This article explains the sites and methods for watching Meiji Yasuda J.League matches online and on TV. We will introduce sites and information where you can watch soccer club broadcasts on distribution services such as DAZN. Is there a way to watch the match live on the internet or on TV, and on which media can you watch it? We will explain all the regulations of the tournament, so please use it as a reference.
How to watch J League? Where can I see it?
Where can I watch a J League game? Many people probably don’t understand. Previously, SKY PerfecTV! owned the priority broadcasting rights and broadcast the J.League, but withdrew completely at the end of 2016. So who is broadcasting now? The distribution service will be DAZN. The J League also includes league cup matches such as the Emperor’s Cup and the Levain Cup, but the viewing methods for each are different. Please use the table below as a reference.
| content | Monthly fee | Content | URL |
| DAZN | 3750 | Broadcasting from J1 to J3 leagues | DAZN |
| Amazon Prime Video | ¥2350 + ¥500 | Levain Cup available for viewing | Amazon Prime Video |
| YouTube | ¥0 | I sometimes stream J1 League for free. | Youtube |
| Yahoo Japan | ¥0 | I sometimes stream J1 League for free. | Yahoo |
| スカパー | ¥429 + ¥2480 | The Emperor’s Cup and Levain Cup are currently being broadcast. | スカパー！ |
DAZN
DAZN covers not only national team games, but also the J1 to J3 leagues, as well as Serie A, La Liga, Portuguese league, Ligue 1, and Belgian league, so you can enjoy quite a lot of content. DMM subscribers can register for DMM x DAZN Hodai. Once you access the page and complete the payment using your debit or credit card, you can enjoy the match on your screen. There will be missed broadcasts, and you can watch overseas matches via streaming on devices such as PCs, smartphones, game consoles, and tablets. Even first-time users can enjoy watching sports live with exclusive streaming.
| Service | DAZN |
| Contents | J1-J2 League Serie A La Liga Ligue 1 |
| URL | DAZN |
Amazon Prime Video
If you create an account on the official website, pay and become an Amazon Prime member, you will be able to watch the Levain Cup, which is a J League Cup match, and the Bundesliga. In addition to that, it is recommended because it has quite a large selection of other sports channels such as baseball and rugby. Unlike TV broadcasting, an Internet contract is also required.
| Service | Amazon Prime Video |
| Contents | Bundesliga J League Levain Cup |
| URL | Amazon Prime Video |
YouTube
YouTube generally does not broadcast live soccer matches, but occasionally some of them are broadcast live on official channels. However, it is not recommended for hardcore soccer fans as it is quite irregular. In addition to national team matches, we sometimes broadcast club team matches as well. You can’t choose the match you want to watch like you can on terrestrial TV. If this is the case, you should buy a ticket and go see it.
Yahoo Japan
Yahoo also offers free live streaming on Sports Navi, although it is less frequent. However, most are limited to the J League. Therefore, it is not recommended for those who want to watch national team matches or those who want to watch major European leagues. A big advantage is that it can be viewed for free, but this content is not recommended for core users.
スカパー
SKY PerfecTV has a soccer channel, but it focuses on the J League. You can also watch the Emperor’s Cup live on Sky Perfect Channel. Other than that, we also broadcast La Liga and Bundesliga. SKY PerfecTV! The soccer set costs 2,480 yen in one lump sum, plus a basic fee of 429 yen. There is also a professional baseball set.
| Service | スカパー! |
| Contents | Japan emperor’s cup Bundesliga |
| URL | スカパー！ |
J League regulations and tournament format
The J-League, a Japanese professional soccer league, has categories with J1 at the top and up to J3. This is a soccer league sponsored by the Japan Professional Soccer League, a public interest incorporated association that is affiliated with the Japan Football Association (JFA). In each league, teams compete for points through a round-robin, competing for championship, promotion, and relegation. The season starts with the Xerox Super Cup in late February and continues until early December. However, in a few years, there will be an autumn/spring system.
J1 League
The J1 League is the highest category and uses a one-stage system with 20 teams playing two home and away rounds each year. The championship emblem will be awarded to the winning club each year, and the top three clubs will be given the right to participate in the AFC Champions League Elite main tournament. The number of relegated teams varies from two to three teams depending on the season. Kashima, Kobe, Tosu, Iwata, Shonan, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Kashiwa, Fukuoka, Niigata, and even Urawa Reds.
J2 league
The J2 League is a lower category of the J1 League, with 22 teams playing in a round-robin format with two home and away games played each year. In principle, the top teams are promoted to the J1 League and stay in the J1 League the following year. The lower-ranked teams are demoted to the J3 League. In some cases, playoffs are held, but the regulations vary depending on the season. You can see Tokushima Vortis, Blaublitz Akita, Roasso Kumamoto, JEF United Chiba, and others.
J3 league
The J3 League is a lower category of the J2 League, with 20 teams playing each team twice a year in a round-robin format with one stage. The top teams are promoted to the J2 League and stay in the J2 League the following year. The lower ranking teams are demoted to the JFL League. The first place team in the JFL league automatically joins the J3 League. The second place team in the JFL league will play a relegation match against a J3 club. Teams in the league include Zweigen Kanazawa, Nara Club, Grulla Morioka, Vanraure Hachinohe, and Azul Claro Numazu.
Emperor’s Cup regulations and tournament format
The Emperor’s Cup is a soccer tournament founded in 1921, making it a traditional event with a long history. Until 2013, the rule was that the final was always held at the National Stadium, but due to renovations to the stadium, the timing and venue were changed for a while. However, from 2019, it will be held again at the National Stadium. The winning team will qualify for the AFC Champions League, so this competition is a great motivation for J.League clubs.
Participation qualifications and tournament format
Teams that are registered in Type 1 with the Japan Football Association are eligible to participate in the Emperor’s Cup. Type 1 registration refers to teams made up of players without age restrictions, and does not refer to professional teams. In other words, amateur clubs have the advantage of being able to participate, but they must win the local tournament.
88 teams will be in the final round
It is not possible for all teams to suddenly participate in the tournament. Teams registered with the JFA in Type 1 actually have several matches, so it would be very confusing if all teams were to participate in the main tournament. Therefore, we have prepared a qualifying tournament. That is the local tournament of each prefecture. The 47 teams that won the regional tournament, 20 J1 club teams, 22 J2 club teams, and 1 amateur seeded team will be able to participate in this tournament. By the way, J3 teams are not seeded for the Emperor’s Cup, so they must win through the prefectural qualifying rounds.
Held on weekdays until the quarterfinals
Games up to the quarterfinals will be held on weekdays. This is because the J League, a professional soccer league, is organized mainly on Saturdays and Sundays. However, the semi-finals held in late December and the finals held on New Year’s Day will be held on weekends or holidays. In addition, the format of the tournament is a one-shot tournament, and it is necessary to win seven rounds from the first round to the final.
J1 and J2 teams will participate from the second round
J1 and J2 teams will appear from the second round onwards. The first round is basically played by amateur teams and J3 teams. From the third round onwards, it will be a regular tournament where the winning teams play against each other, making it a one-shot battle.
Is it possible for high school students to participate?
Can high school teams participate in the Emperor’s Cup? Speaking of which, you can’t. Under the current tournament format, high school teams are no longer allowed to participate. This is because the tournament format has changed since 2014. Until then, there were many games in which high school teams and other teams gave J. League clubs a hard time. High school teams often beat adult teams.
Levain Cup regulations and tournament format
The Levain Cup is also known as the J.League Cup, and is a cup competition in which professional clubs belonging to the J.League compete for the championship. This cup match is held separately from the regular league matches, and has a long tradition since 1992. The winning team will be awarded the J.League Cup and the Levain Cup, and will also earn the right to participate in the J.League Cup/Copa Sudamericana championship match to be held the following summer.
Tournament format
20 teams will play in a “group league” with 5 groups of 4 teams each, and the winning teams will play in a tournament to determine the winner. From 2024, J2 and J3 teams will also participate. From 2024, unlike the previous format, the tournament will start from the first round. The following explanation is an overview up to 2023. Famous teams such as Tokyo Verdy, Vissel Kobe, Jubilo Iwata, Oita Trinita, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Kashima Antlers, Kawasaki Frontale, Kashiwa Reysol, Shimizu S-Pulse, Omiya Ardija, Nagoya Grampus, Albirex Niigata, and Ventforet Kofu will also appear, so click to check them out.
group stage
The 20 teams, 18 from J1 and 2 from J2 (teams demoted from J1 the previous year), will be divided into 5 groups of 4 teams, and will aim to advance to the group through a round robin in the second round. A total of 8 teams, the top 3 of the 2nd place teams in each group, will advance to the next stage.
prime stage
The prime stage is a tournament match and corresponds to the quarterfinals and semifinals. The match is played for 90 minutes, and if a winner cannot be determined, the game is a draw. The team with the most wins in two games will be the winner and advance to the finals.
Final game
The final match will be a one-shot match. The match will be played for 90 minutes, with 30 minutes of overtime if the winner is still undecided, and a penalty shootout if the result is still not decided. The final will be featured on the news and on social media, and some players will be selected to represent Japan. The event is held at the height of the season, so it’s very exciting.
How to watch J League
The company that owns the rights to soccer broadcasts changes every year, so be sure to check back frequently. The latest information is posted in the article below, so please use it as a reference only. We have put together a list of multiple streaming services that offer unlimited viewing of Europe’s major leagues, the J League, and national teams on smartphone apps and PCs, so please take a look. These are live broadcasts.
| 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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