National Regional Soccer Champions League: Road to JFL Promotion

The lottery for the National Regional Soccer Champions League (National Regional CL) was held in Tokyo on the 26th, marking the beginning of the journey to promotion to the JFL.

A total of 12 teams will participate in the tournament, comprising the top league championship teams from nine regions across the country and the top three teams that have not yet qualified for the national regional CL at the National Adult Soccer Tournament. The teams will be divided into three groups of four teams each and compete in a league match, with a total of four teams advancing to the final round: the three first-place teams in each group and the one second-best team in each group.

The first round will take place over three days from November 8th at three venues nationwide (Ibaraki, Shizuoka, and Shimane), while the final round will be held at Takebishi Stadium Kyoto in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture on November 20th, 22nd, and 24th. The first-place team in the final round will be automatically promoted to JFL, while the 2nd place team will play a replacement match against the lowest ranked team in the JFL this season (excluding Sony Sendai FC), with a win securing promotion.

Participating Teams

• Hokkaido: Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth (Hokkaido)
• Tohoku: Brandieu Hirosaki FC (Aomori)
• Kanto: VONDS Ichihara FC (Chiba)
• Hokushinetsu: Fukui United FC (Fukui)
• East Sea: FC.ISE-SHIMA (Mie)
• Kansai: Asuka FC (Nara)
• China: Fukuyama City FC (Hiroshima)
• Shikoku: FC Tokushima (Tokushima)
• Kyushu: Veloscronos Tsuno (Miyazaki)
• National Adult 1: JAPAN Soccer College (Niigata)
• National Adult 2: J-Lease FC (Oita)
• National Social Person 3: FC Kariya (Aichi)

First Round Groupings

The teams have been divided into three groups, with the following matchups:

Group A (Shizuoka venue – Yumeria Iwata)

Group B (Ibaraki venue – Hitachinaka Athletics)

Group C (Shimane venue – Matsue Athletics)

The teams will compete in a league match, with the top teams advancing to the final round.

Past Winners

Tochigi City won the tournament last year, earning promotion to the JFL. VONDS Ichihara FC finished in second place and played in the replacement match.