09TERMINOLOGY

Terms related to J.LEAGUE / J.Club

  1. J.Club

    (Explanation)
    Clubs belong to the J.League.
    Companies that specialize in football.
    The office is called a “club office.”
    The office that has a training facility is also called a “club house.”
    (Note)
    It is not written as “J.League Club” or “team”

  2. Team

    (Explanation)
    Top team, satellite team, U-18, U-15 and other category’s team of the J.Club and is different from a “club.”

  3. Home Town

    (Explanation)
    A specific prefecture, city, or town that has been designated as the home of a J.Club.

Terms related to J.League competition, official event, and other competition / match

  1. MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE

    (Explanation)
    First division of the J.LEAGUE and the highest level in Japanese professional football.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “J.LEAGUE 1st Division.”

  2. J.LEAGUE YBC Levain CUP (Levain Cup)

    (Explanation)
    Renamed from Yamazaki Nabisco Cup in June 2016.
    (Note)
    Not written as “Levain Tournament” or “J.League Tournament.”

  3. FUJI XEROX SUPER CUP

    (Explanation)
    The MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE champion and Emperor’s Cup champion from the previous season will play against each other in the Super Cup, the first official match of the the new season.
    *In case the J1 League champion is also the Emperor’s Cup champion, the 2nd place team of J1 League will participate.

  4. J1/J2 Play-Offs

    (Explanation)
    A tournament will be contested by the 16th place club of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE and the third through sixth place clubs of the MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE.
    The winner of this tournament will remain or be promoted to the J1 League next season.

  5. MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE

    (Explanation)
    Second division of the J.LEAGUE.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “J.League 2nd Division.”

  6. MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE

    (Explanation)
    Third division of the J.LEAGUE.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “J.League 3rd Division.”

Official J.LEAGUE events and other events

  1. J.LEAGUE KICK OFF CONFERENCE

    (Explanation)
    At the start of the season, players and managers of each club will gather to talk about their aspirations.

  2. J.LEAGUE AWARDS

    (Explanation)
    Award ceremony held after the end of the season.

  3. MEIJI YASUDA eJ.LEAGUE

    (Explanation)
    A video game tournament using the software “FIFA 18,” where 15 clubs that belong to the J1 League during the 2018 season compete in a knockout format.
    (※As of 2018)

J.League competition (development category)

  1. J.LEAGUE UNDER14

    (Explanation)
    A league for players under the age of 14, where J.Clubs and other participating regional clubs compete.

  2. J.LEAGUE UNDER16 CHALLENGE LEAGUE

    (Explanation)
    A league for players under the age of 16 who belong to the 39 clubs of J1 and J2, and 12 clubs of J3. Co-sponsored by the Japan Foundation Asia Center, teams from Southeast Asia and Korea Republic are invited to participate in tournaments to enhance the level of international competition of football and to provide a platform for cultural exchange.

  3. J.LEAGUE UNDER17 CHALLENGE CUP

    (Explanation)
    A league for players under the age of 17 who belong to clubs finishing in the top ranks of the “J.LEAGUE U-16 Challenge League.” A round robin group league is followed by play-offs. Teams from overseas are invited for the purpose of further developing the top-level players.

  4. J.LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CUP

    (Explanation)
    A tournament played by the top 4 teams of the J Youth Cup, champion team of the K.League U-18, and invited teams from various countries. A round robin group league is followed by play-offs to determine the final ranking.

  5. J YOUTH CUP

    (Explanation)
    A knockout tournament held between J1, J2, and J3 clubs and four regional representatives from the Japan Club Youth Football Federation (JCY).

  6. J.LEAGUE Development Match Day

    (Explanation)
    Held with the aim of contributing to the development of promising young players. Available for all J.League clubs who wish to participate.

  7. J Satellite League／Reserve Team League

    (Explanation)
    A league aimed mainly for the development of young players who are striving to become a starting player at the top team of a J.Club. In England, it is referred to as the “reserve league.”
    (Note)
    The J.Satellite League is not referred to as “Farm team” or “Farm League.” Not held in 2018 season.

International competitions and other competitions in which J.Clubs participate

  1. EMPEROR’S CUP

    (Explanation)
    A tournament held in a knockout format to determine the national champion of Japan. Played between J1, J2, amateur seed teams, and 47 prefectural representatives.

  2. AFC Champions League

    (Explanation)
    It is not written as “Asia Champions League.”

  3. FIFA Club World Cup

    (Explanation)
    The competition started in 2005 as a tournament in which the 6 reigning continental club champions compete for the world title. From 2006 onwards, the tournament is referred to as “FIFA Club World Cup presented by TOYOTA.”
    (Note)
    The competition is not referred to as “Toyota Cup,” “World Club Championship,” “CWC,” or “FCWC.”

  4. J.League YBC Levain Cup / CONMEBOL SUDAMERICANA Championship

    (Explanation)
    An intercontinental title match between J.League YBC Levain Cup champion and CONMEBOL SUDAMERICANA champion. (*previously called the Suruga Bank Championship until 2018)

  5. Exhibition Match (Pre-season Match, Friendly Match)

    (Explanation)
    An informal match played by a J.League club, held for the purpose of promoting football at certain regions and to prepare the club for official matches. The opponent team can be domestic or from overseas. As a general rule, matches played before the season is called a pre-season match, but for example, if the opposing team is invited from a foreign country, it will be an exhibition match for the visiting side. Use the term depending on the situation.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “open match.”

Terms related to J.League development

  1. J.League Academy / Development Organization

    (Explanation)
    Academy is a general term for J.Club teams that meet the requirements set by the J.League and belong to either of the registration categories 2, 3, and 4 of the Japan Football Association (JFA). Category 4 includes activities such as football schools and clinics held for that age group.
    (Note)
    The expression “substructure” is not used.

  2. J.League Academy Director

    (Explanation)
    A player development manager who supervises the overall player development at a J.Club.

  3. U- ○○ (Example: U -16, U -14, U -13)

    (Explanation)
    For expressions such as “youth” and “junior youth,” derived from “category 2” and “category 3” based on JFA regulations, the notation and name will be unified to “U- ○○.” In the future, the names of tournaments sponsored by the J.League and the registered names of teams belonging to each club academy will also be unified to reflect the above ideas.

Terms related to organization / position / person

  1. Professional / Amateur players

    (Explanation)
    Please refer to “Registration categories (differences between professionals and amateurs, etc.).”

  2. Join / Retire, Transfer, (Leave)

    (Explanation)
    Joining a J.Club is called “joining.” At the J.League, clubs are not called “ball clubs,” so when leaving the club, it is described as “transferred” or “retired” depending on the situation.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “enter ball club” or “leave ball club.”

  3. Foreign Player

    (Explanation)
    Player with foreign nationality.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “foreigner player.”

  4. Loan Transfer

    (Explanation)
    Short-term transfer on condition that the player return to the club they are originally contracted to at the conclusion of their loan.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “rental transfer.”

  5. Agent

    (Note)
    It is not written as “player representative.”

  6. Club Official (Club Executive)

    (Explanation)
    The English translation for the club’s senior management is “Club Executive.” There is no accurate word that can be used to replace the word “front,” which refers to the executives and administrative officers of the club in Japanese. Another similar word is “club staff.”

  7. J.League Chairman

    (Explanation)
    President of the J.League.

  8. Match Commissioner

    (Explanation)
    Please refer to “Other matters related to official matches” (Match Commissioner).
    （注意）
    It is not written as “match commisserie.”

  9. Referee

    (Explanation)
    The main match official for a match who operates on the field of play. Other match officials operate under the referee’s control and direction. The referee is the final/ultimate decision-maker.

  10. Assistant Referee

    (Explanation)
    A match official with a flag positioned on one half of each touchline to assist the referee particularly with offside situations and goal kick/corner kick/throw-in decisions
    (Note)
    It is not written as “side referee” or “linesmen.”

  11. The Fourth Official（The 4th Official)

    (Explanation)
    A match official with responsibility for assisting the referee with both on-field and off-field matters, including overseeing the technical area, controlling substitutes etc.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “reserve referee.”

  12. The Additional Assistant Referee (AAR)

    (Explanation)
    A match official positioned on the goal line to assist the referee particularly with situations in/around the penalty area and goal/no-goal decisions

  13. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR)

    (Explanation)
    A current or former referee appointed to assist the referee by communicating information from replay footage only in relation to a ‘clear and obvious error’ or ‘serious missed incident’ in one of the reviewable categories

  14. The Assistant Video Assistant Referee (AVAR)

    (Explanation)
    A current or former referee/assistant referee appointed to assist the video assistant referee (VAR)

  15. Top Scorer／Leading Scorer

Terms related to the competition / play

  1. Away

    (Explanation)
    When referring to a team, the word “visitor” can also be used.

  2. Own Goal

    (Note)
    It is not written as “jisatsuten.”

  3. Point（s)

  4. Goal Line

    (Note)
    It is not written as “end line.”

  5. Final Whistle

    (Note)
    It is not written as “game set.”

  6. Touch Line

    (Note)
    It is not written as “side line.”

  7. Night Game

    (Note)
    It is not written as Japanese English “niter.”

  8. Knock-out Format／Tournament

  9. Halfway Line

    (Note)
    It is not written as “center line.”

  10. Pitch

    (Explanation)
    A turf field surrounded by touch lines and goal lines to play football.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “ground” or “court.”

  11. Field

    (Explanation)
    The pitch and its surroundings (including the tracks if it is an athletics stadium).

  12. Starting Line-ups／Squads

  13. Additional Time

    (Explanation)
    Time allowed at the end of each half for time ‘lost’ because of substitutions injuries, disciplinary action, goal celebrations etc.
    (Note)
    The terms “loss time” or “injury time” are not used

  14. Penalty Shoot-out

    (Explanation)
    A method of determining the winner by penalty kicks (PK).
    (Note)
    It is not written as “PK battle.”

  15. Golden Goal

    (Explanation)
    A rule used to decide the winner of a match in extra time, where the game ends when a goal is scored by either side. It is called a “V goal” in Japan while it is called a “golden goal” internationally. Until 2002, J.League used the V goal rule in its league matches to determine the winner in extra time.
    (Note)
    It is not written as “sudden death.”

General terms / others

  1. Player Development

    (Explanation)
    “Reinforce” is also used.
    (Note)
    When writing in English, do not write “strengthen.”

  2. Giant Screen ／ Electronic Scoreboard

  3. Spectators

  4. Attendance

  5. Supporters

    (Explanation)
    Enthusiastic football fans, people who supports a particular club team.

  6. Match／Game

  7. Written Press

  8. Photographer (s)

  9. TV Crew

  10. Flash Interview

    (Note)
    It is not written as “hero interview.”

  11. Press Conference／Media Conference

  12. Mixed Zone

  13. Accreditation Card

    (Explanation)
    Admission permit (AD or press pass) issued at the match venue.
    (Note)
    “ID” stands for “identification card.”