The MEIJI YASUDA J.LEAGUE WORLD CHALLENGE powered by docomo, the J.LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL SERIES 2024 powered by docomo and the J.LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL SERIES 2024 ACADEMY MATCH were held as part of the J.LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, which pits J.Clubs against international clubs.

In the first attempt to hold international J.LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL SERIES events locally, matches were played in Hiroshima and Kyoto as well as Tokyo. Matches were organized with clubs from Europe’s top leagues, giving not only players but also fans and supporters the opportunity to experience the international scene first-hand.

Event objectives

The J.LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL SERIES was organised with the following objectives in terms of competition, promotion, and operations.

Competition	Raising the standard of football in J.LEAGUE ・By playing against clubs from Europe’s top leagues, players, managers, and staff can experience first-hand the gap between themselves and their international counterparts.
Promotion	Promotion of the spread of football and development of the next generation of players ・Promote J.LEAGUE and the spread of football by creating opportunities for children to come into contact with top European clubs. ・Organise matches between youth teams to allow them to experience global competition from their formative years.
Operations	Expanding the recognition and fan base of J.LEAGUE in Japan and overseas ・Use matches against clubs from Europe’s top leagues as an opportunity to reach a wider audience beyond J.LEAGUE fans and supporters.

Summary of events

Academy matches

In addition to top-flight matches, academy matches were organised to provide growth opportunities for the next generation of players.
Junior youth age academy teams from the invited clubs travelled to Japan, and academy matches were organised between the U-15 teams of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United (both from England) and the U-15 J.LEAGUE selection. There was also a training match between Japan’s U-19 national team and Tottenham’s first team.

Together with the top-level matches, these events provided a valuable opportunity for children to experience world-class football without leaving Japan.

Click here for details of the academy matches

Sustainability Conference

The Nippon Foundation and J.LEAGUE co-hosted a sustainability conference as a side event to the MEIJI YASUDA J.LEAGUE WORLD CHALLENGE powered by docomo. Officials from Tottenham, the number one team in the Premier League for sustainability for four years running according to Sport Positive Leagues, a programme that assesses the environmental sustainability of different sports leagues, were invited to the conference to discuss with participants the significance of addressing sustainability through sport.
The sustainability conference was a valuable opportunity to learn about sustainability management together with the conference participants, and to gain important lessons and inspiration for action on sustainability management in the world of sport in the future.

Click here for details of the conference（Japanese page only）