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F.League
Founded2007; 12 years ago
CountryJapan
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)All Japan Futsal Championship
F.League Ocean Cup
International cup(s)AFC Futsal Club Championship
Current championsNagoya Oceans (15th title)
(2022–23 season)
Most championshipsNagoya Oceans (15 titles)
Websitewww.fleague.jp
Current: 2022–23

The F. League (in Japanese: "F・リーグ", officially "日本フットサルリーグ", Nihon Futtosaru Rīgu) is the top league for Futsal in Japan. The winning team obtains the participation right to the AFC Futsal Club Championship.[1]

History

The league was formed in 2007 as a complement for the elimination tournament, (the current Puma Cup) which groups regional futsal champions into a final elimination phase.[2]

The league operates on the sports franchise system, with no promotion or relegation of clubs. The clubs are thus expansion teams. In 2009 the number of clubs was increased from 8 to 10 with the addition of Fuchu Athletic and Espolada Hokkaido.

In F. League play, the clubs battle each other three times: once at home, once away and once in a neutral venue (generally Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo). The season runs from August to February.

An elimination league cup, the Ocean Cup is played every season by the 12 F.League teams.

2022–23 season

Participating clubs

Division 1

Team City/Area Ground Founded
Bardral Urayasu Urayasu, Chiba Urayasu General Gymnasium 1998
Boaluz Nagano Nagano, Nagano White Ring 2018
Borkbullet Kitakyushu Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Kitakyushu City General Gymnasium 2018
Espolada Hokkaido Sapporo, Hokkaido Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center 2008
Fugador Sumida Sumida, Tokyo Sumida City Gymnasium 2001
Nagoya Oceans Nagoya, Aichi Takeda Teva Ocean Arena 2006
Pescadola Machida Machida, Tokyo Machida Municipal General Gymnasium 1999
Shonan Bellmare Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Odawara Arena 2007
Shriker Osaka Osaka, Osaka Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium 2002
Tachikawa Athletic Fuchū, Tokyo Fuchu Sports Center 2000
Vasagey Oita Oita, Oita Oozu Sports Park 2003
YSCC Yokohama Yokohama, Kanagawa Yokohama City Hiranuma Memorial Gymnasium 2018

Division 2

Team City/Area Ground Founded
Agleymina Hamamatsu Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Hamamatsu Arena 1996
Deução Kobe Kobe, Hyogo Kobe Green Arena 2007
Hiroshima F DO Hiroshima, Hiroshima Hiroshima City Asakita-ku Sports Center 2018
Ligarevia Katsushika Katsushika, Tokyo Katsushika Ward Mizumoto Comprehensive Sports Center Gymnasium 2022
Malva Mito Mito, Ibaraki Adastria Mito Arena 1996
Porseid Hamada Hamada, Shimane Shimane Prefectural Gymnasium 2018
Shinagawa City Futsal Club Shinagawa, Tokyo Shinagawa Municipal General Gymnasium 2018
Vincedor Hakusan Hakusan, Ishikawa Matto General Sports Park Gymnasium 2018
Voscuore Sendai Sendai, Miyagi Sendai Gymnasium 2012

Withdrawing clubs

Team City/Area Ground Founded Withdraw
F.League selection Nagoya, Aichi Takeda Teva Ocean Arena 2018 2019–20
Stellamigo Iwate Hanamaki Hanamaki, Iwate Hanamaki Gymnasium Center 2007 2011–12

Statistics

Champions

Seasons Winner Runner-up Third place
2007–08 Nagoya Oceans Bardral Urayasu Deução Kobe
2008–09 Nagoya Oceans Bardral Urayasu Deução Kobe
2009–10 Nagoya Oceans Pescadola Machida Shriker Osaka
2010–11 Nagoya Oceans Deução Kobe Vasagey Oita
2011–12 Nagoya Oceans Shriker Osaka Deução Kobe
2012–13 Nagoya Oceans Shriker Osaka Fuchu Athletic
2013–14 Nagoya Oceans Shriker Osaka Vasagey Oita
2014–15 Nagoya Oceans Shriker Osaka Bardral Urayasu
2015–16 Nagoya Oceans Fuchu Athletic Shriker Osaka
2016–17 Shriker Osaka Pescadola Machida Nagoya Oceans
2017–18 Nagoya Oceans Pescadola Machida Shonan Bellmare
2018–19 Nagoya Oceans Shriker Osaka Tachikawa Fuchu Athletic
2019–20 Nagoya Oceans Vasagey Oita Pescadola Machida
2020–21 Nagoya Oceans Vasagey Oita Pescadola Machida
2021–22 Nagoya Oceans Shonan Bellmare Pescadola Machida
2022–23 Nagoya Oceans Tachikawa Athletic Bardral Urayasu

Most Valuable Player (MVP)

Seasons Player
2007–08 Japan Kaoru Morioka (Nagoya Oceans)
2008–09 Japan Wataru Kitahara (Nagoya Oceans)
2009–10 Brazil Higor Pires (Shriker Osaka)
2010–11 Portugal Ricardinho (Nagoya Oceans)
2011–12 Japan Kaoru Morioka (Nagoya Oceans)
2012–13 Portugal Ricardinho (Nagoya Oceans)
2013–14 Japan Kaoru Morioka (Nagoya Oceans)
2014–15 Japan Kaoru Morioka (Nagoya Oceans)
2015–16 Brazil Vinicius Crepaldi (Shriker Osaka)
2016–17 Japan Nobuya Osodo (Shriker Osaka)
2017–18 Brazil Rafa (Nagoya Oceans)
2018–19 Japan Tomoki Yoshikawa (Nagoya Oceans)
2019–20 Brazil Pepita (Nagoya Oceans)
2020–21 Brazil Pepita (Nagoya Oceans)
2021–22 Brazil Rodrigo (Shonan Bellmare)
2022–23 Spain Andresito (Nagoya Oceans)

See also

Futsal national teams
Men's
Women's

References

  1. ^ ARITA, KENICHI (18 May 2012). "F.League hopes World Cup will boost sport's popularity". asahi.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Futsal league ready for the off". fifa.com. 20 September 2007. Retrieved 13 December 2013.[dead link]

External links

F.League
Top level futsal leagues of Asia (AFC)
Futsal in Japan
Categories