2013 Japan Football League


The 2013 Japan Football League is the 17th season of the third tier of the Japanese football, and the 15th season since the establishment of Japan Football League. It started on 10 March and finished on 24 November.

Clubs

Due to unfortunate withdrawal of Arte Takasaki, the previous season has featured only 17 teams, but for 2013 the league has brought the number of teams back to 18. After having another team ceasing its operations and withdrawing after the season, the league has welcomed into its ranks two newcomers, SC Sagamihara and Fukushima United. Both clubs are looking forward to eventual J. League promotion, with Sagamihara holding the associate membership status, and Fukushima having applied for it in 2007, though unsuccessfully.
Last season has for the first time ever featured direct exchange of teams between JFL and J. League. JFL champions and J. League associate members V-Varen Nagasaki were promoted at the expense of Machida Zelvia, who returned to JFL after only a single season in J2.
Tochigi Uva were on the brink of relegation, as their play-off series against Norbritz Hokkaido was tied after two rounds. It was decided in penalty shootout, which Tochigi club has won 4–1 and retained their place in the JFL.
On 26 February Blaublitz Akita and Zweigen Kanazawa were granted J. League associate membership status, bringing the number of such clubs to six, an all-time high mark for the league. On 20 August YSCC Yokohama's application was also granted by J. League, further increasing associate members count to seven. It raised again to 10 members after another J. League board session on 16 September, when applications of Fukushima United, FC Ryukyu and Fujieda MYFC were approved.
Club NameHome TownNotes
Blaublitz AkitaAll cities/towns in AkitaJ. League associate member
Fukushima UnitedFukushima, FukushimaPromoted from Tohoku league D1 in 2012. J.League associate member
Honda FCHamamatsu, Shizuoka
Miyazaki, Miyazaki
Hoyo OitaŌita, Ōita
Kamatamare SanukiAll cities/towns in KagawaJ. League associate member
MIO Biwako ShigaKusatsu, Shiga
Fujieda, ShizuokaJ.League associate member
Nagano, NaganoJ. League associate member
Mukō, Kyoto
All cities/towns in OkinawaJ.League associate member
Sagamihara, KanagawaPromoted from Kantō league D1 in 2012. J. League associate member
Sony SendaiTagajō, Miyagi
Tochigi, Tochigi
Yokogawa MusashinoMusashino, Tokyo
YSCC YokohamaYokohama, KanagawaJ.League associate member
Machida ZelviaMachida, TokyoRelegated from J2 in 2012, eligible for J2 promotion
Zweigen KanazawaKanazawa, IshikawaJ. League associate member

Change in rules

;Promotion to J. League Division 2
;Relegation to regional leagues

Table

Results

Top scorers

Updated to games played on 24 November 2013

Source:

Attendances

Post-season promotion and relegation

J2 Promotion playoffs

After conclusion of the JFL and J2 seasons, playoffs for participation in 2014 J2 season were contested by lowest-placed J2 club Gainare Tottori and Kamatamare Sanuki, who possess J2 license and have finished second in JFL. The playoffs took place on 1 and 8 December.

Promotion from Regional Leagues

After 10 of 18 teams were set to leave JFL for the newly created J3, the league announced that it would suffer a contraction and only 14 teams would participate in 2014. The league accommodated all winners of the Regional League promotion series and accepted applications from other Regional clubs that were willing to participate in the nationwide league.
The top three spots of the Regional League promotion series were occupied by Grulla Morioka, Fagiano Okayama Next and FC Kagoshima respectively, and Volca Kagoshima took the last spot. However, the Morioka club has been chosen by J. League for participation in the 2014 J3 season, and both Kagoshima clubs have announced their post-season merger to Kagoshima United. On December 4 the league announced the final list of promoted teams: