The 2022 J1 League, also known as the 2022 Meiji YasudaJ1 League (Japanese: 2022 明治安田生命J1リーグ, Hepburn: 2022 Meiji Yasuda Seimei J1 Rīgu) for sponsorship reasons, was the 30th season of the J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. This was eighth season of J1 League as renamed from J. League Division 1.
Kawasaki Frontale were the defending champions, having won their fourth and second consecutive title in 2021 with four rounds to play.[2]Yokohama F. Marinos reclaimed the trophy, winning its fifth J.League and seventh Japanese title on the final day of the season.[3][4] Brazilian forward Thiago Santana scored 14 goals for Shimizu S-Pulse, the least number of goals from a player who became the league top scorer and the first to also suffer relegation in the same season.
Overview
Due to 2022 FIFA World Cup, the league begin from February to November 2022.
Two teams were promoted from the 2021 J2 League: Júbilo Iwata, who won the title and returned to J1 after a two-year absence, and Kyoto Sanga who finished second, returning to J1 after 11 seasons.
From the 2021 season, there is no limitations on signing foreign players, but clubs could only register up to five of them for a single matchday squad.[34] Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Qatar) were exempted from these restrictions.
Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the midseason transfer window.
Player's name in italics indicates the player has Japanese nationality in addition to their FIFA nationality, holds the nationality of a J.League partner nation, 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 an approved type of school in the country.[35]
^Urawa Red Diamonds won the Champions League but did not qualify for the Champions League via league position. As a result, the last spot distributed to the third-placed team was transferred to Urawa Red Diamonds pursuant to the rules that Champions League winners would guaranteed a Champions League spot.
Source: J1 League Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Promotion–relegation playoffs
In the playoffs, officially called the 2022 J.League J1/J2 Play-offs (Japanese: 2022 J1参入プレーオフ), the 16th-placed team of the J1 League (Kyoto Sanga) faced the winners of the J2 League promotion playoffs. Should they lose, the J2 team would be promoted in their place for the 2023 J1 League. Fagiano Okayama, Roasso Kumamoto, Oita Trinita, and Montedio Yamagata qualified for the promotion playoffs as they finished between third and sixth in the 2022 J2 League.
In the first two rounds of the playoffs, if the score was tied after 90 minutes, no extra time was played and the winners were the team with the higher finish in the J2 League (i.e. the home team). In the final match at the J1 team's home, if the score was tied after 90 minutes, no extra time would be played, and both teams stay at their respective leagues.[36]
^"城福 浩 監督 退任のお知らせ" [Notice of Hiroshi Jofuku's retirement] (in Japanese). Sanfrecce Hiroshima. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"ミヒャエル・スキッべ 監督 就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of Michael Skibbe's inauguration] (in Japanese). Sanfrecce Hiroshima. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"G大阪13位に終わる 試合後に松波監督涙のざんげ「本当に申し訳なく」" [Gamba Osaka finishes in 13th place After the match, coach Matsunami's tears are "I'm really sorry"]. NikkanSports.com (in Japanese). 5 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"G大阪新監督に片野坂知宏氏 天皇杯準Vの大分前監督、7年ぶり古巣復帰" [Tomohiro Katanosaka as new director of Gamba Osaka, former director of Emperor's Cup quasi-V, returns to old nest for the first time in 7 years]. NikkanSports.com (in Japanese). 23 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"相馬監督 退任のお知らせ" [Notice of Soma's retirement] (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 5 December 2021. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"レネ ヴァイラー氏の新監督就任について" [René Weiler's new director appointment] (in Japanese). Kashima Antlers. 10 December 2021. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"森下申一監督 退任のお知らせ" [Notice of Shinichi Morishita's retirement] (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"アルベル プッチ オルトネダ氏来季監督就任のお知らせ" [Albert Puig Ortoneda Announcement of Next Season Director] (in Japanese). FC Tokyo. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"マッシモ フィッカデンティ監督 契約満了のお知らせ" [Massimo Ficcadenti Head Coach Notice of Expiration of Contract] (in Japanese). Nagoya Grampus. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"長谷川健太氏 トップチーム監督就任決定のお知らせ" [Kenta Hasegawa Announcement of Appointment of Top Team Head Coach] (in Japanese). Nagoya Grampus. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"金明輝 監督 退任のお知らせ" [Notice of Kim Myung-hwi's retirement] (in Japanese). Sagan Tosu. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"川井健太氏 監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of Kenta Kawai's appointment as director] (in Japanese). Sagan Tosu. 24 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"鈴木 政一監督 退任のお知らせ" [Notice of Masakazu Suzuki's retirement] (in Japanese). Júbilo Iwata. 25 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"伊藤 彰監督 就任のお知らせ" [Notice of Akira Ito inauguration] (in Japanese). Júbilo Iwata. 25 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^"三浦淳寛監督 契約解除のお知らせ" [Director Atsuhiro Miura Notice of contract cancellation] (in Japanese). Vissel Kobe. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
^"ヴィッセル神戸トップチーム 体制変更のお知らせ" [Notice of change of VISSEL KOBE top team system] (in Japanese). Vissel Kobe. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
^"ミゲル アンヘル ロティーナ氏監督就任およびトップチーム新体制のお知らせ" [Announcement of Miguel Ángel Lotina's appointment as director and new top team structure] (in Japanese). Vissel Kobe. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
^ ab"平岡 宏章監督 契約解除のお知らせ" [Director Hiroaki Hiraoka Notice of contract cancellation] (in Japanese). Shimizu S-Pulse. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
^"ゼ リカルド監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of the appointment of the new director Zé Ricardo] (in Japanese). Shimizu S-Pulse. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
^"ミゲル アンヘル ロティーナ監督契約解除のお知らせ" [Notice of cancellation of Miguel Angel Lotina's contract] (in Japanese). Vissel Kobe. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^"ヴィッセル神戸トップチーム体制変更のお知らせ" [Announcement of changes in VISSEL's top team structure] (in Japanese). Vissel Kobe. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
^"レネ ヴァイラー監督の退任について" [On Rene Weiler's contract termination] (in Japanese). Kashima Antlers. 7 August 2022. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
^"レネ ヴァイラー監督との契約を解除 [鹿島]" [Termination of contract with Rene Weiler [Kashima]]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
^"岩政コーチの新監督就任について" [Regarding Iwamasa's appointment as the club's new manager] (in Japanese). Kashima Antlers. 8 August 2022. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
^ ab"トップチーム監督交代のお知らせ" [Announcement of top team manager change] (in Japanese). Gamba Osaka. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
^"ジュビロ磐田を応援してくださる皆様へ" [To everyone who supports Júbilo Iwata] (in Japanese). Júbilo Iwata. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
^"渋谷 洋樹監督 就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of director Hiroki Shibuya] (in Japanese). Júbilo Iwata. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
^"「ホームグロウン制度」の導入と「外国籍選手枠」の変更について" [About the introduction of the "homegrown system" and the change of the "foreign player quota"]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 20 November 2018. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018.
^"プロサッカー選手の契約、登録および移籍に関する規則" [Rules for contracting, registering and transferring professional soccer players] (PDF). JFA.jp (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
^"J2出場クラブ決定 [J1参入プレーオフ]" [J2 participation club decision [J1 entry playoff]]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
^"4月度「2022明治安田生命JリーグKONAMI月間ベストゴール」決定" [April "2022 Meiji Yasuda Life J League KONAMI Monthly Best Goal" decided]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
^"9月度「2022明治安田生命Jリーグ KONAMI月間MVP」を発表!「2022明治安田生命JリーグKONAMI月間ベストゴール」、「月間優秀監督賞」も決定!" [Announcing the 2022 Meiji Yasuda J.League KONAMI Monthly MVP for September! "2022 Meiji Yasuda J.League KONAMI Best Goal of the Month" and "Monthly Outstanding Director Award" have also been decided!]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
^"10・11月度「2022明治安田生命Jリーグ KONAMI月間MVP」を発表!「2022明治安田生命JリーグKONAMI月間ベストゴール」、「月間優秀監督賞」も決定!" [Announcing the 2022 Meiji Yasuda J.League KONAMI Monthly MVP for October and November! "2022 Meiji Yasuda J.League KONAMI Best Goal of the Month" and "Monthly Outstanding Director Award" have also been decided!]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 6 November 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.