J. League Promotion/Relegation Series
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Since 2004, J.LEAGUE has incepted a two-legged playoff games called Promotion/Relegation Series (入れ替え戦 irekae sen?) between sixteenth J.LEAGUE Division 1 (J1) club and third J.LEAGUE Division 2 (J2) club. The winner of this game will receive the third and final ticket to J1 in the following season.
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[edit] History
At the end of the 2004 season, J1 expanded from 16 clubs to 18 clubs. As far as promotion and relegation between J1 and J2 were concerned, prior to 2004, two bottom J1 clubs (15th & 16th) club and two top J2 club (1st & 2nd) switched. However, due to the expansion in the end of 2004 season, the league decided that top two clubs from J2 will promote and there will be no relegation. In stead, they will create a new playoff games that will allow the 3rd place club to challenge, then the last-placed (16th) J1 club. This was the start of this Promotion/Relegation Series. After the expansion, the league went back to their normal promotion and relegation system (17th & 18th, and 1st & 2nd), but also decided to keep the Promotion/Relegation Series.
[edit] Participating club
The J2 clubs are only allowed to be promoted, if they fulfilll the J1 promotion criteria. Therefore in usual circumstances, following club participates:
- 16th J1 Club
- 3rd J2 Club
However, if the 3rd J2 club does not meet other criteria for J1 promotion:
- NO GAME
If either one of the J2 champion or runner-up does not meet the J1 promotion requirements:
- 17th J1 Club
- 3rd J2 Club
If both the J2 champion or runner-up does not meet the requirements:
- 18th J1 Club
- 3rd J2 Club
[edit] Competition Format
- Two 90-minute games must be played at the home stadium of the each club.
- If club are tied in aggregate score, extra time and penalties will take place.
- In case of extra time, the golden goal rule was used in 2004; however, since 2005 clubs must play out whole the extra time
- Since 2006, away goals rule is incepted.
[edit] Venues
The first game will be held in the home stadium of the J2 club, while the second game will take place at the J1 club's home stadium.
[edit] Results
| Year | J.LEAGUE Division 1 Sixteenth Club | Score | J.LEAGUE Division 2 Third Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 |  Kashiwa Reysol |
2 - 0 2 - 0 4 - 0 agg. |
 Avispa Fukuoka |
| 2005 | Kashiwa Reysol |
1 - 2 2 - 6 3 - 8 agg. |
 Ventforet Kofu |
| 2006 | Avispa Fukuoka |
0 - 0 1 - 1 1 - 1 agg. |
 Vissel Kobe† |
† Won with the away goals rule
[edit] 2004
| December 4, 2004 13:03 |
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| Avispa Fukuoka |
0 - 2 | Kashiwa Reysol |
Hakata no Mori, Fukuoka Attendance: 20,522 Referee: Toshimitsu Yoshida |
| Official Report | 47' Hurutaka Ōno 89' Tatsuya Yazawa |
| December 12, 2004 15:04 |
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| Kashiwa Reysol |
2 - 0 | Avispa Fukuoka |
Kashiwa Soccer Stadium, Kashiwa Attendance: 13,149 Referee: Joji Kashihara |
| Yuji Unozawa 57' Yasuhiro Hato 61' |
Official Report |
[edit] 2005
Three years ago, Ventforet Kofu faced mere extinction as the club was losing money every year in 100 million yens and the team finished last placed for three season in a row. In 2002, the club hired Kazuyuki Umino as the president and he turned everything around. The club started to make profit, attendance increased, and the club's performance became better each year. Finally, in 2005, they managed to finish in third place after defeating the J2 champion, Kyoto Purple Sanga, in the final matchday, as then the third-placed Vegalta Sendai tied.
Kashiwa Reysol on the other hand, finshied 16th and had to play this series for two season in a raw. Many believe Kashiwa under-estimated this series as they easily defeated Avispa Fukuoka last year.
The irony was that on Dec. 7 1968, exactly 37 years ago, Venforet Kofu's former club, the Kofu Club, played and lost in Promotion/Relegation Series (JSL1 & JSL2) against the Hitachi Club (Kashiwa Raysol's formal team).
In the final minutes in the first leg, the Kose Sports Stadium blacked outed and the game was stopped. The lights came back after 20-30 minutes. Also, In the second leg of this series, Bare had managed to score double-hattrick (6 goals), which is a record for any J.LEAGUE competitons.
Go to J. League - 2005
| December 7, 2005 19:04 |
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| Ventforet Kofu |
2 - 1 | Kashiwa Reysol |
Kose Sports Stadium, Kofu Attendance: 12,372 Referee: Joji Kashihara |
| Kazuki Kuranuki 25' Bare 48' |
Official Report | 11' Reinaldo da Cruz Oliveira |
| December 10, 2005 15:04 |
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| Kashiwa Reysol |
2 - 6 | Ventforet Kofu |
Kashiwa Soccer Stadium, Kashiwa Attendance: 12,013 Referee: Masayoshi Okada |
| Reinaldo da Cruz Oliveira 52' Yuji Unozawa 86' |
Official Report | 10' Bare 27' Bare 53' Bare 68' Bare 69' Bare 87' Bare |
[edit] 2006
It was very clear that relegation battle was limited to three clubs, Kyoto Purple Sanga, Cerezo Osaka, and Avispa Fukuoka from matchday 28 and all other clubs officially passed the relegation line on matchday 32. It was clear that two of these clubs will be relegated and they were all fighting for the 16th spot, to servive the default relegation. In matchday 33, Kyoto lost and was finshing last. Cerezo Osaka (16th) was one point head of Fukuoka (17th) and in the final matchday, Osaka lost as Fukuoka tied and they both lined-up with points; however, Avispa clinched the 16th place with the goal differencial of -24 as opposed to Cerezo's -26.
Same deal was happening in the J2 promotion race. Three clubs, Yokohama F.C., Kashiwa Reysol, and Vissel Kobe were way ahead of other clubs, and only two club can earn default promotion. In matchday 51, Yokohama clinched the champhionship and the promotion. At this point, Kobe (2nd) was one point ahead of Kashiwa (3rd), and it almost seemed that Kashiwa will play this series for third year in row. However, in the matchday 52, Kashiwa won and clinched the runners-up spot as Kobe fell down to third place after losing the last match.
Go to J. League - 2006
| December 6, 2006 19:02 |
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| Vissel Kobe |
0 - 0 | Avispa Fukuoka |
Kobe Wing Stadium, Kobe Attendance: 12,009 Referee: Joji Kashihara |
| Official Report |
| December 9, 2006 16:04 |
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| Avispa Fukuoka |
1 - 1 | Vissel Kobe |
Hakata no Mori, Fukuoka Attendance: 13,102 Referee: Yuichi Nishimura |
| Takanori Nunobe 84' | Official Report | 60' Yusuke Kondo |
The Series finished 1-1 on aggregate following a 0-0 draw in the first leg but Kobe won on the away goals rule and replace Fukuoka in the first division.
[edit] External links
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Japan Professional Football League J.LEAGUE clubs, seasons, and tournaments |
| J.LEAGUE Division 1 (J1) | |
| Kashima | Omiya | Urawa | Chiba | Kashiwa | F.C. Tokyo | Kawasaki | Yokohama F. Marinos | |
| Yokohama F.C. | Kofu | Niigata | Shimizu | Iwata | Nagoya | Gamba Osaka | Kobe | Hiroshima | Oita | |
| J.LEAGUE Division 2 (J2) | |
| Sapporo | Sendai | Yamagata | Mito | Kusatsu | Tokyo Verdy 1969 Shonan | Kyoto | Cerezo Osaka | Tokushima | Ehime | Fukuoka | Tosu |
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| Abolished Club | |
| Yokohama Flügels | |
| J.LEAGUE Seasons | |
| 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
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| Other J.LEAGUE Tournaments/Cups | |
| Yamazaki Nabisco Cup | Xerox Super Cup | Promotion/Relegation Series | JOMO All-Stars Soccer Emperor's Cup | A3 Champions Cup | Suntory Championship | Sanwa Bank Cup |
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