- JP
- EN
Press Release プレスリリース
2022.12.21
Effective from the 2024 season, the J.League will make the following changes to the league structure and competition format for the league and league cup competitions.
The number of clubs in the J1, J2, and J3 categories will be unified to 20 clubs and the promotion and relegation system for each category will be changed accordingly. In addition, the League Cup competition will be changed from a group stage and knockout format with 18 J1 clubs and two J2 clubs participating to a knockout format with all J1, J2, and J3 clubs participating.
This change is based on the "two growth themes" of the J.League's new growth strategy: (1) 60 clubs will shine in their respective hometowns, and (2) the top tier will shine as national (global) content. The goal is to increase the value of the J.League by maximizing the value of J1 as a top category, and by changing the format of the League Cup competition to create matches between different categories and use them as a catalyst for the growth of J2 and J3.
| Competitions | 2022 Season | 2023 Season | 2024 Season |
| Ｊ１ League | ・Number of clubs: 18 ・2.5 slots are relegated to J2 (2 slots are for automatic relegation of the bottom 2 clubs, and the remaining 1 slot is for the J1 16th-ranked club and the J2 3rd-6th-ranked J1/J2 Play-Offs winners to remain in J1 or be promoted) | ・Number of clubs: 18 ・One club will be relegated from the J1 League (automatic relegation of the lowest ranked club) | ・Number of clubs: 20 ・3 clubs will be relegated from the J1 League (automatic relegation of the bottom 3 clubs) |
| Ｊ２ League | ・Number of clubs: 22 ・2.5 slots for promotion to the J1 League (Same as above) ・2 clubs will be relegated to the J3 League (automatic relegation of the bottom 2 clubs) | ・Number of clubs: 22 ・3 slots for promotion to the J1 League (2 slots are automatic promotion for 1st and 2nd ranked / 1 slot is for the winner of the J1 Promotion Play-Offs for 3rd-6th-ranked) ・2 clubs will be relegated to the J3 League (automatic relegation of the bottom 2 clubs) | ・Number of clubs: 20 ・3 slots for promotion to the J1 League (2 slots are automatic promotion for 1st and 2nd ranked / 1 slot is for the winner of the J1 Promotion Play-Offs for 3rd-6th-ranked) ・3 clubs will be relegated to the J3 League (automatic relegation of the bottom 3 clubs) |
| Ｊ３ League | ・Number of clubs: 18 ・2 clubs will be promoted to the J2 League (automatic promotion of top 2 clubs) | ・Number of clubs: 20 ・2 clubs will be promoted to the J2 League (automatic promotion of top 2 clubs) | ・Number of clubs: 20 ・3 slots for promotion to the J2 League (2 slots are automatic promotion for 1st and 2nd ranked / 1 slot is for the winner of the J2 Promotion Play-Offs for 3rd-6th-ranked) |
| League Cup | ・In the group stage, the 16 teams (14 J1 teams excluding the 4 teams competing in ACL and 2 J2 teams ranked 17th and 18th in the previous year's J1) are divided into 4 groups, and each group plays a round-robin league with a home-and-away format. ・In the playoff stage, 8 teams that have won the group stage will play two matches in a home-and-away format. ・The knockout stage consists of a home-and-away tournament (with one final match) among 8 teams, including the 4 teams that won the playoff stage and the 4 teams that will participate in the ACL. | ・In the group stage, all 18 J1 teams and 2 J2 teams (ranked 17th and 18th in the previous year's J1) will be divided into 5 groups, and each group will play in a home and away double round-robin league.. ・Total of eight winning teams from the Group Stage play in a home and away tournament. (There is only one match for the final .) | ・Knockout competition in which all J1, J2, and J3 clubs participate. *Details will be announced separately. |
