Although Ventforet Kofu is a J2 League soccer team, they won the Emperor’s Cup and earned the right to play in the ACL (Asia Champions League), but they will not decline, and there is no need for them to do so. They also advanced to the final tournament in 2023, making them the first Japanese team to achieve this feat. So why is Kofu able to participate in the ACL even though they are a J2 League team?
What kind of team is Ventforet Kofu?
Ventforet Kofu is a sports and soccer club based in Kofu City and Nirasaki City, Yamanashi Prefecture. The club joined the J League in 1999 and has experience in the J1 League and J2 League. They are also an amazing team that won the Emperor’s Cup despite being a J2 League team. In 2023, they have decided to advance to the final tournament of the ACL, and have been featured in breaking news and lists on domestic and international media pages. The match is held at the Kose Sports Park Track and Field Stadium in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Team name is French
The team name comes from the French language and is a combination of the words “Vent” and “Forêt”. This is based on Takeda Shingen’s “Furin Kazan” during the Sengoku period and is reflected in the uniform. Past members included players who were on the Japanese national team. The support from Ventforet’s fans and supporters is very enthusiastic, and many of them are posting photos and videos on X (twitter) and blogs.
Great achievement of advancing to the final tournament in ACL
Ventforet Kofu was at the bottom of the J1 League and is not a team that has won many titles. Despite being a J2 League team, they ended up winning the Emperor’s Cup, and even though the schedule for the 2023 ACL was tough, they made it through the group stage and made it to the finals. Of course, this is the first time a Japanese team has achieved this feat. The team style is reminiscent of Spain, with the same aggressive soccer. Aim for the goal from anywhere.
Does not have a specific parent company
Ventforet Kofu is not sponsored by large companies such as Yomiuri for Tokyo Verdy, Fujitsu for Kawasaki Frontale, TOYOTA for Nagoya, and Nissan for Yokohama Marinos. We are one of the clubs that receives support from small sponsors, so we can’t say we are wealthy financially, but we are a struggling soccer team. Due to a lack of funds, many players and managers have transferred, but the team has been able to maintain its strength.
team uniform
The team’s uniforms are made up of local sponsors such as Bakubaku and Yamanashi Chuo Bank, which are also included in the uniforms. The uniform is mainly blue and white. Tickets are selling fairly well, and there are many requests for supporters on bulletin boards. Sometimes there is an old man at the stadium who wants tickets.
Why doesn’t Ventforet Kofu resign from ACL?
This time, his progress in ACL was in the news and attracted attention, but why hasn’t Ventforet Kofu declined to join ACL? I have a question. Ventforet Kofu was a J2 League team in the lower league when they decided to participate in the ACL. In that case, wouldn’t he have the right to participate and fight? This question arises, but there are reasons and information as below, and overall there is no problem.
Because I have a J1 license
Ventforet Kofu was a team in the J2 League when they decided to participate in the ACL. However, according to J League regulations, Ventforet Kofu has a J1 license. Therefore, they have the right to participate without any problems and stand on the world stage. In fact, if you decline the offer, it is dangerous because the AFC may impose a penalty on the J-League. Next time, you might be playing in the final of the Club World Cup, playing against your opponent and winning.
Home stadium is National Stadium
Ventforet Kofu has been given the OK to participate in the ACL on the condition that their home stadium under the AFC club license is to play their home games at the National Stadium. As you can see from the 2023 group league, Kofu is playing at the National Stadium. However, the original stadium is the Yamanashi Prefecture Kose Sports Park Track and Field Stadium.
AFC club license judgment
There is an Asian football federation called AFC, and AFC club licenses are judged here. It was decided that Kofu would be OK even though they were in J2. It began in 2013 when the AFC requested its member countries to introduce a “club licensing system.” However, since the AFC license standards have been revised, licenses will only be issued to J1 teams. Only teams with club licenses can qualify for the ACL.
There is no problem with the Emperor’s Cup regulations.
As I introduced in the article below, there is no problem with the Emperor’s Cup regulations. The winning team will be able to compete in the AFC Champions League, so if the team has secured a club license, they will be able to compete in the AFC Champions League by winning the tournament. That’s why. Kofu actually won the Emperor’s Cup, and there was no match-fixing involved.
How to watch the Emperor’s Cup
The Emperor’s Cup is sometimes broadcast on terrestrial television, but SKY PerfecTV is broadcasting it live. For more information, please refer to the article below.
| Channel | Plan | Soccer Contents | URL |
| DAZN | \3750 | national team major europe leagues J league | DAZN |
| Hulu | ¥1026 | french league dutch league | Hulu |
| WOWOW | \2530 | UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League | WOWOW |
| ABEMA TV | ¥960 | national team World Cup Premier League scottish league | ABEMA |
| スカパー | ¥429 + ¥2480 | national team emperor’s cup soccer Bundesliga laliga | スカパー！ |
| J SPORTS | \1100 | fifa world youth | J SPORTS |
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