J1 League

top level of association football in Japan

The J1 League (J1リーグ, J1 Rīgu), in the past known as J. League Division 1 (Jリーグ・ディビジョン1, J Rīgu Dibijon1), is part of the Japanese football club system.

J1 League is the top grouping of the Japan Professional Football League (日本プロサッカーリーグ, Nippon Puro Sakkā Rīgu).

It is one of the three major titles in Japan, along with J. League Cup and Emperor's Cup.

The second tier is represented by the J2 League.

Champions

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Season Champions Runner-up Third place
1993 Verdy Kawasaki Kashima Antlers Shimizu S-Pulse
1994 Verdy Kawasaki Sanfrecce Hiroshima Kashima Antlers
1995 Yokohama Marinos Verdy Kawasaki Nagoya Grampus
1996 Kashima Antlers Nagoya Grampus Yokohama Flügels
1997 Júbilo Iwata Kashima Antlers Yokohama Marinos
1998 Kashima Antlers Júbilo Iwata Shimizu S-Pulse
1999 Júbilo Iwata Shimizu S-Pulse Kashiwa Reysol
2000 Kashima Antlers Yokohama F. Marinos Kashiwa Reysol
2001 Kashima Antlers Júbilo Iwata JEF United Ichihara
2002 Júbilo Iwata Yokohama F. Marinos Gamba Osaka
2003 Yokohama F. Marinos Júbilo Iwata JEF United Ichihara
2004 Yokohama F. Marinos Urawa Red Diamonds Gamba Osaka
2005 Gamba Osaka Urawa Red Diamonds Kashima Antlers
2006 Urawa Red Diamonds Kawasaki Frontale Gamba Osaka
2007 Kashima Antlers Urawa Red Diamonds Gamba Osaka
2008 Kashima Antlers Kawasaki Frontale Nagoya Grampus
2009 Kashima Antlers Kawasaki Frontale Gamba Osaka
2010 Nagoya Grampus Gamba Osaka Cerezo Osaka
2011 Kashiwa Reysol Nagoya Grampus Gamba Osaka
2012 Sanfrecce Hiroshima Vegalta Sendai Urawa Red Diamonds
2013 Sanfrecce Hiroshima Yokohama F. Marinos Kawasaki Frontale
2014 Gamba Osaka Urawa Red Diamonds Kashima Antlers

Split-season era (2015–present)

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Season First stage Second stage Champions
2015 Urawa Red Diamonds Sanfrecce Hiroshima Sanfrecce Hiroshima

League Format

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As of the 2015 season, and continuing through at least the 2019 season, the league uses a multi-stage format.

The regular season is split into two stages. In each stage, each team plays one match against every other team. As in almost all association football leagues worldwide, teams receive 3 points in the standings for a win, 1 point for a draw, and none for a loss, and teams are ranked by points earned.

After the second stage of the regular season, an overall table is calculated. The champions of each stage of the regular season, plus any team finishing in the top three of the overall table, advance to a championship playoff. The team that finishes on top of the overall table receives a place in the championship final, while the other teams play off for the other spot in the final.

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References

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Other websites

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