2023.12.20

2024 MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE - League and Match Formats

The J.League announces that the league and match formats for the 2024 MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE have been decided as follows.

League	Schedule and No. of matches	Competition format	Match format
MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE (20 teams)	Friday, February 23 - Sunday, November 24 [38sectors/380matches]	Home and away double round-robin tournament	<Match format and determination of winners> In case a 90-minute match (two halves of 45 minutes each) is played and no winner is decided, the match ends in a tie. <Points> Winner: three (3) points, Tie: one (1) point, Loser: zero (0) points

[Promotion/Relegation between J2 and J3]
(1)The three J2 clubs ranked lowest in the annual standings are relegated to J3, and the two J3 clubs ranked top in the annual standings and the winner of the J2 Promotion Play-Offs which takes place between the clubs ranked 3rd to 6th in the J3 annual standings will be promoted to J2.
(2)If a club ranked 1st or 2nd in the J3 annual standings does not have a J1 or J2 club license, the following rules are applied:
①The J3 club in question cannot be promoted to J2.
②If one of the two J3 clubs ranked top in the annual standings have a J1 or J2 club license, the applicable J3 club will be promoted to J2 and the two J2 clubs ranked lowest in the annual standings are relegated to J3. If a club from among the clubs ranked 3rd to 6th in the J3 annual standings do not have a J1 or J2 club license, the J2 club ranked lowest in the annual standings is relegated to J3.
③If neither of the two J3 clubs ranked top in the annual standings has a J1 or J2 club license, the J2 club ranked lowest in the annual standings is relegated to J3. If a club from among the clubs ranked 3rd to 6th in the J3 annual standings do not have a J1 or J2 club license, promotion and relegation between J2 and J3 will not take place.
(3)If a club from among the clubs ranked 3rd to 6th in the J3 annual standings does not have a J1 or J2 club license, the following rules are applied:
①The J3 club in question cannot participate in the J2 Promotion Play-Offs.
②The clubs ranked 7th and below in the J3 annual standings cannot be moved up to participate in the J2 Promotion Play-Offs.
③If a club from among the clubs ranked 3rd to 6th in the J3 annual standings do not have a J1 or J2 club license, two J3 clubs ranked top in the annual standings are promoted to J2 and the two J2 clubs ranked lowest in the annual standings are relegated to J3.
If a club from among the clubs ranked 3rd to 6th in the J3 annual standings do not have a J1 or J2 club license, the J2 club ranked lowest in the annual standings is relegated to J3.
If a club from among the clubs ranked 3rd to 6th in the J3 annual standings do not have a J1 or J2 club license, promotion and relegation between J2 and J3 will not take place.

[Promotion and relegation between J3 and JFL] (Loss of J3 club membership and admission of JFL club to J.League)
(1) In case that only one JFL club has been approved for J.League admission by the Board of Directors,
① If the JFL club ranked top in the JFL annual standings,
・The J3 club ranked lowest in the annual standings is relegated to JFL, and the JFL club ranked top in the annual standings will be promoted to J3.
・J3/JFL Play-Offs will not take place.
② If the JFL club ranked 2nd in the annual standings,
・The J3 club ranked lowest in the annual standings and the JFL club in question will participate in the J3/JFL Play-Offs.
・The JFL club that wins the J3/JFL Play-Offs will be promoted to J3, and the J3 club that defeats loses its membership.
(2) In case that the two JFL clubs have been approved for J.League admission by the Board of Directors,
① The J3 club ranked lowest in the annual standings is relegated to JFL, and the JFL club ranked top in the annual standings will be promoted to J3.
② The J3 club ranked 19th in the annual standings and the JFL club ranked 2nd in the annual standings will participate in the J3/JFL Play-Offs. The JFL club that wins the J3/JFL Play-Offs will be promoted to J3, and the J3 club that defeats loses its membership.
(3) If neither of the J3 clubs has been approved for J.League admission by the Board of Directors, J3/JFL Play-Offs will not take place.