The Japanese Regional Champions League (, Zenkoku Chiiki Sakkā Championzu Rīgu), known before 2016 as Japan Regional Football League Competition, is a nationwide play-off tournament meant as a transition for Japanese football clubs competing in regional leagues to the Japan Football League.
History
Until 1976, the main entrance route for regional clubs to the Japan Soccer League was the All Japan Senior Football Championship, a cup competition. In 1977, to test clubs in a league environment before entrance to the league, the Japan Football Association devised this tournament.
In 1984 and 1985 more promotion places were added due to the JSL, expanding its divisions. In 1992 it began promoting clubs to the former JFL's second division and, from 1994 to 1998, to its single division. In 1999 and 2000 it added extra promotion places due to the formation and expansion of the new JFL.
Yamaha Motors (Júbilo Iwata) are, thus far, the only Regional Series champions to later become First Division champions. They are also the only club to retain the title, as they failed to be promoted in their first attempt due to losing a playoff series. Since 1980 every champion has been automatically promoted, exceptions being in 1993 (Nippon Denso/FC Kariya lost a playoff) and in 2002 (Ain Foods requested not to be promoted as they lacked the resources to compete at the national level).
Qualification Until 2009, the number of places in the tournament was 16, distributed as follows: All regional league champions (9 clubs) Four regional leagues runners-up (4 clubs) University club recommended by the All Japan University Football Association (1 club) Club recommended by the JFA (1 club) Shakaijin Cup winner (1 club) Other clubs (other league runners-up, Shakaijin Cup runners-up or third places, etc.) (0-3 clubs) – more allowed if Shakaijin Cup holder has won a regional league or been runner-up
As of 2024, the regional leagues runners-up are no longer eligible, and the All Japan University Football Association is no longer allowed to make recommendations, reducing the number of places to 12. All regional league champions (9 clubs) Shakaijin Cup semi-finalists not qualified yet by regional league title (3 clubs)
Format Preliminary round The clubs are grouped in three groups of four teams, playing at a centralised venue (no home-and-away format is followed). The winners of each group and the best-ranked runners-up qualifies for the final round.
Final round As of 2025, the four remaining teams plays in the same round-robin format, with all four teams being on a single group. The group winner guarantees promotion for the Japan Football League, whereas the second-placed team plays a promotion/relegation match against the 15th-placed JFL club. If the group winner can't or don't want to join the JFL, the group runners-up goes on to the promotion/relegation match against the bottom-ranked the JFL club. If the group runners-up or both group winners and runners-up are not eligible or don't want to join the JFL, there will be no promotion/relegation match.
Winners Teams in bold were promoted.
Year Winner Runner-up Third place Also promoted1977Yamaha MotorsToshiba Horikawa-choToho Titanium1978Yamaha MotorsToho TitaniumDainichi Nippon Densen1979Cosmo Oil YokkaichiKyoto Shiko ClubFurukawa Electric Chiba1980Nagoya S.C.Furukawa Electric ChibaSaitama Teachers1981Saitama TeachersNTT West Japan KyotoCosmo Oil Yokkaichi1982Toho TitaniumSeino TransportationHyōgo Teachers1983Yokohama TriStarMatsushitaTeijin Matsuyama1984Seino TransportationKyoto Police Dept.TDK SCOsaka Gas1985Cosmo Oil YokkaichiKawasaki Steel MizushimaToho TitaniumNTT Kansai1986NTT KantoMazda Auto HiroshimaToyoda Machine Works1987Teijin MatsuyamaFujieda City HallMatsushima S.C.1988Mazda Auto HiroshimaKyoto Shiko ClubTokyo Gas1989Yomiuri S.C. JuniorsOtsuka PharmaceuticalSeino Transportation1990Tokyo GasChuo BohanSeino Transportation1991Osaka GasOsaka Taidai Kemari ClubSeino Transportation1992PJM FuturesToyota Motors HigashifujiNEC Yamagata1993Nippon DensoNEC YamagataJatco1994Brummell SendaiFukushima FCYokogawa Denki1995Nippon DensoŌita F.C.Yokogawa Denki1996JatcoPrima HamMazda S.C.1997Sony Sendai FCAlbirex NiigataYokogawa Denki1998Yokogawa DenkiHitachi ShimizuEhime FC1999Alo's HokurikuTochigi SCHonda Luminoso Sayama F.C.F.C. Kyoken2000Sagawa Express Tokyo SCYKK AP F.C.NTT KumamotoS.C. TottoriEhime FC2001Sagawa Express Osaka S.C.Professor MiyazakiNangoku Kochi F.C.2002Ain FoodsSagawa Printing SCShizuoka F.C.2003Thespa KusatsuGunma F.C. HorikoshiShizuoka F.C.2004Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima F.C.Ryutsu Keizai University FCHonda Lock SC2005F.C. RyukyuJEF United Ichihara Chiba BRosso Kumamoto2006TDK SCFC GifuFagiano Okayama F.C.2007Fagiano OkayamaNew Wave KitakyushuF.C. Mi-O Biwako Kusatsu2008Machida ZelviaV-Varen NagasakiHonda Lock2009Matsumoto YamagaHitachi Tochigi UvaZweigen Kanazawa2010Kamatamare SanukiNagano ParceiroSanyo Electric Sumoto2011YSCC Yokohama Fujieda MYFC Hoyo AC Elan Ōita2012SC Sagamihara Fukushima United Norbritz Hokkaido2013Grulla MoriokaFagiano Okayama NextFC Kagoshima(merged with Volca Kagoshimato form Kagoshima United FC)Vanraure HachinoheAzul Claro NumazuRenofa YamaguchiMaruyasu Okazaki2014Nara ClubFC OsakaClub Dragons2015ReinMeer AomoriBriobecca UrayasuSaurcos Fukui2016FC ImabariVeertien MieSuzuka Unlimited2017Cobaltore OnagawaTegevajaro MiyazakiVonds Ichihara2018Matsue CitySuzuka UnlimitedFC Kariya2019Iwaki FCKochi United SCOcocias Kyoto AC2020FC Tiamo HirakataFC KariyaTochigi City FC2021Criacao Shinjuku FC Ise-ShimaOcocias Kyoto AC2022Briobecca Urayasu Okinawa SV Tochigi City2023Tochigi City FC Vonds Ichihara Tsukuba FC2024Asuka FCVonds IchiharaFukui United FC2025J-Lease FCVonds IchiharaVeroskronos Tsuno
Source: JFA
Wins by region Clubs in bold compete in the J.League (any division) in the 2025 season. Clubs in italics no longer exist. A dagger (†) indicates clubs that moved away from the region after winning the title.
Region Number of titles Clubs Kantō 15Saitama SC, Toho Titanium SC, Yokohama Flügels, Omiya Ardija, Yomiuri S.C. Juniors, FC Tokyo, Yokogawa Musashino, Sagawa Express Tokyo, Thespa Gunma, Machida Zelvia, YSCC Yokohama, SC Sagamihara, Criacao Shinjuku, Briobecca Urayasu, Tochigi City FC Tōkai 10Júbilo Iwata (2), Cosmo Oil Yokkaichi (2), Nagoya S.C., Seino Transportation, Tosu Futures †, FC Kariya (2), Jatco SC Tōhoku 7Vegalta Sendai, Sony Sendai, Blaublitz Akita, Grulla Morioka, ReinMeer Aomori, Cobaltore Onagawa, Iwaki FC Kansai 6Osaka Gas, Sagawa Express Osaka, Ain Foods, Nara Club, FC Tiamo Hirakata, Asuka FC Chūgoku 4Mazda Auto Hiroshima, Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima, Fagiano Okayama, Matsue City Shikoku 3Teijin SC, Kamatamare Sanuki, FC Imabari Koshin'etsu 2ALO's Hokuriku, Matsumoto Yamaga Kyūshū 2FC Ryukyu, J-Lease FC Hokkaidō –
See also
Sport in Japan Football in Japan Women's football in Japan Japan Football Association (JFA)
Soccer/Football League system Japanese association football league system J.League J1 League (Tier 1) J2 League (Tier 2) J3 League (Tier 3) Japan Football League (JFL) (Tier 4) Regional Champions League (Promotion playoffs to JFL) Regional Leagues (Tier 5/6)
Domestic cup Fujifilm Super Cup (Super Cup) Emperor's Cup (National Cup) J.League YBC Levain Cup (League Cup)
Futsal F.League F1 League (Tier 1) F2 League (Tier 2) JFA Futsal Championship (National Cup) F.League Ocean Cup (League Cup)
Beach soccer Beach Soccer Championship (National Cup)
References Contents of Domestic Competition of Football in Japan
External links JFA official page Japanese Regional Leagues summary(SOCCERWAY) 2011 season at the JFA Unofficial site from JFL News