Fagiano Okayama
Japanese football club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fagiano Okayama (ファジアーノ岡山, Fajiāno Okayama) is a Japanese football club based in Okayama, the capital of Okayama Prefecture. The club currently plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country.
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| Full name | Fagiano Okayama | ||
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| Nickname | Fagi (ファジ) | ||
| Founded | 2004 | ||
| Stadium | JFE Harenokuni Stadium Okayama, Okayama | ||
| Capacity | 15,479 [1] | ||
| Chairman | Shinya Kitagawa | ||
| Manager | Takashi Kiyama | ||
| League | J1 League | ||
| 2025 | J1 League, 13th of 20 | ||
| Website | fagiano-okayama | ||
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History
Foundation and early development (1975–2008)
The origins of the club trace back to 1975 with the establishment of the old Kawasaki Steel Football Club who then moved to Kobe starting a new identity now known as Vissel Kobe. With the club now gaining a new identity, they are formed as a new club known as the "River Free Kickers" (RFK)
As Fagiano Okayama
Following structural changes within the club and the broader development of professional football in Japan, the team was reorganised in the early 2000s as part of efforts to establish a professional club representing Okayama Prefecture. In 2004, the club adopted the name Fagiano Okayama. The name “Fagiano” comes from the Italian word for “pheasant,” a bird associated with the folklore and symbolism of the Okayama region. The club continued its development through the regional league system and gained promotion to the Japan Football League, the highest amateur tier at the time. After strong performances and meeting the licensing requirements for professional football, Fagiano Okayama secured entry into the professional league structure.
In 2005, Fagiano Okayama were promoted into the Chugoku Regional League. In July 2007, Fagiano became the first club ever to attain the J.League Associate Membership while still playing in a division below the JFL. On 2 December 2007, Fagiano gained promotion to the JFL courtesy of winning the first place in the regional playoff games.
Entry into J.League (2009)
In 2008, they secured 4th place in the last JFL match week, thereby qualifying for J.League Division 2 promotion below Tochigi SC and Kataller Toyama. On 1 December 2008, promotion was made official by J.League and Okayama competed in J.League Division 2 for the first time in their history from 2009 season.
In 2009, Fagiano Okayama joined the J2 League for the first time, marking the club’s debut in the professional divisions of the J.League. The step up to the national professional level proved challenging, and the club finished near the bottom of the table in its inaugural season.
Despite the early struggles, participation in the J2 League represented a significant milestone for football in Okayama Prefecture, establishing the club as the region’s representative in the national professional league system.
Establishing stability in J2 (2010–2019)
During the 2010s era, Fagiano Okayama gradually established themselves as a competitive club in the J2 League. The team improved its performances season by season and began to challenge for promotion places.
One of the club’s most notable seasons came in 2016 when Fagiano finished in the top six of the J2 standings and qualified for the promotion play-offs for the first time in their history. Although they were unable to secure promotion to the J1 League, the season marked a major step forward for the club.
Throughout the decade, Fagiano built a reputation for developing domestic players and maintaining strong support within Okayama Prefecture.
Continued growth and promotion ambitions (2020–present)
In the early 2020s, Fagiano Okayama continued to compete in the J2 League while pursuing their ambition of reaching the top division. The club remained competitive in the league and continued to strengthen its organisational structure and youth development programmes.
On 7 December 2024, Fagiano Okayama secured promotion to the J1 League for the first time in their history after defeating Vegalta Sendai 2–0 in the promotion play-off final, ending their 16-years stay in the J2 League.[2]
Team image
Name origin
Fagiano (Italian: fagiano, lit. 'pheasant') is a reference to the pheasant that was a companion of local legend character Momotarō.
Their mascot Fagimaru is based on the specific species native to Japan, the green pheasant.
Rivalries
Setouchi Rivalry
Fagiano Okayama also shares a local rivalry with Kamatamare Sanuki. The clubs are located on opposite sides of the Seto Inland Sea and have faced each other frequently in the J2 League and lower divisions.
The rivalry is driven largely by geographic proximity and regional pride, with supporters from both sides traveling across the Seto Inland Sea region to attend matches. Encounters between the clubs are often seen as important fixtures for fans in the surrounding areas.
Chūgoku Derby
The main regional rivalry of Fagiano Okayama is with neighbouring club Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Matches between the two sides are often referred to as the Chūgoku Derby, reflecting the geographic rivalry within the Chūgoku region.
Although both clubs have spent much of their history in the different divisions of the J.League, encounters between them are particularly in cup competitions such as the Emperor's Cup which have attracted strong regional interest. The rivalry represents competition between the prefectures of Okayama Prefecture and Hiroshima Prefecture.
Stadium
JFE Harenokuni Stadium is the home ground of Fagiano Okayama. The stadium is located in Okayama City and has a seating capacity of approximately 15,479 spectators. Opened in 2003, the venue is a multi-purpose stadium primarily used for football and athletics. It serves as the main home venue for Fagiano Okayama’s matches in the J.League competitions, including the J2 League, as well as domestic cup tournaments such as the Emperor's Cup. Fagiano formerly played at the Tsuyama Stadium in Tsuyama before moving to the current JFE Harenokuni Stadium.
Training grounds are at the Masada Soccer Stadium and Prefecture Kanzakiyama Park Athletics Stadium, both are in Okayama City.[3]
Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors
Fagiano main sponsor is Okayama Gas and their back sponsor is the Sanyo Shinbun, a local newspaper in Okayama.[4]
Season
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Main sponsors |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–2009 |  Ozaki |
Okayama Gas |
| 2010–2011 |  Penalty | |
| 2012–present | GROP |
Kit evolution
| Home Kit - 1st | ||||
          2008 - 2009 |
     2010 |
     2011 |
     2012 |
     2013 |
     2014 |
     2015 |
     2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 |
     2024 |
     2025 - |
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| Away Kit - 2nd | ||||
    2008 - 2009 |
     2010 |
     2011 |
     2012 |
     2013 |
     2014 |
     2015 |
     2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 |
     2024 |
     2025 - |
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Players
Current squad
As of 30 April 2026[update]. [5] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Management and staff
Club staff for 2025 season
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Takashi Kiyama |
| Assistant manager | Masanori Kizawa Yuki Kosaka Hiromasa Suguri |
| Goalkeeper coach | Hiroshi Yoshioka |
| Physical coach | Jun Sato |
| Assistant coach | Kenji Yamamoto |
| Chief trainer | Takahiro Chiba |
| Trainer | Tetsuya Furuta Takuya Tsuji |
| Interpreter (Portuguese) | Fernando Aizawa |
| Interpreter (English) & Enhancement coach | Kosuke Maruyama |
| Chief manager | Atsuki Shimada |
| General affairs | Nao Inamoto Fumikazu Sato |
Honours
| Type | Honours | Titles | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| League | J2 League Promotion play-off winner | 1 | 2024 |
| Okayama Football League 1 | 3 | 2001, 2003, 2004 | |
| Chugoku Football League | 2 | 2006, 2007 | |
| Japanese Regional Leagues | 1 | 2007 |
Bold is for those competition that are currently active.
Records and statistics
As of 2 April 2026.
| Rank | Player | Years | Club appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kohei Kiyama |
2007–2011,
2017–2023 |
277 |
| 2 | Kenji Sekido |
2012–2022 | 249 |
| 3 | Tadashi Takeda |
2008–2017 | 241 |
| 4 | Masahiko Sawaguchi |
2009–2018 | 240 |
| 5 | Keita Goto |
2010–2014,
2018–2021 |
215 |
| 6 | Ryo Tadokoro |
2009–2015 | 212 |
| 7 | Hirotsugu Nakabayashi |
2012–2016 | 208 |
| 8 | Makoto Mimura |
2011–2021 | 187 |
| 9 | Takaya Kimura |
2021–present | 183 |
| 10 | Takanori Chiaki |
2010–2015 | 178 |
| Rank | Player | Club appearance | Total goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuki Oshitani |
146 | 44 |
| 3 | Kohei Kiyama |
91 | 27 |
 Lee Yong-jae |
277 | ||
| 4 | Hayato Nakama |
79 | 23 |
| 5 | Tiago Alves |
64 | 22 |
| 8 | Yasutaka Kobayashi |
39 | 20 |
| Yuta Toyokawa |
79 | ||
| Satoki Uejō |
84 | ||
| 10 | Kengo Kawamata |
40 | 18 |
| Shingo Akamine |
155 |
- Biggest wins: 13–0 vs Hitachi Kasado SC (3 June 2007)
- Heaviest defeats: 1–7 vs Ehime FC (12 June 2024)
- Youngest ever debutant: Hikaru Maeda ~ 17 years 7 months 14 days old (On 6 March 2024 vs Tegevajaro Miyazaki)
- Oldest ever player: Akira Kaji ~ 36 years 9 months 1 days old (On 14 October 2017 vs Mito HollyHock)
- Youngest goal scorers: Kaito Abe ~ 18 years 5 months 14 days old (On 4 March 2018 vs Tochigi SC)
- Oldest goal scorers: Akira Kaji ~ 36 years 3 months 3 days old (On 16 April 2025 vs Thespakusatsu Gunma)
Award winners
Managerial history
| Manager | Period | Honours | P | W | D | L | W% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satoshi Tezuka | 1 January 2007–31 January 2010 | 55 | 12 | 12 | 31 | 21.82 | |
| Masanaga Kageyama | 1 February 2010–31 December 2014 | 200 | 66 | 64 | 70 | 33.00 | |
| Tetsu Nagasawa | 1 February 201531 January 2019 | 168 | 56 | 59 | 53 | 33.33 | |
| Kenji Arima | 1 February 2019–31 January 2022 | 126 | 45 | 39 | 42 | 35.71 | |
| Takashi Kiyama | 1 February 2022–present | – 2024 J2 League Play-offs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
- Key
- Source: J.League Data Site
Season by season record
| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |
| League | J. League Cup | Emperor's Cup | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Div. | Teams | Pos. | P | W(PKW) | D | L(PKL) | F | A | GD | Pts | Attendance/G | ||
| 2005 | Chūgoku League |
7 | 2nd | 12 | 9(0) | 0 | 2(1) | 37 | 13 | 24 | 28 | Not eligible | Did not qualify | |
| 2006 | 8 | 1st | 14 | 11(1) | 0 | 2 | 62 | 16 | 46 | 35 | ||||
| 2007 | 1st | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 4 | 83 | 51 | |||||
| 2008 | JFL | 18 | 4th | 34 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 63 | 43 | 20 | 39 | 3,665 | 3rd round | |
| 2009 | J2 | 18th | 51 | 8 | 12 | 31 | 40 | 54 | -44 | 60 | 6,164 | 2nd round | ||
| 2010 | 19 | 17th | 36 | 8 | 8 | 20 | 27 | 51 | -24 | 32 | 7,161 | 2nd round | ||
| 2011 | 20 | 13th | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 43 | 58 | -15 | 48 | 7,258 | 3rd round | ||
| 2012 | 22 | 8th | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 41 | 34 | 7 | 65 | 7,985 | 3rd round | ||
| 2013 | 12th | 42 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 52 | 48 | 4 | 56 | 8,574 | 3rd round | |||
| 2014 | 8th | 42 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 52 | 48 | 4 | 64 | 8,404 | 2nd round | |||
| 2015 | 11th | 42 | 12 | 18 | 12 | 40 | 35 | 5 | 54 | 8,412 | 1st round | |||
| 2016 | 6th | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 58 | 44 | 14 | 65 | 10,017 | 3rd round | |||
| 2017 | 13th | 42 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 44 | 49 | -5 | 55 | 9,471 | 3rd round | |||
| 2018 | 15th | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 39 | 43 | -4 | 53 | 8,599 | 2nd round | |||
| 2019 | 9th | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 49 | 47 | 2 | 65 | 9,444 | 3rd round | |||
| 2020 † | 17th | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 39 | 49 | -10 | 50 | 3,072 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2021 † | 11th | 42 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 40 | 36 | 4 | 59 | 4,153 | 3rd round | |||
| 2022 | 3rd | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 61 | 42 | 19 | 72 | 7,065 | 2nd round | |||
| 2023 | 10th | 42 | 13 | 19 | 10 | 49 | 49 | 0 | 58 | 8,495 | 3rd round | |||
| 2024 | 20 | 5th | 38 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 48 | 29 | 19 | 65 | 9,188 | 2nd Round | 2nd round | |
| 2025 | J1 | 13th | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 34 | 43 | -9 | 45 | 14,534 | 1st round | 2nd round | |
| 2026 | J1 | 10 | TBD | 18 | N/A | N/A | ||||||||
| 2026-27 | 20 | TBD | 38 | TBD | TBD | |||||||||
- Key
- Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
- Attendance/G = Average league home attendance
- † 2020 & 2021 seasons attendance reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
- Source: J.League Data Site