Japanese Regional Leagues
Japanese football leagues
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Japanese Regional Leagues (Japanese: 地域リーグ, Hepburn: Chiiki Rīgu) are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organised on the regional basis. They form the fifth and sixth tier of the Japanese association football league system below the nationwide Japan Football League.
1967 (Kanto)
1973 (Chugoku and Kyushu)
1975 (Hokushin'etsu)
1977 (Shikoku and Tohoku)
1978 (Hokkaido)
6 (second level)
| Founded | 1966 (Kansai and Tokai) 1967 (Kanto) 1973 (Chugoku and Kyushu) 1975 (Hokushin'etsu) 1977 (Shikoku and Tohoku) 1978 (Hokkaido) |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan |
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Divisions | 5 (first level) 6 (second level) |
| Number of clubs | 130 |
| Level on pyramid | 5–6 |
| Promotion to | Japan Soccer League (1966–1991) Japan Football League (1992–1998) Japan Football League (1999–present) |
| Relegation to | Japanese Prefectural Leagues |
| Domestic cup(s) | Emperor's Cup Shakaijin Cup |
| Current: 2026–27 Japanese Regional Leagues | |
Overview
Hokkaido Tōhoku Kantō Hokushinetsu Tōkai Kansai Chūgoku Shikoku Kyushu
Hokkaido subdivision boundaries are by Block League.
Japan is divided regionally in a variety of ways, some of them administrative and some more historical. For football purposes, the country is divided into nine regions. All regional league champions earn the right to participate in the Regional Football League Competition (since 2016 renamed Japanese Regional Football Champions League) at the end of the year. Runners-up may also qualify according to criteria set by the Japan Football Association.
Regional league clubs also compete in the All Japan Senior Football Championship, a cup competition. The winner of this cup also earns a berth in the Regional League promotion series, and the runner-up may also qualify depending on space and JFA criteria.
Regional league clubs must win the qualifying cup in their home prefecture in order to compete in the Emperor's Cup.
Since the divisions rarely go over 10 members, the season is shorter and long summer breaks may be taken.
Among the existing Japanese clubs there are ten that have never played in the regional leagues. They are:
- Japan Soccer League co-founders Urawa Red Diamonds, JEF United Chiba, Kashiwa Reysol, Cerezo Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima (listed under current names, all formed the old league in 1965);
- Independent club Shimizu S-Pulse, established as a professional club upon J. League creation in 1992;
- Sagan Tosu, took over the folded Tosu Futures in the former JFL in 1997;
- Yokohama FC, directly admitted into the Japan Football League in 1999 upon their formation;
- Kataller Toyama, formed in 2008 as a result of the fusion of JFL clubs ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP.
- Kagoshima United FC, formed in 2014 as a result of the fusion of Kyushu League clubs Volca Kagoshima and FC Kagoshima, top two in the 2013 Regional Promotion Series, and which joined the JFL as a merged club
Additionally, the forerunners to Tosu Futures, Kashima Antlers, Avispa Fukuoka and Vissel Kobe were originally based in different regions (and won or were promoted from those regions) from where they, or their successors, are based today:
- Kashima Antlers were originally based in Kansai but moved to Kantō in 1975 after reaching the JSL;
- Tosu Futures were originally based in Tōkai but moved to Kyushu in 1994 after reaching the former JFL;
- Avispa Fukuoka was originally based in Tōkai but moved to Kyushu in 1994 after reaching the former JFL;
- Vissel Kobe was originally based in Chūgoku but moved to Kansai in 1995 after reaching the former JFL.
Regional Leagues clubs, 2025
Hokkaido Soccer League
| League | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido Soccer League 北海道サッカーリーグ |
ASC Hokkaido (ja) | Tomakomai, Hokkaido |
| BTOP Hokkaido | Kuriyama, Hokkaido | |
Sapporo FC (ja)  |
Sapporo, Hokkaido | |
| Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth | Obihiro, Hokkaido | |
| Hokushukai Iwamizawa (ja) |
Iwamizawa, Hokkaido | |
| Norbritz Hokkaido | Ebetsu, Hokkaido | |
| Sabas FC | Sapporo, Hokkaido | |
| Sapporo University Goal Plunderers (ja) | Sapporo, Hokkaido |
Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League
Kantō Soccer League
| League | Division | Teams[4] | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanto Soccer League 関東サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Aries Toshima | Toshima, Tokyo |
| Joyful Honda Tsukuba | Tsukuba, Ibaraki | ||
| Nankatsu SC | Katsushika, Tokyo | ||
| Nihon University N. (ja) |
Inagi, Tokyo | ||
| RKD Ryugasaki |
Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki | ||
| Toho Titanium SC | Chigasaki, Kanagawa | ||
| Toin University of Yokohama FC (ja) | Yokohama, Kanagawa | ||
| Tokyo 23 | Special wards of Tokyo | ||
| Tokyo United | Bunkyō, Tokyo | ||
| Vonds Ichihara | Ichihara, Chiba | ||
| Division 2 [5] | Atsugi Hayabusa FC | Atsugi, Kanagawa | |
| Coedo Kawagoe | Kawagoe, Saitama | ||
| Edo All United |
Chūō, Kōtō, Tokyo | ||
| Esperanza SC | Yokohama, Kanagawa | ||
| Hitachi Building System SC | Chiyoda, Tokyo | ||
| Shibuya City FC |
Shibuya, Tokyo | ||
Tokyo International University FC (ja)  |
Sakado, Saitama | ||
| Tonan Maebashi | Maebashi, Gunma | ||
| Vertfee Yaita |
Yaita, Tochigi | ||
| Yokohama Takeru | Yokohama, Kanagawa |
Hokushin'etsu Football League
| League[6] | Division | Teams | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hokushin'etsu Football League 北信越フットボールリーグ |
Division 1 | Artista Asama | Tōmi, Nagano |
| Fukui United | Fukui, Fukui | ||
| FC Hokuriku (ja) |
Kanazawa, Ishikawa | ||
| Japan Soccer College | Seiro, Niigata | ||
| Niigata University of Health and Welfare FC (ja) | Niigata, Niigata | ||
| Niigata University of Management FC (ja) | Kamo, Niigata | ||
| SR Komatsu | Komatsu, Ishikawa | ||
| Toyama Shinjo Club | Toyama, Toyama | ||
| Division 2[7] | FC Abies |
Chino, Nagano | |
| Antelope Shiojiri | Shiojiri, Nagano | ||
| CUPS Seiro | Seiro, Niigata | ||
| Kanazawa Gakuin University FC |
Kanazawa, Ishikawa | ||
| FC Matsucelona (ja) | Matsumoto, Nagano | ||
| N-Style | Toyama, Toyama | ||
| NUHW FC (ja) | Niigata, Niigata | ||
| Sakai Phoenix |
Sakai, Fukui |
Tōkai Soccer League
| League | Division | Teams[8] | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tōkai Soccer League 東海サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Chukyo University FC (ja) | Nagoya, Aichi |
| Fujieda City Hall SC | Fujieda, Shizuoka | ||
| Gakunan F. Mosuperio | Fuji, Shizuoka and Fujinomiya, Shizuoka | ||
| FC Ise-Shima | Shima, Mie | ||
| AS Kariya |
Kariya, Aichi | ||
| FC Kariya | Kariya, Aichi | ||
| Vencedor Mie |
Tsu, Mie | ||
| Wyvern FC | Kariya, Aichi | ||
| Division 2[9] | Chukyo Univ.FC (ja) | Toyota, Aichi | |
| FC Gifu SECOND (ja) | Gifu, Gifu | ||
| Nagoya SC |
Nagoya, Aichi | ||
| Rajil FC Higashimikawa |
Toyokawa, Toyohashi, Aichi | ||
| Sports & Society Izu |
Izu, Shizuoka | ||
| Tokai FC | Yatomi, Aichi | ||
| Tokai Gakuen University FC (ja) | Miyoshi, Aichi | ||
| Yazaki Valente |
Shimada, Shizuoka |
Kansai Soccer League
| League | Division | Teams[10] | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansai Soccer League 関西サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Arterivo Wakayama | Wakayama, Wakayama |
| FC AWJ | Awaji Island | ||
| FC Basara Hyogo | Akashi, Hyōgo | ||
| Cento Cuore Harima | Kakogawa, Hyogo | ||
| Kobe FC 1970 |
Kobe, Hyogo | ||
| Laranja Kyoto |
Kyoto, Kyoto | ||
| Moriyama Samurai 2000 | Moriyama, Shiga | ||
| Velago Ikoma | Ikoma, Nara | ||
| Division 2[11] | Hannan University Club (ja) |
Matsubara, Osaka | |
| Kandai FC 2008 (ja) |
Suita, Osaka | ||
| Kyoto Shiko Club | Kyoto, Kyoto | ||
| AC Middle Range | Osaka, Osaka | ||
| Ococias Kyoto | Kyoto, Kyoto | ||
| Osaka Korean FC | Osaka, Osaka | ||
| Route 11 |
Kishiwada, Osaka | ||
| St.Andrew's FC (ja) | Izumi, Osaka |
Chūgoku Soccer League
| League | Teams[12] | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Chūgoku Soccer League 中国サッカーリーグ |
Baleine Shimonoseki | Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi |
| Banmel Tottori | Tottori, Tottori | |
| Belugarosso Iwami | Iwami, Shimane | |
| ENEOS Mizushima (ja) |
Kurashiki, Okayama | |
| Fukuyama City FC | Fukuyama, Hiroshima | |
| Hatsukaichi FC | Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima | |
| International Pacific University FC (ja) | Okayama, Okayama | |
| Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima FC | Kurashiki, Okayama | |
| SRC Hiroshima | Hiroshima, Hiroshima | |
| Yonago Genki SC | Yonago, Tottori |
Shikoku Soccer League
| League | Teams[13] | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Shikoku Soccer League 四国サッカーリーグ |
KUFC Nankoku (ja) | Nankoku, Kōchi |
| Llamas Kochi | Kōchi, Kōchi | |
| Lvnirosso NC | Niihama, Ehime | |
| Alverio Takamatsu | Takamatsu, Kagawa | |
| Sonio Takamatsu | Takamatsu, Kagawa | |
| Tadotsu FC | Tadotsu, Kagawa | |
| FC Tokushima | Tokushima, Tokushima | |
| YFC Shikoku Central |
Shikokuchūō, Ehime |
Kyushu Soccer League
| League | Teams[14] | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Kyushu Soccer League 九州サッカーリーグ | ||
| Brew Kashima | Kashima, Saga | |
| FC Hakata | Fukuoka, Fukuoka | |
| Kawasoe Club | Kawasoe, Saga | |
| KMG Holdings FC | Fukuoka, Fukuoka | |
| J-Lease FC | Oita, Oita | |
| MHI Nagasaki SC |
Nagasaki, Nagasaki | |
| NIFS Kanoya FC (ja) | Kanoya, Kagoshima | |
| Nippon Steel Oita SC (ja) | Ōita, Ōita | |
| Nobeoka Agata | Nobeoka, Miyazaki | |
| Veroskronos Tsuno | Tsuno, Miyazaki |
