Japan Football League
Founded1992 (1992)
Folded1998 (1998)
Country Japan
ConfederationAFC
Divisions2 (1992–1993)
1 (1994–1998)
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid2–3 (1992–1993)
2 (1994–1998)
Promotion toJ.League
Relegation toJapanese Regional Leagues
Domestic cup(s)Emperor's Cup
J.League Cup (associates)
Last championsTokyo Gas
(1998)
Most championships7 clubs
(1 title each)
Vissel Kobe vs. NTT Kanto F.C. at Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium in 1995

The former Japan Football League (ジャパンフットボールリーグ, Japan Futtobōru Līgu) was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J.League.

History

When the Japan Football Association decided to found a professional football league, the Japan Soccer League (JSL), the top-flight league until the 1991/92 season, was reorganised into two newly formed leagues. One was the Japan Professional Football League as known as J. League, the first-ever professional football league in Japan. The other was the former Japan Football League.

Out of twenty eight clubs who were the members of the JSL division 1 and 2, nine along with independent Shimizu S-Pulse formed J.League, one (Yomiuri Junior) was merged with their parent club, and the other eighteen chose not to be professional, at least at that time. They played the inaugural 1992 season of the former JFL together with Osaka Gas and Seino Transportation, the top two places in the Regional League promotion series. The initial configuration was two divisions of 10 clubs each, but from 1994, the format was changed to a single division of 16 clubs.

The former JFL ceased to exist at the end of the 1998 season when J.League Division 2 was formed. Out of 16 teams who played the last season of the former JFL, 9 decided and were accepted to play in J2 and the other 7 teams joined the new JFL.

Participating clubs

Division 1

Club name First season
in JFL
Seasons
in JFL
Home town(s) First season
in D2
Seasons
in D2
Last spell
in D2
Last JFL
title
Current
league
Albirex Niigata 1998 1 Niigata & Seirō, Niigata 1998 1 1998 J1
Omiya Ardija 1994 5 Saitama 1987/88 10 1994–1998 J2
Shonan Bellmare 1992 2 Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 1990/91 4 1990/91–1993 1993 J1
Fukuoka Blux 1993 3 Fukuoka 1991/92 4 1993–1995 1995 J1
Brummel Sendai 1995 4 Sendai, Miyagi 1995 4 1995–1998 J2
Cerezo Osaka 1992 3 Osaka, Osaka 1991/92 4 1991/92–1994 1994 J1
Consadole Sapporo 1992 6 Sapporo, Hokkaido 1978 17 1992–1997 1997 J1
Cosmo Oil Yokkaichi 1994 3 Yokkaichi, Mie 1980 10 1994–1996 Defunct
Denso 1996 3 Kariya, Aichi 1996 3 1996–1998 New JFL
Kawasaki Frontale 1992 7 Kawasaki, Kanagawa 1972 20 1979–1998 J1
Fukushima FC 1995 3 Fukushima 1995 3 1995–1997 Defunct
Tosu Futures 1994 3 Tosu, Saga 1994 3 1994–1996 Defunct
Mito HollyHock 1997 2 Mito, Ibaraki 1997 2 1997–1998 J2
Honda Motors 1992 6 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 1975 12 1994–1998 1996 New JFL
Jatco SC 1997 2 Numazu, Shizuoka 1997 2 1997–1998 Defunct
Kokushikan University 1998 1 Machida, Tokyo 1998 1 1998 Kantō University League
Montedio Yamagata 1994 5 All cities/towns in Yamagata 1994 5 1994–1998 J2
NKK SC 1992 1 Kawasaki, Kanagawa 1980 5 1991/92–1992 Defunct
Otsuka FC Vortis Tokushima 1994 5 All cities/towns in Tokushima 1990/91 7 1994–1998 J2
Kyoto Purple Sanga 1993 3 Southwestern cities/towns in Kyoto 1972 13 1993–1995 J1
Kashiwa Reysol 1992 3 Kashiwa, Chiba 1987/88 6 1992–1994 J1
Sagan Tosu 1997 2 Tosu, Saga 1997 2 1997–1998 J1
Seino Transportation 1994 4 All cities/towns in Gifu 1985 7 1994–1997 Defunct
Sony Sendai 1998 1 Miyagi 1998 1 1998 New JFL
Tokyo Gas 1992 7 Tokyo 1991/92 8 1991/92–1998 1998 J1
Oita Trinity 1996 3 Ōita 1996 3 1996–1998 J2
Ventforet Kofu 1994 5 All cities/towns in Yamanashi 1972 25 1994–1998 J2
Vissel Kobe 1994 2 Kobe, Hyōgo 1986/87 9 1994–1995 J1
Yamaha Motors 1992 2 Iwata, Shizuoka 1979 4 1992–1993 1992 J2
  • "Seasons in D2", "Last spell in D2", and "Last D2 title" include participation in Japan Soccer League D2 and take into account seasons up to 1998, when the league ceased to exist

Division 2

Club name First season
in JFL D2
Seasons
in JFL D2
Home town(s) Last spell
in JFL D2
Current
league
Fukuoka Blux 1992 1 Fujieda, Shizuoka 1992 J1
Cosmo Oil Yokkaichi 1992 2 Yokkaichi, Mie 1992–1993 Defunct
Honda Motors 1993 1 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 1993 New JFL
Kawasaki Steel 1992 2 Kurashiki, Okayama 1992–1993 J1 (as Vissel Kobe)
Kofu SC 1992 2 All cities/towns in Yamanashi 1992–1993 J2
Kyoto Shiko 1992 1 Southwestern cities/towns in Kyoto 1992 J1
NKK SC 1993 1 Kawasaki, Kanagawa 1993 Defunct
NTT Kanto 1992 2 Saitama 1992–1993 J2
Osaka Gas 1992 1 Osaka, Osaka 1992 Osaka League D1
PJM Futures 1993 1 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 1993 Defunct
Seino Transportation 1992 2 All cities/towns in Gifu 1992–1993 Defunct
Tanabe Pharmaceuticals 1992 1 Osaka, Osaka 1992 Defunct
Toho Titanium 1992 2 Chigasaki, Kanagawa 1992–1993 Kantō League D2
Toyota Higashi-Fuji 1993 1 Shizuoka 1993 Defunct

Championship, promotion and relegation history

SeasonChampionsRunners-upPromoted to J.League after the seasonPromoted from Regional Leagues before the seasonRelegated to Regional Leagues after the season
1992[1]Div. 1-Yamaha
Div. 2-Chuo Bohan Fujieda
Div. 1-Hitachi
Div. 2-Kyoto Shiko Club
NoneOsaka Gas
Seino Transportation
Tanabe Pharmaceutical S.C.
Osaka Gas S.C.
1993[2]Div. 1-Bellmare Hiratsuka
Div. 2-Honda FC
Div. 1-Júbilo Iwata
Div. 2-PJM
Hiratsuka
Iwata
Toyota Higashifuji
PJM
Toho Titanium SC
NKK F.C. (disbanded)
Toyota Higashifuji (disbanded)
1994[3]Cerezo OsakaKashiwa ReysolCerezo
Kashiwa
NEC YamagataNone
1995[4]Fukuoka BluxKyoto Purple SangaFukuoka
Kyoto
Brummell Sendai
Fukushima FC
None
1996[5]Honda FCVissel KobeKobeNippon Denso
Ōita F.C.
Cosmo Oil Yokkaichi (disbanded)
Tosu Futures (disbanded)
1997[6]Consadole SapporoTokyo GasSapporoPrima Ham FC Tsuchiura
Jatco F.C.
Sagan Tosu (new club, replaces Tosu Futures)
Fukushima FC (disbanded)
Seino Transportation F.C. (disbanded)
1998[7]Tokyo GasKawasaki FrontaleNoneAlbirex Niigata
Sony Sendai FC,
Kokushikan Univ. S.C. (recommended by Univ. Assoc.)
None
*The following clubs were admitted to the new J.League Division 2: Brummell Sendai (Vegalta Sendai), Montedio Yamagata, Omiya Ardija, Tokyo Gas F.C. (FC Tokyo), Kawasaki Frontale, Ventforet Kofu, Albirex Niigata, Sagan Tosu, Ōita F.C. (Oita Trinita)

Most successful clubs

Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasons Runners-up seasons
Júbilo Iwata
1
1
1992 1993
Tokyo Gas
1
1
1998 1997
Bellmare Hiratsuka
1
0
1993
Cerezo Osaka
1
0
1994
Fukuoka Blux
1
0
1995
Honda FC
1
0
1996
Consadole Sapporo
1
0
1997
Kashiwa Reysol
0
2
1992, 1994
Kyoto Purple Sanga
0
1
1995
Vissel Kobe
0
1
1996
Kawasaki Frontale
0
1
1998

References

  1. "Japan 1991/92". Rec.Sport.Soccer. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  2. "Japan 1993". Rec.Sport.Soccer. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  3. "Japan 1994". Rec.Sport.Soccer. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  4. "Japan 1995". Rec.Sport.Soccer. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  5. "Japan 1996". Rec.Sport.Soccer. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  6. "Japan 1997". Rec.Sport.Soccer. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  7. "Japan 1998". Rec.Sport.Soccer. Retrieved 15 December 2014.

See also

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