2024 Japan Football League
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| Season | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 10 March – 24 November |
| Champions | Tochigi City |
| Promoted | Tochigi City Kochi United |
| Relegated | Sony Sendai (withdrawn) |
| Matches | 240 |
| Goals | 606 (2.53 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Kakeru Aoto (15 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Tochigi City 6–0 Atletico Suzuka (17 November) |
| Biggest away win | Reilac Shiga 0–5 Veertien Mie (24 November) |
| Highest scoring | Tochigi City 5–3 Minebea Mitsumi (12 October) |
| Highest attendance | 16,480 Criacao Shinjuku 1–4 Tiamo Hirakata (7 June) |
| Lowest attendance | 108 Maruyasu Okazaki 2–2 Tiamo Hirakata (2 October) |
| Total attendance | 296,198 |
| Average attendance | 1,234 |
← 2023 2025 →
All statistics correct as of 24 November 2024. | |
The 2024 Japan Football League (Japanese: 第26回日本フットボールリーグ[第26回 JFL 2024], Hepburn: Dai Nijūrokkai Nihon Futtobōru Rīgu [Dai Nijūrokkai JFL 2024]) was the eleventh season having a fourth-tier status in Japanese football and the 26th season since the establishment of the Japan Football League.[1]
Promoted from the JFL to the J3 League
No team was promoted from the JFL to the J3, since none of the top four clubs last season met the needed requirements for promotion, which includes (but not limited to) having a J3 license.[2]
Promoted from the Regional Leagues
Tochigi City, 2023 Kanto Soccer League runner-up, was the sole promoted team to the JFL as they won the 2023 Regional Champions League.[3]
Vonds Ichihara could join Briobecca Urayasu as Chiba's representatives in the JFL, had they won the 2023 JFL play-off against Okinawa SV.[4]
Promotion and relegation between J3 and JFL
This season is the second to feature promotion/relegation between the J3 League and the Japan Football League, enabling the possibility for teams to be relegated from the J3.[5] The system of promotion/relegation between the leagues can be determined by the eligibility (Promotion to J3 requires a J.League license) of the JFL's champions and runners-up for the season.
No changes were made from the previous season:
- If only the JFL champion holds a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation with the J3's 20th-placed team.[6]
- If only the JFL runner-up holds a license, there will be promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 20th-placed team.
- If both the JFL champion and runner-up hold a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation between the JFL champions and the J3's 20th-placed team, and promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 19th-placed team.
- If neither the JFL champion nor the runner-up holds a license, no promotion/relegation between J3 and JFL will take place.
- In addition, the J.League stated extra requisites for promotions, with teams needing to have an average attendance of at least 2,000 in home matches, and an annual admission revenue of at least 10 million yen.[7]
The dates and the host teams of the promotion/relegation play-off were pre-determined by the J.League. In case it happens: It will be played in two legs on 1 and 7 December, with the J3 team hosting the second leg; away-goals rule will not be applied; should the match be tied, it will require extra-time, and if the draw persists, penalty shoot-outs.[8]
Promotion and relegation between JFL and Regional Leagues
- The winner of the 2024 Regional Champions League (JFL promotion series) will be automatically promoted for the 2024 JFL.
- The 15th-placed team from the JFL will play a play-off match against the runners-up of the promotion series, with the winner earning a spot at the 2025 JFL. It will be held on 30 November or 1 December, at a stadium picked by the host team from the JFL.[9]
- The 16th-placed team will be automatically relegated to their respective Regional League.
Club name changes
Tokyo Musashino United FC returned to its former name Yokogawa Musashino FC,[10] and Suzuka Point Getters became Atletico Suzuka Club.[11]
Participating clubs
Foreign players
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tochigi City (C, P) | 30 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 66 | 35 | +31 | 64 | Promotion to 2025 J3 League |
| 2 | Kochi United (O, P) | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 55 | Qualification for promotion playoffs |
| 3 | Tiamo Hirakata | 30 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 49 | 45 | +4 | 50 | |
| 4 | Reilac Shiga | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 47 | 32 | +15 | 48 | |
| 5 | Veertien Mie | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 41 | 33 | +8 | 48 | |
| 6 | Verspah Oita | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 45 | |
| 7 | Honda FC | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 34 | 27 | +7 | 43 | |
| 8 | Briobecca Urayasu | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 42 | |
| 9 | Okinawa SV | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 52 | 44 | +8 | 41 | |
| 10 | ReinMeer Aomori | 30 | 9 | 14 | 7 | 32 | 26 | +6 | 41 | |
| 11 | Atletico Suzuka | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 39 | 42 | −3 | 37 | |
| 12 | Sony Sendai | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 34 | 40 | −6 | 37 | Disbanded after the season[17] |
| 13 | Maruyasu Okazaki | 30 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 30 | 39 | −9 | 30 | |
| 14 | Criacao Shinjuku | 30 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 19 | 44 | −25 | 26 | |
| 15 | Yokogawa Musashino | 30 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 26 | 56 | −30 | 23 | |
| 16 | Minebea Mitsumi (O) | 30 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 48 | −23 | 22 | Qualification for relegation playoffs |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goal scored; 7) Fair-play points.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted
J3/JFL Play-offs
The play-offs, officially called the 2024 J3/JFL Play-offs (Japanese: 2024 J3・JFL入れ替え戦[A]), took place on 1 and 7 December 2024. If the two teams were equal on the scoreboard, the match would go to extra time and penalties. Away goals rule would not be applied.
Overview
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kochi United (JFL) | 3-1 | YSCC Yokohama (J3) | 1-1 | 2-0 |
Matches
| Kochi United | 1–1 | YSCC Yokohama |
|---|---|---|
Kozuki  33' |
Report | Fujita 5' |
| YSCC Yokohama | 0–2 | Kochi United |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Shintani 7' Uchida 90+1' |
Kochi United SC won the J3/JFL play-offs on aggregate 3-1 and got promoted to J3, while YSCC Yokohama lost the play-offs and got relegated to JFL.
JFL/Regional Leagues promotion/relegation playoff
The play-off (Japanese: 2024年度JFL·地域入れ替え戦) took place on 1 December 2024.[18]
| Minebea Mitsumi (2024 JFL 16th) | 1–0 | Vonds Ichihara (2024 JRFCL runners-up) |
|---|---|---|
| Otsuka 90+2' |
Match report (in Japanese) |
Minebea Mitsumi stayed in the JFL; Vonds Ichihara stayed in the Kantō Soccer League Division 1.
Top scorers
- As of 24 November 2024.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[19] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kakeru Aoto |
Okinawa SV | 15 |
| 2 | Takuya Hitomi |
Atletico Suzuka | 14 |
| 3 | Atsushi Yoshida |
Tochigi City | 12 |
| 4 | Shota Tamura |
Veertien Mie | 11 |
| 5 |  Arthur Bessa |
ReinMeer Aomori | 10 |
| Hayato Mine |
Briobecca Urayasu | ||
| Takumi Fujiwara |
Tochigi City |
See also
- National association
- League
- Japanese association football league system
- 2024 Regional Champions League (JFL promotion/relegation play-offs)
- 2024 Regional Leagues (fifth/sixth tier)
- Cup
- 2024 FUJIFILM Super Cup (Super Cup)
- 2024 Emperor's Cup (national open cup)
- 2024 J.League YBC Levain Cup (League Cup)
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