0 5,476 −74.5%†
6 Urawa Red Diamonds 66,463 9,831 0 5,113 −85.0%†
7 Gamba Osaka 47,042 9,313 0 4,863 −82.4%†
8 Shimizu S-Pulse 55,698 17,549 0 4,642 −69.1%†
9 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 50,669 18,713 0 4,606 −66.8%†
10 Oita Trinita 54,196 8,570 0 4,516 −70.6%†
11 FC Tokyo 53,887 8,166 0 4,491 −85.8%†
12 Shonan Bellmare 48,734 13,071 0 4,430 −63.4%†
13 Kashima Antlers 33,760 6,982 0 3,943 −80.8%†
14 Sagan Tosu 40,780 8,574 0 3,722 −75.3%†
15 Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 47,111 5,359 2,039 3,624 −80.7%†
16 Vegalta Sendai 36,113 13,968 0 3,611 −75.9%†
17 Kashiwa Reysol 36,144 12,468 0 3,012 −68.2%†
18 Yokohama FC 32,184 5,163 0 2,926 −58.6%†
League total 1,003,539 34,521 0 4,711 −77.3%†
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Updated to games played on 18 October 2020
Source: J. League Data
Notes:
† Promoted from J2

References

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