Japan Football(Soccer) Guide Blog

Tag: Japan National Stadium

  • J.League All-Stars Return After 17 Years: Everything You Need to Know About the J.LEAGUE ALL-STAR DAZN CUP

    Why Now? — A Historic Turning Point

    J.League is entering a major new era in 2026.

    For over 30 years, the J.League season ran from February to December. Starting from the 2026/27 season, J.League will switch to an autumn-to-spring calendar — beginning in August and ending in May the following year. This is the same structure used by most top European leagues.

    Because of this change, the first half of 2026 (February to June) has been designated a “Special Season.” J.League does not want this period to feel like a quiet off-season. Instead, it has planned a series of events to say thank you to everyone who has supported the league throughout its 33-year history.

    The grand finale of this Special Season is the J.LEAGUE ALL-STAR DAZN CUP.

    Basic Information

    ItemDetails
    Event NameJ.LEAGUE ALL-STAR DAZN CUP
    DateSaturday, June 13, 2026
    VenueMUFG Stadium (Japan National Stadium), Tokyo
    Title PartnerDAZN
    BroadcastDAZN (all matches live)
    Number of Matches7 matches in total
    Match Length30 minutes per match (no extra time) ※ The third-place and fifth-place playoff matches are 20 minutes

    What Does “17 Years” Mean?

    J.League held an All-Star Game every year from 1993 to 2007. The format was an East vs. West match between selected players from across the league. In 2008 and 2009, the format changed: a J.League All-Star XI faced an All-Star XI from South Korea’s K League.

    After 2009, the All-Star Game was discontinued. This year’s event marks its return — the first time in 17 years.

    There is another important point. In the past, only players from J1 — the top division — could participate in the All-Star Game. This time, players from all 60 clubs across J1, J2 (second division), and J3 (third division) are eligible. This has never happened before in the event’s history.

    A New Format — Regional All-Star Teams

    The biggest change in this tournament is how the teams are put together.

    There is no East vs. West format this time. Instead, six regional All-Star teams will compete in a knockout tournament. The six regions follow the same geographic groupings used in the Meiji Yasuda J.League Hyakunen Koso League — a special pre-season league competition held during the Special Season.

    The Six Teams

    J1 Division (Top Flight)

    • J1 EAST All-Stars Kashima Antlers, Mito HollyHock, Urawa Red Diamonds, Chiba, Kashiwa Reysol, FC Tokyo, Tokyo Verdy, Machida Zelvia, Kawasaki Frontale, Yokohama F·Marinos
    • J1 WEST All-Stars Shimizu S-Pulse, Nagoya Grampus, Kyoto Sanga, Gamba Osaka, Cerezo Osaka, Vissel Kobe, Fagiano Okayama, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Avispa Fukuoka, V-Varen Nagasaki

    J2/J3 Division (Second and Third Divisions)

    • J2/J3 EAST-A All-Stars
    • J2/J3 EAST-B All-Stars
    • J2/J3 WEST-A All-Stars
    • J2/J3 WEST-B All-Stars

    How the Tournament Works

    1. Preliminary Round: The four J2/J3 teams play two matches. The two winners advance.
    2. Semi-finals: J1 EAST All-Stars vs. J2/J3 Winner A. J1 WEST All-Stars vs. J2/J3 Winner B.
    3. Final: The two semi-final winners play for the title.
    4. A third-place match and a fifth-place match are also held.

    The J1 sides are the top-flight teams, but the path to the title is open to J2 and J3 players too. And honestly, that alone makes this tournament worth watching — the chance of a real upset is built right into the format.

    How Are Players Selected? — The Power of Fan Voting

    Players are chosen through three methods.

    ① Fan Vote

    This is the most important selection method. Voting runs every week from February to May 2026. Fans can vote in three ways:

    • At the stadium on match days (in-stadium voting)
    • Through DAZN while watching matches (viewer voting via DAZN)
    • By registering for a J.League ID (the official J.League fan account)

    Fans from all over the world can vote through DAZN. This is what makes the event truly global.

    ② Regional Best XI

    The top-performing players from each regional group are selected.

    • J1 division: 11 players per group × 2 groups
    • J2/J3 division: 11 players per group × 4 groups

    ③ League Nominations

    J.League can add extra players to balance positions and squad numbers.

    Important note: Players selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (held in North America) will not be available for this event. Some of Japan’s biggest international stars may be absent. But that also gives other talented J.League players a chance to step into the spotlight.

    What to Expect on Match Day — The Stadium Experience

    The matches are just one part of the event. On June 13 at the Japan National Stadium, fans can also enjoy:

    • Player events and fan interaction activities
    • Live music performances by artists
    • A special stadium food festival

    J.League’s stadium food culture is one of its most loved features. At most J.League home grounds, you can eat local specialties from that club’s city or region — and the quality and variety are some of the best you will find at any football stadium in the world. A special all-star version, bringing together the best stadium food from clubs across Japan, is something to look forward to.

    Why 2026 Is Special — Two Football Celebrations at Once

    June 13, 2026 falls right in the middle of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. DAZN plans to broadcast all 104 World Cup matches. Football excitement in Japan — and around the world — will be at its highest point.

    The J.League All-Star Game takes place right in the middle of all that energy. For football fans everywhere, this is a rare chance to enjoy both the world’s biggest tournament and one of Asia’s most exciting leagues at the same time.

    What This Means — J.League’s Next Chapter

    The J.LEAGUE ALL-STAR DAZN CUP is more than a celebration event.

    In a historic year when J.League moves to an autumn-to-spring calendar — matching the structure of major European leagues — the best players from all 60 clubs across all three divisions will come together in one place. Fans around the world can vote for the players they want to see. Anyone with DAZN can watch it live.

    This is the moment J.League takes a clear step from being “a Japanese league” to being “a league open to the world.”

  • What is the Levain Cup?

    A Complete Guide for J.League Beginners

    What is the Levain Cup?

    The J.League YBC Levain Cup is one of the three most important titles in Japanese football. The other two are the J1 League — the top division, played across the full season — and the Emperor’s Cup, Japan’s oldest national cup competition. The Emperor’s Cup is open to clubs from all divisions, including amateur teams, and uses a straight knockout format.

    In short, the Levain Cup is J.League’s league cup. If you follow European football, the closest comparison is the EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) in England.

    Where Does the Name “Levain” Come From?

    The full name is the J.League YBC Levain Cup. “YBC” stands for Yamazaki Biscuits Co., Ltd., the tournament’s title sponsor. “Levain” is the brand name of one of the company’s cracker products. The word comes from French and means “sourdough starter.”

    But this competition had a completely different name for a long time.

    The tournament started in 1992 — one year before the J.League officially launched — and was known for many years as the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup. This is because Yamazaki Biscuits was previously called Yamazaki Nabisco and held a license to use the Nabisco brand name.

    In 2016, the company ended its Nabisco license and changed its corporate name to Yamazaki Biscuits. The tournament was renamed the YBC Levain Cup at the same time.

    For long-time J.League fans, simply saying “Nabisco” was enough to mean this tournament. Now “Levain” has taken that place. The name changed, but the love hasn’t.

    Why Does the Levain Cup Matter?

    Winning the league title or the Emperor’s Cup is obviously important. But the Levain Cup has its own special meaning.

    It is a gateway to glory.

    The J1 League title is often won by wealthy clubs from large cities. The Levain Cup is different. Smaller clubs from provincial cities have a real chance here. For a club that has never won a major title, the Levain Cup is often the first door that opens.

    Tournament Format

    The format has changed several times over the years. As of 2025, all 60 clubs from the J1, J2, and J3 leagues take part in a fully knockout-format tournament.

    (Quick note: J1 is the top division, J2 is the second division, and J3 is the third. Clubs are promoted and relegated between divisions based on their league results each season.)

    The competition runs in three stages:

    1st Round (Rounds 1–3) Single-leg knockout matches, hosted by lower-division clubs or lower-ranked clubs within the same division. Clubs involved in international competitions — such as the AFC Champions League or the FIFA Club World Cup — may receive a bye and skip this round.

    Playoff Round Two-legged ties, played home and away. The winner is decided by the total score across both matches — a format that fans of European cup football will recognize immediately.

    Prime Round (Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final) The quarterfinals and semifinals are two-legged ties. The final is a single match. VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is used in all matches from the Prime Round onward.

    The Final: Venue and Traditions

    Since 2022, the final has been held at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. It usually takes place in October or November, in the middle of the Japanese autumn.

    For J.League fans, the Levain Cup final under a clear autumn sky has become one of the highlights of the football calendar.

    And the final has another famous tradition: the tifo display.

    Before kick-off, supporters of both finalists create enormous visual displays — choreographed artwork that covers thousands of seats across the entire end stands behind each goal. This has become one of the defining images of the final.

    It all started in 2003. Urawa Red Diamonds — known for having some of the most passionate supporters in all of J.League — reached the Nabisco Cup Final for the first time. Their fans packed the end stands, turned them a deep red, and put on a spectacular tifo display. From that moment, the tradition took hold. Now, it is simply what you do when you reach the final.

    Levain Cup vs. Emperor’s Cup: What’s the Difference?

    Both competitions use a knockout format, but they feel completely different on match day.

    The Emperor’s Cup Final (often held on New Year’s Day) attracts many general football fans, not just supporters of the two clubs playing. It has a nationwide, festive atmosphere — almost like a national holiday.

    The Levain Cup Final is different. It belongs to the fans of the two finalists. The stadium is split in two by rival supporter groups, and the tifo displays make this contrast very clear. Both end stands are painted in completely different colors.

    So the two competitions are distinct not just in their rules and traditions, but also in the kind of atmosphere they create inside the stadium.

    2025 Results

    The 2025 Levain Cup Final was held on November 1st at Japan National Stadium.

    Sanfrecce Hiroshima defeated Kashiwa Reysol 3–1 to claim the title. It was Hiroshima’s second Levain Cup trophy, following their previous win in 2022.

    Summary

    The Levain Cup is not just “the third title.” It has a long history and is deeply loved by supporters across Japan. The name changed from Nabisco to Levain, but the competition’s value and passion remain exactly the same. The autumn final, the colorful tifo displays, the chance for an upset — all of this is part of what makes J.League worth watching.

    If you want to truly enjoy J.League, the Levain Cup is not something you want to miss.