The team derive their name from Ryukyu, the historic name for Okinawa Prefecture. The club once had futsal and handball teams.
History
The club was founded in 2003.[1] Most of the players who initially joined the club were those who had left Okinawa Kariyushi FC after a rift with their management, which were beholden to the Kariyushi hotel chain. Their first 2003 season saw them win the championship in Okinawa Prefectural Division 3 North. They were allowed to skip to Division 1 the next season, where they again succeeded in finishing top of the table.
In the 2005 season, they belonged to the Kyūshū Regional League (Kyu League). After finishing 2nd and winning the Regional League play-off, they were promoted to the JFL and became the first ever Okinawan football side who played in a national league.
In December 2007, the club appointed former Japan national coach Philippe Troussier as their general manager.[2]Jean-Paul Rabier was appointed as their manager in January 2008.[2]
They applied for J. League Associate Membership in January 2008, but their application was declined at the J. League board meeting held on February 19, 2008.
In December 2008, the resignation of Rabier was announced. Former coach Hiroyuki Shinzato was promoted to be the new manager in January 2009.
In 2014, FC Ryukyu could finally join the J3 League.
In January 2015, FC Ryukyu announced a partnership with Seoul United from the Korean Challengers League. According to the agreement the teams will play a friendly match every year. The first match was scheduled for 1 March 2015.
FC Ryukyu have made steady progress in recent years, finishing in 8th place in J3 in 2016, and improving on that the following year, finishing 6th.
In the 2018 season they secured promotion to J2 with 3 games left after a 1–1 draw at Nagano Parceiro, and in the following game beat Thespakusatsu Gunma to claim the J3 title with two games to spare.
They started their first season in J2 in 2019, in style with 4 straight wins to top the league, but faded as the season progressed eventually finishing in 14th place.
In 2022, after spending four years in the J2 League, the club was relegated back to the J3 League after scoring their lowest points total in the second-tier. The club finished in 21st place with 37 points, only 3 points off the last placed team.
On 26 October 2023, the club announced that they will use FC Ryukyu Okinawa for branding purpose starting 2024 season, although the club's current name will remain used in any competition.[3] The change initially also included the update of club's emblem. However, the plan eventually revised and Ryukyu decided to keep the current emblem for 2024 season, albeit with modified colorway.[4]
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
As of 3 August 2024.[5]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Their team colour is bengara, a shade of red pigment. It is called red ochre in English and can be generally described as claret. Bengara derives from a Dutch word 'bengala' which in turn derives from Bengal, a historic region located in India and Bangladesh. This name was given because the pigment was traditionally imported from Bengal to Japan. Okinawa has a close association with the bengara colour which is prominently applied to Shuri Castle, one of the most symbolic historical buildings in the area.
In 2008 they adopted a sky-blue trim for their home uniform, as their bengara pigment pattern was considered too similar to Aston Villa from England (the claret and sky-blue pattern was around long before Troussier and the French staff arrived, so a coincidence in colours is feasible).[citation needed]
Their crest features a pair of Shisas, imaginary talismanic creatures in the area, and the crown of the kings of the former Ryukyu Kingdom.
Kit evolution
Home kits - 1st
2003
2004
2005
2006 - 2007
2008
2009 - 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 -
Away kits - 2nd
2006 - 2007
2008
2009 - 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 -
3rd kits - Other
2011 3rd
2020 charity
2021 3rd
2022 3rd
2022 Shuri Castle Reconstruction Support Charity Match Okinawa Legend
^"喜名哲裕監督 解任のお知らせ" [Notice of dismissal of Tetsuhiro Kina]. fcryukyu.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
^"倉貫一毅ヘッドコーチ 監督就任のお知らせ". fcryukyu.com (in Japanese). FC Ryukyu. 28 October 2022. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
^"倉貫一毅監督 解任のお知らせ". fcryukyu.com (in Japanese). FC Ryukyu. 16 May 2023. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
^"金鍾成（キン・ジョンソン） 氏 監督就任のお知らせ". fcryukyu.com (in Japanese). FC Ryukyu. 15 September 2023. Archived from the original on 17 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
