The X-League () is the top-level professional gridiron football league in Japan. It was founded in 1971 as the Japan American Football League and organized the first X Bowl in 1987. The league changed its name to the X League in 1997. The league is divided into four divisions (Premier, X1, X2, and X3) with promotion and relegation between them outside of the Premier. Teams are split into different divisions or blocks, depending on the tier. There are two types of teams, one being a company team in which only employees of that particular sponsoring company may play, and the other being a club team for which anyone can try out.
Game rules are based on those of the NCAA college division in the United States, with the exception of the length of quarters, which are 12 minutes instead of 15 during the first stage of the season, and no overtime in the regular season.
The Japanese national team, which has won the first and second editions of the American Football World Cup and was runner-up, finishing second to the American team, in the 2007 installment of the tournament, was made up almost entirely of players from this league.
Americans are often recruited to play for X League teams, with a strict rule of three per team. No more than two foreign players per team are allowed on the field of play at a time.
Season format The league is split into four tiers: Premier, X1, X2 and X3.
There are two spring tournaments as well which are used by teams to ready themselves and evaluate new players before the fall season. One is the larger Pearl Bowl which teams from eastern Japan compete in, and the other is the Green Bowl for teams in western Japan. Since the reorganization of the X1, XLeague Premier teams no longer compete in the spring tournaments.
Regular season The top tier, XLeague Premier, includes eleven teams who play a ten game, eleven week regular season. The season is played in two splits, a four-week spring section, and a six-week fall section.
The second tier, X1, contains twelve teams while X2 comprises nineteen teams, and X3 with sixteen teams. The teams in X1 are divided into three groups with each team playing six games, three inside the group and three outside.
The top tier Premier is played on a single table. The next league down, X1, has teams split into western, central, and eastern groups. The next two leagues below, the X2 and X3, contain east, west, and central divisions. The east and central divisions comprise teams mostly in and around the Kanto area, with the west teams being in the Kansai area.
Postseason At the end of the Premier season, the top six teams in the overall rankings head into the playoffs. Since 2022, the winners of the semifinals would advance to the Rice Bowl.
The top two teams in the X1 Area compete in the X1 Area Bowl for the chance to advance to the Area/Super promotional matches against the 7th and 8th place X1 Super teams.
Japan X Bowl
The two semifinal winners would meet for the league championship in the Japan X Bowl held at the Tokyo Dome. Between 1987 and 2021, the Japan X Bowl has decided the X League championship. Until 2002, it was known as the Tokyo Super Bowl. The winner of this game went on to the Rice Bowl to face the winner of the Koshien Bowl, the national college championship game.
Relegation and Division Replacement games Since 2026, the Premier is played as a closed licensed league with no promotion or relegation.
The bottom team in X1 plays the X2 champion to decide who would be the twelfth team in X1 .
2026 X-League team organization
XLeague Premier TeamCity/AreaCompany/ClubFirst seasonHead coachObic SeagullsNarashino, ChibaClub team, formerly RecruitHiroshi OnoTokyo Gas CreatorsKoto, TokyoTokyo GasMasato ItaiIBM Big BlueChiba, ChibaIBMMike PhairAll Mitsubishi LionsHachiōji, TokyoMitsubishi UFJ Financial GroupAkira HayashiFujitsu FrontiersKawasaki, KanagawaFujitsuHiroshi YamamotoNojima Sagamihara RiseSagamihara, KanagawaClub team, formerly Onward KashiyamaShirogataki IchiroOriental Bio Silver StarKawasaki, KanagawaClub teamHayato ArimaFuji Xerox Minerva AFCEbina, KanagawaFuji XeroxTakao AsakuraPanasonic ImpulseKadoma, OsakaPanasonicNobuyoshi ArakiSekisui ChallengersAmagasaki, HyogoSekisui ChemicalTakashi MasashigeElecom Kobe FiniesKobe, HyogoElecomMasaki Tokimoto
X1 ClubCity/AreaCompany/ClubFirst seasonHead coachEASTDentsu CaterpillarsAdachi-ku, TokyoClub teamTakumi FukagawaShinagawa CC BullseyesShinagawa, Tokyo Club teamTakuya YagiKeishichou EaglesChiyoda, TokyoTokyo Metropolitan Police DepartmentKosuke SatoBlue ThundersIchikawa, ChibaClub team1986Nobuhiro HagiwaraCENTRALTainai DeersChōfu, Tokyo Club teamformerly KajimaYasushi NakagawaPentaOcean PiratesHachiōji, TokyoClub teamFumito KawahataMitsubishi Club TriaxToshima-ku, TokyoClub teamSong QinghuaBULLS Football ClubAsaka, SaitamaClub team1981WESTAsOne Black EaglesOsaka, OsakaAS ONE Corp.Yusuke KanoNagoya CyclonesNagoya, AichiClub teamMasaki KobayashiTRIAXIS J-StarsOsakaClub team1985Hakata Next Fukuoka Suns Hakata-ku, FukuokaMarketing Applications. Inc2017
X2
East/Central ILEX Gorillas Hurricanes Club Barbarian Club Seagulls Wranglers Yokohama Harbors Sony Solidstate Ibaraki Saviors Yokohama Bay Cranes Ox Kawasaki AFC Zero Fighters AFC Shonan B-Style Warriors
West Golden Fighters Hiroshima Hawks Shoei Blazers Isono Superstars Club Bears
Nishinomiya Bruins Sidewinders Osaka Gas Skunks Aichi Golden Wings Ryukyu Guardian Lions
X3
East MERU-KYOEI Guardians Club Steelers
West Okayama Standing Bears Tristars Club Islands Mie Firebird Osaka Prefectural Police Shields
Past results
X-League divisional standings since 1997 +NotationsAdvanced to Final6, Super9 or Post SeasonPromoted from X2Demoted to X2 at the end of the season.Team Folded at the end of the season. East/Central YearDivision1st2nd3rd4th5th6th1997EastAsahi Beer Silver StarOnward OaksBank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi ApricotFujitsu FrontiersTokai Bank Red WaveRenown RoversCentralKajima DeersNissan Prince TokyoRecruit SeagullsSkylark Co., Ltd. SkylarksSanwa Bank Lark HillsSakura Bank Dainosu1998EastNissan Prince TokyoAsahi Beer Silver StarSkylark Co., Ltd. SkylarksTokai Bank Red WaveSumitomo Bank SpringsBank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi ApricotCentralKajima DeersRecruit SeagullsOnward OaksFujitsu FrontiersRenown RoversSanwa Bank Lark Hills1999EastOnward OaksRecruit SeagullsNissan Prince TokyoTokyo Marine DolphinsTokyo-Mitsubishi Bank ApricotSankura Bank DainosuCentralKajima DeersAsahi Beer Silver StarFujitsu FrontiersSkylark Co., Ltd. SkylarksTokyo Marine DolphinsSanwa Bank Lark Hills2000EastFujitsu FrontiersAsahi Beer Silver StarOnward OaksSkylark Co., Ltd. SkylarksClub DainosuRenown RoversCentralRecruit SeagullsNissan Prince TokyoKajima DeersTokyo-Mitsubishi BankTokyo Marine DolphinsTokyo Skyliners2001EastKajima DeersFujitsu FrontiersNissan Prince TokyoGakusei-Engokai RocbullClub DainosuClub HuskiesCentralRecruit SeagullsAsahi Beer Silver StarOnward OaksLionsRenown RoversPenta-Ocean Construction Co. Pirates2002EastFujitsu FrontiersKajima DeersLionsNissan SkylinersIBM Big BlueSakura Bank Dainosu CentralSeagullsOnward SkylarksAsahi Beer Silver StarGakusei-Engokai RocbullRenown RoversClub Huskies2003EastOnward SkylarksAsahi Beer Silver StarFujitsu FrontiersNissan SkylinersTokyo Gas CreatorsClub HuskiesCentralKajima DeersObic SeagullsPenta-Ocean Construction Co. PiratesAll Mitsubishi LionsGakusei-Engokai RocbullIBM Big Blue2004EastKajima DeersAsahi Beer Silver StarAll Mitsubishi LionsIBM Big BlueGakusei-Engokai RocbullPenta-Ocean Construction PiratesCentralOnward SkylarksObic SeagullsNissan SkylinersFujitsu FrontiersTokyo Gas CreatorsClub Huskies2005EastObic SeagullsOnward SkylarksFujitsu FrontiersYasuda L.A. PiratesTokyo Gas CreatorsAll Mitsubishi LionsCentralKajima DeersAsahi Beer Silver StarIBM Big BlueNissan SkylinersGakusei-Engokai RocbullRenesas Hurricanes2006EastOnward SkylarksKajima DeersIBM Big BlueAll Mitsubishi LionsMeiji Yasuda PiratesGakusei-Engokai RocbullCentralAsahi Beer Silver StarObic SeagullsFujitsu FrontiersNissan SkylinersTokyo Gas CreatorsRenesas Hurricanes2007EastFujitsu FrontiersObic SeagullsAsahi Beer Silver StarAll Mitsubishi LionsRenesas HurricanesGakusei-Engokai RocbullCentralKajima DeersOnward SkylarksIBM Big BlueMeiji Yasuda PiratesTokyo Gas CreatorsFuji Xerox Minerva2008EastOnward SkylarksFujitsu FrontiersAsahi Beer Silver StarMeiji Yasuda PiratesRenesas HurricanesFuji Xerox MinervaCentralKajima DeersObic SeagullsIBM Big BlueAll Mitsubishi LionsAll Tokyo Gas CreatorsGakusei-Engokai Rocbull2009EastAsahi Beer Silver StarObic SeagullsNihon Unisys BullsAll Mitsubishi LionsFuji Xerox MinervaAll Tokyo Gas CreatorsCentralFujitsu FrontiersKajima DeersIBM Big BlueMeiji Yasuda PiratesHurricanes AFCBullseyes Tokyo2010EastKajima DeersIBM Big BlueAsahi Beer Silver StarAll Mitsubishi LionsBullseyes TokyoFuji Xerox MinervaCentralObic SeagullsFujitsu FrontiersMeiji Yasuda PiratesAll Tokyo Gas CreatorsHurricanes AFCNihon Unisys Bulls2011EastKajima DeersFujitsu FrontiersAll Mitsubishi LionsMeiji Yasuda PiratesBullseyes TokyoFuji Xerox MinvervaCentralObic SeagullsNojima Sagamihara RiseAsahi Beer Silver StarIBM Big BlueAll Tokyo Gas CreatorsNihon Unisys Bulls2012EastKajima DeersNojima Sagamihara RiseAsahi Beer Silver StarMeiji Yasuda PiratesNihon Unisys BullsBullseyes TokyoCentralObic SeagullsFujitsu FrontiersIBM Big BlueTokyo Gas CreatorsAll Mitsubishi LionsFuji Xerox Minerva2013EastFujitsu FrontiersKajima DeersAsahi Beer Silver StarTokyo Gas CreatorsNihon Unisys BullsHurricanesCentralObic SeagullsNojima Sagamihara RiseIBM Big BlueAll Mitsubishi LionsMeiji Yasuda PiratesTokyo MPD Eagles2014EastFujitsu FrontiersIBM Big BlueNojima Sagamihara RiseTokyo Gas CreatorsMeiji Yasuda PiratesHurricanesCentralLIXIL DeersObic SeagullsAsahi Beer Silver StarAll Mitsubishi LionsBulls Football ClubTaiyo Building Mgmt. Cranes2015EastFujitsu FrontiersNojima Sagamihara RiseObic SeagullsAll Mitsubishi LionsMeiji Yasuda Penta-Ocean PiratesTokyo MPD EaglesCentralIBM Big BlueLIXIL DeersAsahi Beer Silver StarBulls Football ClubTokyo Gas CreatorsHurricanes2016EastFujitsu FrontiersIBM Big BlueAsahi Beer Silver StarAll Mitsubishi LionsTokyo MPD EaglesBulls Football ClubCentralObic SeagullsLIXIL DeersNojima Sagamihara RiseTokyo Gas CreatorsMeiji Yasuda Penta-Ocean PiratesBullseyes Tokyo2017EastFujitsu FrontiersLIXIL DeersAsahi Beer Silver StarFuji Xerox Minerva AFCTokyo Gas CreatorsTokyo MPD EaglesCentralNojima Sagamihara RiseIBM Big BlueObic SeagullsAll Mitsubishi LionsMeiji Yasuda Penta-Ocean PiratesBulls Football Club2018EastFujitsu FrontiersIBM Big BlueAsahi Beer Silver StarAll Mitsubishi LionsMeiji Yasuda Penta-Ocean PiratesDentsu Club CaterpillarsCentralNojima Sagamihara RiseObic SeagullsLIXIL DeersTokyo Gas CreatorsFuji Xerox Minerva AFCBulls Football Club West