The 2025 J.League Cup, known as the 2025 J.League YBC Levain Cup () for sponsorship reasons, was the 33rd edition of J.League Cup, a Japanese association football cup competition. It was the second season all 60 J.League clubs participate in the League Cup. Defending champions Nagoya Grampus, having won their second title in 2024, were eliminated in the Group 7 second round.
Format All clubs from the 2025 season's J1, J2, and J3 League participated. The tournament was divided into three sections each with a different format: the first round, the play-off round and the prime round.
First round A total of 55 clubs took part in the first round, split into 7 groups. Four clubs were introduced in the prime round; three clubs participating in the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite knockout stage (Kawasaki Frontale, Yokohama F. Marinos and Vissel Kobe) and one club participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup (Urawa Red Diamonds). Each group and their respective clubs participates in a single-elimination tournament, leaving seven clubs to advance to the play-off round, where they were joined by 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two quarter-finalists Sanfrecce Hiroshima. The draw for the first round was based on rankings from the 2024 league season.
As a general rule, the lower league club played their fixture at home. In the case of clubs being in the same league, the club with the lower ranking from the 2023 season served as the home team. In the case of a draw, games go to extra time and penalties to determine a winner if necessary.
The first round groups were as follows:
+ Teams participating in the first round of the 2025 J.League CupGroup Teams1Machida Zelvia Yokohama FC Fagiano Okayama Fujieda MYFC Ventforet Kofu Giravanz Kitakyushu FC Gifu –2Gamba Osaka Shimizu S-Pulse Júbilo Iwata Roasso Kumamoto Mito HollyHock FC Osaka SC Sagamihara Kochi United 3Kashima Antlers Kashiwa Reysol Consadole Sapporo Renofa Yamaguchi Oita Trinita Fukushima United Azul Claro Numazu Tochigi City 4Tokyo Verdy Albirex Niigata Sagan Tosu Blaublitz Akita Ehime FC Matsumoto Yamaga Vanraure Hachinohe Nagano Parceiro 5FC Tokyo Shonan Bellmare Nagano Parceiro Iwaki FC Omiya Ardija Thespa Gunma Zweigen Kanazawa Nara Club 6Cerezo Osaka Kyoto Sanga Montedio Yamagata Tokushima Vortis FC Imabari Kagoshima United FC Gainare Tottori Kamatamare Sanuki 7Nagoya Grampus Avispa Fukuoka Vegalta Sendai JEF United Chiba Kataller Toyama Tochigi SC FC Ryukyu Tegevajaro Miyazaki
Notes
Playoff round The seven clubs that qualified from the first round alongside new entrant Sanfrecce Hiroshima, qualified to the round as an AFC Champions League Two club, will be drawn into four, two-legged fixtures and would play each other home and away. The remaining four clubs would advance to the prime round.
Prime round A single-elimination tournament would be held between eight clubs: the four clubs that qualified from the playoff round plus the AFC Champions League Elite clubs — Kawasaki Frontale, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Vissel Kobe. Each round would be a two-legged home and away fixture, except the final which would be a one-game tie played at a neutral venue. The draw for the brackets will be held some time after the completion of previous rounds.
Schedule The schedule was announced on 20 December 2024.
StageRoundDateFirst roundRound 120–26 MarchRound 29–16 AprilRound 321 MayPlayoff round4 June (First leg)8 June (Second leg)Prime roundQuarter-finals3 September (First leg)7 September (Second leg)Semi-finals10 October (First leg)12 October (Second leg)Final1 November
First round
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Group 7
Playoff round Sanfrecce Hiroshima joined the other seven group winners in this round, having earned a direct entry via qualification for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League 2. The match pairings were revealed shortly after the completion of the previous round, on 21 May. Summary
Matches
Prime round The match pairings for the prime round were announced on 16 June.
Bracket
Quarter-finals The four play-off round winners were joined by four new entrants: 2025 FIFA Club World Cup participants Urawa Red Diamonds and 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite participants Yokohama F. Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale and Vissel Kobe.
Summary
Matches
Semi-finals Summary
Matches
Final
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Yuki KakitaKashiwa Reysol52 Thiago AndradeCerezo Osaka3 Vitor BuenoCerezo Osaka Ryo GermainSanfrecce Hiroshima Tatsuya ItoKawasaki Frontale Hayato NakamaKashiwa Reysol Rafael RatãoCerezo Osaka Marcelo RyanFC Tokyo Akito SuzukiShonan Bellmare Shosei UsuiAvispa Fukuoka
See also 2025 Japanese Super Cup 2025 Emperor's Cup 2025 J1 League 2025 J2 League 2025 J3 League 2025 Japan Football League 2025 Japanese Regional Leagues
References
External links Official website (in Japanese)