# 2024 Japan Football League

The 2024 Japan Football League (Japanese: 第26回日本フットボールリーグ[第26回 JFL 2024], Hepburn: Dai Nijūrokkai Nihon Futtobōru Rīgu [Dai Nijūrokkai JFL 2024]) was the eleventh season having a fourth-tier status in Japanese football and the 26th season since the establishment of the Japan Football League.

## Overview
### Promoted from the JFL to the J3 League

No team was promoted from the JFL to the J3, since none of the top four clubs last season met the needed requirements for promotion, which includes (but not limited to) having a J3 license.

### Promoted from the Regional Leagues

Tochigi City, 2023 Kanto Soccer League runner-up, was the sole promoted team to the JFL as they won the 2023 Regional Champions League.
Vonds Ichihara could join Briobecca Urayasu as Chiba's representatives in the JFL, had they won the 2023 JFL play-off against Okinawa SV.

### Promotion and relegation between J3 and JFL

This season is the second to feature promotion/relegation between the J3 League and the Japan Football League, enabling the possibility for teams to be relegated from the J3. The system of promotion/relegation between the leagues can be determined by the eligibility (Promotion to J3 requires a J.League license) of the JFL's champions and runners-up for the season.
No changes were made from the previous season:
* If only the JFL champion holds a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation with the J3's 20th-placed team.
* If only the JFL runner-up holds a license, there will be promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 20th-placed team.
* If both the JFL champion and runner-up hold a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation between the JFL champions and the J3's 20th-placed team, and promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 19th-placed team.
* If neither the JFL champion nor the runner-up holds a license, no promotion/relegation between J3 and JFL will take place.
* In addition, the J.League stated extra requisites for promotions, with teams needing to have an average attendance of at least 2,000 in home matches, and an annual admission revenue of at least 10 million yen.
The dates and the host teams of the promotion/relegation play-off were pre-determined by the J.League. In case it happens: It will be played in two legs on 1 and 7 December, with the J3 team hosting the second leg; away-goals rule will not be applied; should the match be tied, it will require extra-time, and if the draw persists, penalty shoot-outs.

### Promotion and relegation between JFL and Regional Leagues

* The winner of the 2024 Regional Champions League (JFL promotion series) will be automatically promoted for the 2024 JFL.
* The 15th-placed team from the JFL will play a play-off match against the runners-up of the promotion series, with the winner earning a spot at the 2025 JFL. It will be held on 30 November or 1 December, at a stadium picked by the host team from the JFL.
* The 16th-placed team will be automatically relegated to their respective Regional League.

### Club name changes

Tokyo Musashino United FC returned to its former name Yokogawa Musashino FC, and Suzuka Point Getters became Atletico Suzuka Club.

## Participating clubs

The teams which possess (or are applicants of) promotion-enabler licenses are highlighted in green in the following table.
| Club name | Home town | Stadium | Capacity | Position | Notes |
| ReinMeer Aomori | Aomori, Aomori | Kakuhiro Group Athletic Stadium | 20,809 | JFL (5th) | J3 license holders |
| Sony Sendai | Tagajō, Miyagi | Miyagi Co-op Megumino Soccer Field [ja] | 10,000 | JFL (4th) | |
| Briobecca Urayasu | Urayasu, Chiba | Daiichi Cutter Field | 2,100 | JFL (2nd) | |
| Criacao Shinjuku | Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo | Ajinomoto Field Nishigaoka | 7,258 | JFL (11th) | 100 Year Plan status J3 license holders |
| Yokogawa Musashino | Musashino, Tokyo | Musashino Municipal Athletic Stadium | 5,188 | JFL (13th) | |
| Tochigi City | Tochigi, Tochigi | City Football Station [ja] | 5,085 | JRCL (1st) | J3 license holders |
| Honda FC | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | Honda Miyakoda Soccer Stadium | 2,506 | JFL (1st) | |
| Maruyasu Okazaki | Okazaki, Aichi | Maruyasu Okazaki Ryuhoku Stadium [ja] | 5,000 | JFL (8th) | |
| Atletico Suzuka | Suzuka, Mie | AGF Suzuka Athletic Stadium [ja] | 1,450 | JFL (9th) | |
| Veertien Mie | All cities/towns in Mie | La Pita Toin Stadium [ja] | 5,077 | JFL (10th) | J3 license holders |
| Tiamo Hirakata | Hirakata, Osaka | Tamayura Athletic Stadium [ja] | 2,500 | JFL (12th) | |
| Reilac Shiga | Kusatsu, Shiga | Heiwado HATO Stadium [ja] | 15,000 | JFL (3rd) | 100 Year Plan status applicants J3 license holders |
| Kochi United | Kōchi, Kōchi | Kōchi Haruno Athletic Stadium | 25,000 | JFL (7th) | J3 license holders |
| Verspah Oita | Yufu, Beppu & Ōita, Ōita | Resonac Soccer/Rugby Field [ja] | 4,700 | JFL (6th) | J3 license holders |
| Minebea Mitsumi | Miyazaki, Miyazaki | Hinata Athletic Stadium | 20,000 | JFL (14th) | |
| Okinawa SV | All cities/towns in Okinawa | Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium | 10,189 | JFL (15th) | |
* ↑ centering on Kuwana & Yokkaichi
* ↑ centering on Tomigusuku, Uruma, and Okinawa

### Personnel and kits

| Club | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Main shirt sponsor |
| ReinMeer Aomori | Kei Shibata | Umbro | Towa |
| Sony Sendai | Jun Suzuki | Adidas | Sony |
| Briobecca Urayasu | Satoshi Tsunami | soccer junky | Urata |
| Criacao Shinjuku | Hideaki Kitajima | Mitsubishi Fashion | Assetlead |
| Yokogawa Musashino | Toshiyuki Ikegami | Puma | Yokogawa Electric |
| Tochigi City | Naoki Imaya | Luxperior | Nippon Rika |
| Honda FC | Hidekazu Kobayashi | Umbro | Honda |
| Maruyasu Okazaki | Hiroyasu Ibata | Athleta | Maruyasu |
| Atletico Suzuka | Park Kang-jo | Athleta | Topia |
| Veertien Mie | Shuichi Mase | Sfida | Cosmo Oil |
| Tiamo Hirakata | Takahiro Futagawa | Jogarbola | Izawa Towel |
| Reilac Shiga | Makoto Kakuda | DEZ | Rei Beauty Dermatology Clinic |
| Kochi United | Takafumi Yoshimoto | Athleta | None |
| Verspah Oita | Takashi Yamahashi | Yasuda | Hoyo Group |
| Minebea Mitsumi | Yosuke Miyaji | Umbro | MinebeaMitsumi |
| Okinawa SV | Rei Onogi | XF | Nescafé |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing | Manner | Exit date | Exit date | Position in table | Incoming | Incoming date | Incoming date | Ref. |
| Team | Outgoing | Manner | Announced on | Departed on | Position in table | Incoming | Announced on | Arrived on | Ref. |
| Atletico Suzuka | Noboru Saito | Role change | 30 June 2024 | 30 June 2024 | 10th | Park Kang-jo | 1 July 2024 | 1 July 2024 | |
| Reilac Shiga | Kikuchi Toshizo | Sacked | 15 July 2024 | 15 July 2024 | 9th | Hiroki Asuma (Interim) | 21 July 2024 | 21 July 2024 | [13] [14] |
| Reilac Shiga | Hiroki Asuma (Interim) | Appointment of permanent coach | 31 July 2024 | 31 July 2024 | 9th | Makoto Kakuda | 31 July 2024 | 31 July 2024 | |
| Yokogawa Musashino | Toshihori Ishimura | Appointment of new head coach | 12 September 2024 | 12 September 2024 | 15th | Toshiyuki Ikegami | 12 September 2024 | 12 September 2024 | |

## Foreign players

| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 | Former players |
| ReinMeer Aomori | Arthur Bessa | Luiz Fernando | Vinícius | Han Yong-gi | Eduardo |
| Sony Sendai | | | | | |
| Briobecca Urayasu | | | | | |
| Criacao Shinjuku | Hwang Song-su | | | | |
| Yokogawa Musashino | | | | | |
| Tochigi City | Carlos Eduardo | Pedro Henrique | | | |
| Honda FC | | | | | |
| Maruyasu Okazaki | Talla Ndao | | | | |
| Atletico Suzuka | Diego Washington | Mohammed Lamine | Choi Se-yun | | |
| Veertien Mie | Kim Song-sun | Ryang Hyon-ju | | | |
| Tiamo Hirakata | Felipe Baessa | Willian | Emeka Basil | Park Kwang-gyu | |
| Reilac Shiga | Frank Romero | | | | |
| Kochi United | Park Jong-seok | | | | |
| Verspah Oita | | | | | |
| Minebea Mitsumi | | | | | |
| Okinawa SV | | | | | |

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Tochigi City (C, P) | 30 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 66 | 35 | +31 | 64 | Promotion to 2025 J3 League |
| 2 | Kochi United (O, P) | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 55 | Qualification for promotion playoffs |
| 3 | Tiamo Hirakata | 30 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 49 | 45 | +4 | 50 | |
| 4 | Reilac Shiga | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 47 | 32 | +15 | 48 | |
| 5 | Veertien Mie | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 41 | 33 | +8 | 48 | |
| 6 | Verspah Oita | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 45 | |
| 7 | Honda FC | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 34 | 27 | +7 | 43 | |
| 8 | Briobecca Urayasu | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 42 | |
| 9 | Okinawa SV | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 52 | 44 | +8 | 41 | |
| 10 | ReinMeer Aomori | 30 | 9 | 14 | 7 | 32 | 26 | +6 | 41 | |
| 11 | Atletico Suzuka | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 39 | 42 | −3 | 37 | |
| 12 | Sony Sendai | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 34 | 40 | −6 | 37 | Disbanded after the season |
| 13 | Maruyasu Okazaki | 30 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 30 | 39 | −9 | 30 | |
| 14 | Criacao Shinjuku | 30 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 19 | 44 | −25 | 26 | |
| 15 | Yokogawa Musashino | 30 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 26 | 56 | −30 | 23 | |
| 16 | Minebea Mitsumi (O) | 30 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 48 | −23 | 22 | Qualification for relegation playoffs |

## J3/JFL Play-offs

The play-offs, officially called the 2024 J3/JFL Play-offs (Japanese: 2024 J3・JFL入れ替え戦), took place on 1 and 7 December 2024. If the two teams were equal on the scoreboard, the match would go to extra time and penalties. Away goals rule would not be applied.

### Overview

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Kochi United (JFL) | 3-1 | YSCC Yokohama (J3) | 1-1 | 2-0 |

### Matches

Kochi United SC won the J3/JFL play-offs on aggregate 3-1 and got promoted to J3, while YSCC Yokohama lost the play-offs and got relegated to JFL.

## JFL/Regional Leagues promotion/relegation playoff

The play-off (Japanese: 2024年度JFL·地域入れ替え戦) took place on 1 December 2024.
Minebea Mitsumi stayed in the JFL; Vonds Ichihara stayed in the Kantō Soccer League Division 1.

## Top scorers

    As of 24 November 2024.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Kakeru Aoto | Okinawa SV | 15 |
| 2 | Takuya Hitomi | Atletico Suzuka | 14 |
| 3 | Atsushi Yoshida | Tochigi City | 12 |
| 4 | Shota Tamura | Veertien Mie | 11 |
| 5 | Arthur Bessa | ReinMeer Aomori | 10 |
| 5 | Hayato Mine | Briobecca Urayasu | 10 |
| 5 | Takumi Fujiwara | Tochigi City | 10 |