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2024 Japan Football League

The was the eleventh season having a fourth-tier status in Japanese football and the 26th season since the establishment of the Japan Football League.

Overview

Promoted from the JFL to the J3 League

No team was promoted from the JFL to the J3, since none of the top four clubs last season met the needed requirements for promotion, which includes (but not limited to) having a J3 license.

Promoted from the Regional Leagues

Tochigi City, 2023 Kanto Soccer League runner-up, was the sole promoted team to the JFL as they won the 2023 Regional Champions League.

Vonds Ichihara could join Briobecca Urayasu as Chiba's representatives in the JFL, had they won the 2023 JFL play-off against Okinawa SV.

Promotion and relegation between J3 and JFL

This season is the second to feature promotion/relegation between the J3 League and the Japan Football League, enabling the possibility for teams to be relegated from the J3. The system of promotion/relegation between the leagues can be determined by the eligibility (Promotion to J3 requires a J.League license) of the JFL's champions and runners-up for the season.

No changes were made from the previous season:

  • If only the JFL champion holds a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation with the J3's 20th-placed team.
  • If only the JFL runner-up holds a license, there will be promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 20th-placed team.
  • If both the JFL champion and runner-up hold a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation between the JFL champions and the J3's 20th-placed team, and promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 19th-placed team.
  • If neither the JFL champion nor the runner-up holds a license, no promotion/relegation between J3 and JFL will take place.
  • In addition, the J.League stated extra requisites for promotions, with teams needing to have an average attendance of at least 2,000 in home matches, and an annual admission revenue of at least 10 million yen.

The dates and the host teams of the promotion/relegation play-off were pre-determined by the J.League. In case it happens: It will be played in two legs on 1 and 7 December, with the J3 team hosting the second leg; away-goals rule will not be applied; should the match be tied, it will require extra-time, and if the draw persists, penalty shoot-outs.

Promotion and relegation between JFL and Regional Leagues

  • The winner of the 2024 Regional Champions League (JFL promotion series) will be automatically promoted for the 2024 JFL.
  • The 15th-placed team from the JFL will play a play-off match against the runners-up of the promotion series, with the winner earning a spot at the 2025 JFL. It will be held on 30 November or 1 December, at a stadium picked by the host team from the JFL.
  • The 16th-placed team will be automatically relegated to their respective Regional League.

Club name changes

Tokyo Musashino United FC returned to its former name Yokogawa Musashino FC, and Suzuka Point Getters became Atletico Suzuka Club.

Participating clubs

The teams which possess (or are applicants of) promotion-enabler licenses are highlighted in green in the following table.

Personnel and kits

Managerial changes

Foreign players

League table

J3/JFL Play-offs

The play-offs, officially called the 2024 J3/JFL Play-offs (), took place on 1 and 7 December 2024. If the two teams were equal on the scoreboard, the match would go to extra time and penalties. Away goals rule would not be applied.

Overview

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Matches

Kochi United SC won the J3/JFL play-offs on aggregate 3-1 and got promoted to J3, while YSCC Yokohama lost the play-offs and got relegated to JFL.

JFL/Regional Leagues promotion/relegation playoff

The play-off (') took place on 1 December 2024.

Minebea Mitsumi stayed in the JFL; Vonds Ichihara stayed in the Kantō Soccer League Division 1.

Top scorers

See also

National association
League
Cup

Footnotes

References

External links