is a Japanese professional association football club based in Ōmiya, Saitama Prefecture. Its "hometown" (as designated by the league) is shared with neighbours Urawa Red Diamonds. The team currently play in J2 League, the Japanese second tier of professional football, after promotion from the third tier in 2024.
The club was known as Ōmiya Ardija (大宮アルディージャ, Ōmiya Arudīja), before club administration was taken over by Red Bull GmbH in late November 2024 who renamed the club.
The club has won 1 J2 League title and 1 J3 League title in their history.
History The team were founded in 1968 as NTT Saitama Soccer Selection in Urawa, Saitama and later known as the NTT Kantō Soccer Club in 1969. They were first promoted to the Japan Soccer League (JSL) Division 2 in 1987/88, and when the JSL folded, joined the former Japan Football League.
In 1998 the club was separately incorporated as NTT Sport Community K.K. based in Ōmiya to participate in the J. League. The name "Ardija" is a transcription of the Spanish language ardilla (squirrel) which is the mascot of Ōmiya and the park in which their home stadium is located.
Their matches against Urawa Red Diamonds have been called the "Saitama derby".
From 2005 to 2007, most of Ōmiya's home matches were held at Saitama Stadium 2002 and Urawa Komaba Stadium due to expansion works at their home ground. In October 2007 the expansion was complete. On November 11, the re-opening match was held as a J. League season match between the Ōmiya and Ōita Trinita (1–2).
Ōmiya competed in the J1 League following an immediate promotion in 2015 after being relegated in 2014. Ōmiya was relegated again following the 2017 season. They competed in J1 2005 and continued to remain until 2014, following promotion from J2 in 2004 as the second placed team.
In 2023, Ōmiya were relegated to J3 League after six seasons stint in second division due to worst performance and played third division football for the first time since 1993.
New ownership On 15 February 2024, before the start of the season, Sports Nippon reported that Austrian energy drink maker Red Bull may buy a J.League club, and that Ōmiya Ardija was the leading candidate. On July 26 of the same year, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that Red Bull had reached an agreement in principle to buy Ōmiya Ardija.
In August 2024, Omiya Ardija announced Red Bull as their new owner, after acquiring 100% of the club shares, formerly owned by NTT, becoming part of their multi-club ownership. This will be the first time that a foreign company has become the sole owner of a major Japanese professional sports team, including the J.League. Red Bull began by acquiring management rights to Austrian first division club Salzburg in 2005 and now owns six clubs: Leipzig in Bundesliga, New York Red Bulls in the United States MLS, Liefering in Admiral 2. Liga, Bragantino in Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A and Red Bull Brasil (now Red Bull Bragantino II) in the Sao Paulo State Championship. In the past, they also owned Red Bull Ghana in Africa and Omiya will be the eighth club they own.
NTT East will continue to support the company as a sponsor even after the transfer of shares.
On 13 October 2024, Ōmiya secured promotion to the J2 League after defeating Fukushima United 3–2, thus returning to the second tier after a one year absence. Six days later, Omiya secured the J3 League title with a 1–1 draw against Imabari in matchweek 33.
Team image
Crest Ōmiya Ardija's original crest features a squirrel on the right, which is the animal of Omiya. On the left, there are 5 lines, which reference the historic roads that run through Omiya, including the famous Nakasendō, which runs to the Hikawa Shrine, right near Nack5 Stadium.
On 6 November 2024, Ōmiya Ardija officially change crest and name to RB Ōmiya Ardija after being acquired by Red Bull GmbH from 2025. The club retained their colours but adopted a new logo which is identical to other Red Bull owned clubs.
The former nickname of Omiya is Risu, squirrel in Japanese.
Mascots Ōmiya Ardija had originally two squirrels as its mascots, named Ardi and Miya. Both wear the team kits. According to the club website, Miya is one size smaller than Ardi, being then, slightly shorter than him.
In 2025, the club has introduced a new mascot, a red bull with orange hair named Bululu. It coexists with Ardi and Miya and reflects the brand identity of the Red Bull ownership.
Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors
Kit evolution Home Kit – 1st
Away Kit – 2nd
Special Kits – 3rd
Players
Out on loan
Management and staff
Position StaffManager Narcís PèlachAssistant manager Julián MarínAssistant coach Andreu FontàsFirst-team coach Ryotaro Nakano Yusuke Shimada Goalkeeping coordinator Motoki KawaharaPerformance coordinator Akira UmekiPhysical coach Takuma OkumuraStrength & conditioning coach Yutaka KatoAnalyst coach Harrison GlewMatch analyst Yuki Fukuro Ryogawa MatsunoChief manager Yosuke HakamadaTechnical staff Masashi TakamiEquipment manager Yuichi GotoEquipment assistant Ryo ItoInterpreter Yu Hoshide Daiki Kimura Leonardo Uehara Wongthawat KuntarakornkitiChief athletic trainer Takafumi KazamaAthletic trainer Kenichi SekidoPhysiotherapist Kihiro Hoshikawa Ryohei IkutaChief doctor Daisuke IwasawaDoctor Kosei Takahashi Masayoshi Saito Satoshi Tanaka
Honours +RB Ōmiya Ardija HonoursHonour No. YearsShakaijin Cup11981Regional League promotion series11986Saitama City Cup22010, 2011J2 League12015J3 League12024Saitama Prefectural Football Championship Emperor's Cup Saitama Prefectural Qualifiers12024
Managerial history Manager TenureStart Finish Pim Verbeek 1 January 1999 31 December 1999 Toshiya Miura 1 February 200031 January 2002 Henk Duut 22 December 200122 December 2002 Masaaki Kanno 1 February 200313 October 2003 Eijun Kiyokumo 10 October 200331 December 2003 Toshiya Miura 1 February 200431 January 2007 Robert Verbeek 1 January 200730 June 2007 Satoru Sakuma 1 July 200731. December 2007 Yasuhiro Higuchi 1 February 200831 January 2009 Chang Woe-ryong 1. February 200926 April 2010 Jun Suzuki 24 April 201019 May 2012 Takeyuki Okamoto (interim) 31 Mai 201210 June 2012 Zdenko Verdenik 10 June 201211 August 2013 Takeyuki Okamoto (interim) (2) 11 August 201320 August 2013 Tsutomu Ogura 20 August 201331 December 2013 Kiyoshi Okuma 1 February 201431 August 2014 Hiroki Shibuya 31 August 201428 May 2017 Akira Ito 29 Mai 20175 November 2017 Masatada Ishii 6 November 201731 January 2019 Takuya Takagi 1 February 201931 January 2021 Ken Iwase 1 February 2021 25 May 2021 Norio Sasaki 26 May 2021 9 June 2021 Masahiro Shimoda 10 June 2021 26 May 2022 Naoki Soma28 May 2022 19 May 2023 Masato Harasaki19 May 2023 31 January 2024 |-As RB Ōmiya Ardija Tetsu Nagasawa1 February 2024 24 September 2025 Yuki Miyazawa24 September 2025 31 May 2026 Mitsuhiro Toda (caretaker)1 June 2026 23 June 2026 Narcís Pèlach 24 June 2026 Present
Season by season record ChampionsRunners-upThird placePromotedRelegated League J. LeagueCup Emperor'sCupSeason Div. Teams Pos. P W (OTW) D L (OTL) F A GD Pts Attendance/G as Ōmiya Ardija1999J2 10 6th 36 14 (4) 1 15 (2) 47 44 3 51 2,674 1st round 3rd round200011 4th 40 21 (2) 1 14 (2) 55 49 6 68 3,477 1st round 3rd round200112 5th 44 20 (6) 6 11(1) 73 43 30 78 3,864 1st round 1st round200212 6th 44 14 17 13 52 42 10 59 5,266 Not eligible 4th round200312 6th 44 18 7 19 52 61 −9 61 5,058 3rd round200412 2nd 44 26 9 9 63 38 25 87 6,108 5th round2005J1 18 13th 34 12 5 17 39 50 −11 41 9,980 Quarter final Semi final200618 12th 34 13 5 16 43 55 −12 44 10,234 Group stage 5th round200718 15th 34 8 11 15 24 40 −16 35 11,465 Group stage 4th round200818 12th 34 12 7 15 36 45 −9 43 9,350 Group stage 5th round200918 13th 34 9 12 13 40 47 −7 39 13,707 Group stage 3rd round201018 12th 34 11 9 14 39 45 −6 42 11,064 Group stage 4th round201118 13th 34 10 12 12 38 48 −10 42 12,221 2nd round 2nd round201218 13th 34 11 11 12 38 45 −7 44 10,637 Group stage 4th round201318 14th 34 14 3 17 45 48 −3 45 11,138 Group stage 2nd round201418 16th 34 9 8 17 44 60 −16 35 10,811 Group stage Quarter final2015J2 22 1st 42 26 8 8 72 37 35 86 9,490 Not eligible 3rd round2016J1 18 5th 34 15 11 8 41 36 5 56 11,814 Quarter final Semi final201718 18th 34 5 10 19 28 60 −32 25 11,464 Group stage Quarter final2018J2 22 5th 42 21 8 13 65 48 17 71 9,224 Not eligible 3rd round201922 3rd 42 20 15 7 62 40 22 75 9,478 3rd round2020 †22 15th 42 14 11 17 43 52 −9 53 2,515 Did not qualify2021 †22 16th 42 9 15 18 51 56 −5 42 4,311 2nd round202222 19th 42 10 13 19 48 64 −16 43 5,272 3rd round202322 21st 42 11 6 25 37 71 −49 39 6,862 3rd round2024J3 20 1st 38 25 10 3 72 32 40 85 7,472 2nd round 2nd roundas RB Ōmiya Ardija2025J2 20 6th 38 18 9 11 60 39 21 63 11,315 2nd round1st round202610 TBD 18 N/A N/A2026-2720 TBD 38 TBDTBD
Notes
References
External links
RB Omiya Ardija Homepage