Start brushing up on your Japanese footballing idioms – the J-League has been confirmed for Football Manager 2024.
The closest we’ve been able to get to Japan on the podcast is making the odd reference to Gary Lineker kicking ball for Grampus Eight back in the day
Sure, there’s Japanese representation in the Premier League (hello Tomiyasu, Endo) but for people looking for an Asian adventure, Japan holds a world of opportunities. Throughout the 90s and 00s there was no shortage of players globally who made the move to Japan, in particular from Brazil, Argentina and Australia. Thomas Vermaelen had a three-season stint with Vissel Kobe (2019-2022) alongside Andres Iniesta (2018-2023), Diego Forlán spent a season with Cerezo Osaka (2013-2014), but from a Football Manager point of view, we’ve never had an official in, until now.
In a league that also packs big South Korean influence, as well as a wealth of homegrown talent, you can be full sure there will be a wealth of J-League saves launched on 6 November.
All three Meiji Yasuda Insurance leagues – J1, J2 and J3 – will be “fully unlocked and playable across our suite of titles, with Japanese also available as an in-game language for the first time ever”, according to the official word from Football Manager HQ.
The J League has been around 30 years this year, so it’s timely to get it included into the the 20th edition of Football Manager. Ten clubs got the league underway in 1993 but by the end of the 90s, the league’s management had announced their ‘Hundred Year Vision’with the hope of having 100 professional clubs in Japan by 2092. In 2023, with 60 clubs to pick from across three leagues, that’s not bad going.
In all there are 60 clubs to choose from. Here’s a look at who’s coming to play…
J1 League clubs
- Albirex Niigata (2022 J2 champions)
- Avispa Fukuoka
- Cerezo Osaka
- FC Tokyo
- Gamba Osaka
- Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
- Kashima Antlers (2016 champions)
- Kashiwa Reysol
- Kawasaki Frontale (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 champions)
- Kyoto Sanga
- Nagoya Grampus
- Sagan Tosu
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima (2015 champions)
- Shonan Bellmare
- Urawa Red Diamonds
- Vissel Kobe
- Yokohama F. Marinos (2019, 2022 champions)
- Yokohama FC
J2 League clubs
- Blaublitz Akita
- Fagiano Okayama
- Fujieda MYFC
- Iwaki FC (2022 J3 champions)
- JEF United Chiba
- Jubilo Iwata
- Machida Zelvia
- Mito HollyHock
- Montedio Yamagata
- Oita Trinita
- Omiya Ardija
- Renofa Yamaguchi
- Roasso Kumamoto (2021 J3 champions)
- Shimizu S-Pulse
- Thespakusatsu Gunma
- Tochigi SC
- Tokushima Vortis
- Tokyo Verdy
- V-Varen Nagasaki
- Vegalta Sendai
- Ventforet Kofu
- Zweigen Kanazawa
J3 League clubs
- Azul Claro Numazu
- Ehime FC
- FC Gifu
- FC Imabari
- FC Osaka
- FC Ryukyu
- Fukushima United
- Gainare Tottori
- Giravanz Kitakyushu
- Iwate Grulla Morioka
- Kagoshima United
- Kamatamare Sanuki
- Kataller Toyama
- Matsumoto Yamaga
- Nagano Parceiro
- Nara Club
- SC Sagamihara
- Tegevajaro Miyazaki
- Vanraure Hachinohe
- Yokohama Sports & Culture Club
The J League typically starts in February (so you’ll have a January pre-season) and runs through to late October / early November. A decision is said to be made by the end of this year whether to move the dates out in line with European football to run from the summer onwards. If that move does happen, it’s not expected until at least the 2026-27 season.
