2018 in Japanese football

Football in Japan
Season	2018
Men's football
J1 League	Kawasaki Frontale
J2 League	Matsumoto Yamaga
J3 League	FC Ryukyu
Japan Football League	Honda FC
Emperor's Cup	Urawa Red Diamonds
J.League Cup	Shonan Bellmare
Japanese Super Cup	Cerezo Osaka
Women's football
Nadeshiko League 1	NTV Beleza
Nadeshiko League 2	Iga FC Kunoichi
Empress's Cup	NTV Beleza
Nadeshiko League Cup	NTV Beleza

The 2018 season was the 90th season of competitive association football in Japan.

Promotion and relegation

Teams relegated from J1 League

Teams promoted to J1 League

Teams relegated from J2 League

Thespakusatsu Gunma

Teams promoted to J2 League

Tochigi SC

Teams relegated from J3 League

No relegation to the Japan Football League

Teams promoted to J3 League

No promotion from the Japan Football League

Teams promoted to Japan Football League

Men's Football

J1 League

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Kawasaki Frontale (C)	34	21	6	7	57	27	+30	69	Qualification for the Champions League group stage
2	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	34	17	6	11	47	35	+12	57	Qualification for the Champions League play-off round
3	Kashima Antlers	34	16	8	10	50	39	+11	56	Qualification for the Champions League play-off round
4	Consadole Sapporo	34	15	10	9	48	48	0	55
5	Urawa Red Diamonds	34	14	9	11	51	39	+12	51	Qualification for the Champions League group stage^[a]
6	FC Tokyo	34	14	8	12	39	34	+5	50
7	Cerezo Osaka	34	13	11	10	39	38	+1	50
8	Shimizu S-Pulse	34	14	7	13	56	48	+8	49
9	Gamba Osaka	34	14	6	14	41	46	−5	48
10	Vissel Kobe	34	12	9	13	45	52	−7	45
11	Vegalta Sendai	34	13	6	15	44	54	−10	45
12	Yokohama F. Marinos	34	12	5	17	56	56	0	41
13	Shonan Bellmare	34	10	11	13	38	43	−5	41
14	Sagan Tosu	34	10	11	13	29	34	−5	41
15	Nagoya Grampus	34	12	5	17	52	59	−7	41
16	Júbilo Iwata (O)	34	10	11	13	35	48	−13	41	Qualification for the Relegation play-off
17	Kashiwa Reysol (R)	34	12	3	19	47	54	−7	39	Relegation to J2 League
18	V-Varen Nagasaki (R)	34	8	6	20	39	59	−20	30	Relegation to J2 League

Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ Urawa Red Diamonds qualified for the 2019 AFC Champions League group stage as 2018 Emperor's Cup winners.

J2 League

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
1	Matsumoto Yamaga (C, P)	42	21	14	7	54	34	+20	77	Promotion to 2019 J1 League
2	Oita Trinita (P)	42	23	7	12	76	51	+25	76	Promotion to 2019 J1 League
3	Yokohama FC	42	21	13	8	63	44	+19	76	Qualification for promotion play-offs^[a]
4	Machida Zelvia	42	21	13	8	62	44	+18	76
5	Omiya Ardija	42	21	8	13	65	48	+17	71	Qualification for promotion play-offs^[a]
6	Tokyo Verdy	42	19	14	9	56	41	+15	71	Qualification for promotion play-offs^[a]
7	Avispa Fukuoka	42	19	13	10	58	42	+16	70
8	Renofa Yamaguchi	42	16	13	13	63	64	−1	61
9	Ventforet Kofu	42	16	11	15	56	46	+10	59
10	Mito HollyHock	42	16	9	17	48	46	+2	57
11	Tokushima Vortis	42	16	8	18	48	42	+6	56
12	Montedio Yamagata	42	14	14	14	49	51	−2	56
13	Zweigen Kanazawa	42	14	13	15	52	48	+4	55
14	JEF United Chiba	42	16	7	19	72	72	0	55
15	Fagiano Okayama	42	14	11	17	39	43	−4	53
16	Albirex Niigata	42	15	8	19	48	56	−8	53
17	Tochigi SC	42	13	11	18	38	48	−10	50
18	Ehime FC	42	12	12	18	34	52	−18	48
19	Kyoto Sanga	42	12	7	23	40	58	−18	43
20	FC Gifu	42	11	9	22	44	62	−18	42
21	Roasso Kumamoto (R)	42	9	7	26	50	79	−29	34	Relegation to 2019 J3 League^[b]
22	Kamatamare Sanuki (R)	42	7	10	25	28	72	−44	31	Relegation to 2019 J3 League^[b]

Source: 2018 MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE League table
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ ^a ^b Only teams that meet J1 license criteria can participate in promotion play-offs. If one or more teams fail to meet the criteria, only eligible teams that finished 3rd to 6th will participate and no replacement teams will be added.
^ Direct exchange between J2 and J3 is subject to eligibility of J2-licensed teams in top 2 of 2018 J3 League.

J3 League

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion
1	FC Ryukyu (C, P)	32	20	6	6	70	40	+30	66	Promotion to 2019 J2 League^[a]
2	Kagoshima United (P)	32	16	9	7	46	35	+11	57	Promotion to 2019 J2 League^[a]
3	Gainare Tottori	32	15	8	9	61	47	+14	53
4	Azul Claro Numazu	32	14	10	8	40	29	+11	52
5	Thespakusatsu Gunma	32	15	7	10	37	35	+2	52
6	Gamba Osaka U-23	32	13	8	11	53	43	+10	47
7	Cerezo Osaka U-23	32	13	7	12	47	36	+11	46
8	Blaublitz Akita	32	12	7	13	37	35	+2	43
9	SC Sagamihara	32	12	6	14	42	53	−11	42
10	Nagano Parceiro	32	10	11	11	39	37	+2	41
11	Kataller Toyama	32	12	5	15	41	50	−9	41
12	Fukushima United	32	9	13	10	36	43	−7	40
13	Grulla Morioka	32	12	4	16	41	56	−15	40
14	FC Tokyo U-23	32	10	6	16	38	45	−7	36
15	YSCC Yokohama	32	8	10	14	40	48	−8	34
16	Fujieda MYFC	32	10	4	18	32	48	−16	34
17	Giravanz Kitakyushu	32	6	9	17	22	42	−20	27

Source: 2018 MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE League table
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4th) head-to-head results; 5th) disciplinary points; 6th) draw
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted
Notes:

^ Only teams that hold a J2 license are eligible for promotion.

Japan Football League

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Honda FC (C)	30	25	4	1	76	25	+51	79
2	FC Osaka	30	18	3	9	54	34	+20	57
3	Vanraure Hachinohe (P)	30	16	8	6	43	21	+22	56	Promotion to 2019 J3 League^[a]
4	Sony Sendai	30	16	4	10	67	43	+24	52
5	FC Imabari	30	14	7	9	63	32	+31	49
6	Tokyo Musashino City	30	14	7	9	49	36	+13	49
7	MIO Biwako Shiga	30	13	7	10	38	35	+3	46
8	Nara Club	30	12	6	12	33	32	+1	42
9	Verspah Oita	30	11	6	13	29	38	−9	39
10	ReinMeer Aomori	30	10	7	13	38	48	−10	37
11	Veertien Mie	30	9	8	13	40	52	−12	35
12	Tegevajaro Miyazaki	30	9	5	16	43	60	−17	32
13	Maruyasu Okazaki	30	8	7	15	33	46	−13	31
14	Honda Lock	30	6	11	13	29	52	−23	29
15	Ryutsu Keizai Dragons	30	4	7	19	20	50	−30	19
16	Cobaltore Onagawa (R)	30	4	5	21	18	65	−47	17	Relegation to 2019 Regional Leagues

Source: JFL website (in Japanese)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Disciplinary points; 6) Draw
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ To qualify for promotion, a club must hold a 100 Year Plan status, obtain J3 license (marked in bold in the table), and finish both in the top 4 of the JFL, and either 1st or 2nd among the promotion-eligible clubs.

Regional Leagues

Cup competitions

Emperor's Cup

Final

9 December 2018

15:00 JST

Urawa Red Diamonds	1–0	Vegalta Sendai
Ugajin 13'	Report

Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama

J.League Cup

Final

27 October 2018

Shonan Bellmare	1–0	Yokohama F. Marinos
Sugioka 36'	Report

Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama

Attendance: 44,242

Super Cup

10 February 2018

13:35 JST

Kawasaki Frontale	2–3	Cerezo Osaka
Kobayashi 51' Ōkubo 90+2'	Report	Yamaguchi 26' Kiyotake 48' Takagi 78'

Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama

Attendance: 41,803

Referee: K. Fukushima

AFC Champions League

Play-off round

East Region
Team 1	Score	Team 2
Kashiwa Reysol	3–0	Muangthong United

Group stage

Group E

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	JEO	TJQ	KSW	KIT
1	Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	6	5	0	1	22	9	+13	15	Advance to knockout stage	—	6–3	3–2	3–0
2	Tianjin Quanjian	6	4	1	1	15	11	+4	13	Advance to knockout stage	4–2	—	3–2	3–0
3	Kashiwa Reysol	6	1	1	4	6	10	−4	4		0–2	1–1	—	1–0
4	Kitchee	6	1	0	5	1	14	−13	3		0–6	0–1	1–0	—

Source: AFC

Group F

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	SSI	ULS	MEL	KAW
1	Shanghai SIPG	6	3	2	1	10	6	+4	11	Advance to knockout stage	—	2–2	4–1	1–1
2	Ulsan Hyundai	6	2	3	1	15	11	+4	9	Advance to knockout stage	0–1	—	6–2	2–1
3	Melbourne Victory	6	2	2	2	11	16	−5	8		2–1	3–3	—	1–0
4	Kawasaki Frontale	6	0	3	3	6	9	−3	3		0–1	2–2	2–2	—

Source: AFC

Group G

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	GZE	BUR	CER	JEJ
1	Guangzhou Evergrande	6	3	3	0	12	6	+6	12	Advance to knockout stage	—	1–1	3–1	5–3
2	Buriram United	6	2	3	1	7	6	+1	9	Advance to knockout stage	1–1	—	2–0	0–2
3	Cerezo Osaka	6	2	2	2	6	8	−2	8		0–0	2–2	—	2–1
4	Jeju United	6	1	0	5	6	11	−5	3		0–2	0–1	0–1	—

Source: AFC

Group H

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	SSB	KAS	SYD	SSH
1	Suwon Samsung Bluewings	6	3	1	2	8	7	+1	10	Advance to knockout stage	—	1–2	1–4	1–1
2	Kashima Antlers	6	2	3	1	8	6	+2	9	Advance to knockout stage	0–1	—	1–1	1–1
3	Sydney FC	6	1	3	2	7	8	−1	6		0–2	0–2	—	0–0
4	Shanghai Shenhua	6	0	5	1	6	8	−2	5		0–2	2–2	2–2	—

Source: AFC

Knockout stage

Round of 16

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Kashima Antlers	4–3	Shanghai SIPG	3–1	1–2

Quarter-finals

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Kashima Antlers	5–0	Tianjin Quanjian	2–0	3–0

Semi-finals

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Kashima Antlers	6–5	Suwon Samsung Bluewings	3–2	3–3

Final

3 November 2018

15:00 UTC+9

Kashima Antlers	2–0	Persepolis
Léo Silva 58' Serginho 70'	Live Report Stats Report

Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima

Attendance: 35,022

Referee: Ma Ning (China)

10 November 2018

18:30 UTC+3:30

Persepolis	0–0	Kashima Antlers
	Live Report Stats Report

Azadi Stadium, Tehran

Attendance: 100,000

Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)

Kashima Antlers won 2–0 on aggregate.

Women's football