The 2023 Sanfrecce Hiroshima season was their 85th season in existence and their 15th consecutive season in the J1 League. In addition to the league, the club competed in the Emperor's Cup and J. League Cup. As the third-placed team on last season's J1 League, they would have been qualified to the 2023âÂÂ24 AFC Champions League play-offs. However, on 6 May, they lost their continental participation spot as Urawa Red Diamonds won the 2022 AFC Champions League.
After the club surpassed many fans' expectations with their last season's performances, the club finished in the 3rd place on the 2022 J1 League. This season, their squad was barely touched, with only a few regulars leaving the team.
The opening match was released by the J.League on 23 December 2022. The full league fixtures were released on 20 January 2023.
As a J1 League club, it started in the 2nd round of the competition. Sanfrecce was the runner-up of the competition in the previous season.
As every other club, Sanfrecce starts the competition at the group stage. The club will play the season as the defending champions, after they won past Cerezo Osaka in the 2022 J.League Cup Final by a 2âÂÂ1 win, which was earned with a last-minute comeback.