| Season | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Matsumoto Yamaga |
| Promoted | Matsumoto Yamaga Oita Trinita |
| Relegated | Roasso Kumamoto Kamatamare Sanuki |
| Matches | 462 |
| Goals | 1,143 (2.47 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Genki Omae Omiya Ardija, 24 goals |
| Highest attendance | 22,465[1] Niigata 1–1Matsumoto (3 March) |
| Lowest attendance | 1,510[1] Sanuki 1-1Yamagata (19 September) |
| Average attendance | 7,049 |
←2017 2019 → | |
The2018Meiji YasudaJ2 League (2018 明治安田生命J2リーグ) season was the 47th season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 20th season since the establishment of J2 League.
The participating clubs are listed in the following table:
| Club name | Home town(s) | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Albirex Niigata | Niigata &Seirō, Niigata | Relegated fromJ1 |
| Omiya Ardija | Saitama | Relegated fromJ1 |
| Avispa Fukuoka | Fukuoka City,Fukuoka | |
| Ehime FC | All cities/towns inEhime[a] | |
| Fagiano Okayama | All cities/towns inOkayama[b] | |
| FC Gifu | All cities/towns inGifu[c] | |
| JEF United Chiba | Chiba &Ichihara, Chiba | |
| Kamatamare Sanuki | Takamatsu, Kagawa | |
| Kyoto Sanga | Southwestern cities/towns inKyoto[d] | |
| Machida Zelvia | Machida, Tokyo | |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | Central cities/towns inNagano[e] | |
| Mito HollyHock | Mito, Ibaraki | |
| Montedio Yamagata | All cities/towns inYamagata[f] | |
| Oita Trinita | Ōita | |
| Renofa Yamaguchi | All cities/towns inYamaguchi[g] | |
| Roasso Kumamoto | Kumamoto | |
| Tochigi SC | Utsunomiya,Tochigi | Promoted fromJ3 |
| Tokushima Vortis | All cities/towns inTokushima[h] | |
| Ventforet Kofu | AllYamanashi Prefecture[i] | Relegated fromJ1 |
| Tokyo Verdy | All cities/towns in Tokyo | |
| Yokohama FC | Yokohama,Kanagawa | |
| Zweigen Kanazawa | Kanazawa |
| Team | Outgoing manager | Date of vacancy | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventforet Kofu | 30 April 2018[2] | 30 April 2018 | ||
| Kyoto Sanga | 11 May 2018[3] | 11 May 2018 | ||
| Ehime FC | 15 May 2018[4] | 15 May 2018 | ||
| Albirex Niigata | 8 August 2018[5] | 22 August 2018 |
The total number of foreign players is restricted to five per club. Clubs can register up to four foreign players for a single match-day squad, of which a maximum of three are allowed from nations outside theAsian Football Confederation (AFC). Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, and Qatar) are exempt from these restrictions.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matsumoto Yamaga(C, P) | 42 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 54 | 34 | +20 | 77 | Promotion to2019 J1 League |
| 2 | Oita Trinita(P) | 42 | 23 | 7 | 12 | 76 | 51 | +25 | 76 | |
| 3 | Yokohama FC | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 63 | 44 | +19 | 76 | Qualification forpromotion play-offs[a] |
| 4 | Machida Zelvia | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 62 | 44 | +18 | 76 | Ineligible forpromotion play-offs |
| 5 | Omiya Ardija | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 65 | 48 | +17 | 71 | Qualification forpromotion play-offs[a] |
| 6 | Tokyo Verdy | 42 | 19 | 14 | 9 | 56 | 41 | +15 | 71 | |
| 7 | Avispa Fukuoka | 42 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 58 | 42 | +16 | 70 | |
| 8 | Renofa Yamaguchi | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 63 | 64 | −1 | 61 | |
| 9 | Ventforet Kofu | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 56 | 46 | +10 | 59 | |
| 10 | Mito HollyHock | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 48 | 46 | +2 | 57 | |
| 11 | Tokushima Vortis | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 48 | 42 | +6 | 56 | |
| 12 | Montedio Yamagata | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 49 | 51 | −2 | 56 | |
| 13 | Zweigen Kanazawa | 42 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 52 | 48 | +4 | 55 | |
| 14 | JEF United Chiba | 42 | 16 | 7 | 19 | 72 | 72 | 0 | 55 | |
| 15 | Fagiano Okayama | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 39 | 43 | −4 | 53 | |
| 16 | Albirex Niigata | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 48 | 56 | −8 | 53 | |
| 17 | Tochigi SC | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 38 | 48 | −10 | 50 | |
| 18 | Ehime FC | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 34 | 52 | −18 | 48 | |
| 19 | Kyoto Sanga | 42 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 40 | 58 | −18 | 43 | |
| 20 | FC Gifu | 42 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 44 | 62 | −18 | 42 | |
| 21 | Roasso Kumamoto(R) | 42 | 9 | 7 | 26 | 50 | 79 | −29 | 34 | Relegation to2019 J3 League[b] |
| 22 | Kamatamare Sanuki(R) | 42 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 28 | 72 | −44 | 31 |
| Home \ Away | ALB | ARD | AVI | EHI | FAG | GIF | HOL | JEF | KAM | MON | REN | ROS | SAN | TOC | TRI | VEN | VER | VOR | YAM | YFC | ZEL | ZWE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albirex Niigata | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–5 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | |
| Omiya Ardija | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–4 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | |
| Avispa Fukuoka | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| Ehime FC | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | |
| Fagiano Okayama | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 | |
| FC Gifu | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | |
| Mito HollyHock | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | |
| JEF United Chiba | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 6–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 3–4 | |
| Kamatamare Sanuki | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | |
| Montedio Yamagata | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | |
| Renofa Yamaguchi | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | |
| Roasso Kumamoto | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–5 | 2–3 | 0–1 | |
| Kyoto Sanga | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | |
| Tochigi SC | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–5 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | |
| Oita Trinita | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 2–1 | |
| Ventforet Kofu | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 6–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | |
| Tokyo Verdy | 4–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 0–1 | |
| Tokushima Vortis | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 5–0 | |
| Yokohama FC | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 0–4 | |
| Machida Zelvia | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| Zweigen Kanazawa | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
2018 J.League J1/J2 Play-Offs (2018 J1参入プレーオフ)
BecauseMachida Zelvia did not own a J1 license for the 2019 season, they were ineligible to participate in the play-offs. Thus,Yokohama FC, finishing third in the season, received a bye into the second round, from which the winner will play the team finishing 16th in J1.
| 1st Semi-Final | 2nd Semi-Final | Final | |||||||||||
| J1(16) | Júbilo Iwata | 2 | |||||||||||
| J2(3) | Yokohama FC | 0 | J2(6) | Tokyo Verdy | 0 | ||||||||
| J2(5) | Omiya Ardija | 0 | J2(6) | Tokyo Verdy | 1 | ||||||||
| J2(6) | Tokyo Verdy | 1 | |||||||||||
| Omiya Ardija | 0–1 | Tokyo Verdy |
|---|---|---|
| Taira |
| Yokohama FC | 0–1 | Tokyo Verdy |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas Vieira |
| Júbilo Iwata | 2–0 | Tokyo Verdy |
|---|---|---|
| K. Ogawa Taguchi | Report |
Júbilo Iwata remains in J1 League.
Tokyo Verdy remains in J2 League.
| Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albirex Niigata | 313,080 | 22,465 | 8,614 | 14,913 | −32.3%† |
| 2 | Matsumoto Yamaga | 278,948 | 19,066 | 9,490 | 13,283 | −21.0%† |
| 3 | JEF United Chiba | 207,025 | 12,440 | 6,152 | 9,858 | −1.3%† |
| 4 | Omiya Ardija | 193,711 | 12,400 | 6,506 | 9,224 | −19.5%† |
| 5 | Oita Trinita | 187,052 | 15,125 | 4,880 | 8,907 | +10.5%† |
| 6 | Avispa Fukuoka | 186,323 | 15,331 | 6,684 | 8,873 | −7.1%† |
| 7 | Fagiano Okayama | 180,586 | 13,851 | 5,034 | 8,599 | −9.2%† |
| 8 | Ventforet Kofu | 155,054 | 10,192 | 3,130 | 7,384 | −31.9%† |
| 9 | FC Gifu | 144,011 | 12,045 | 3,819 | 6,858 | −1.7%† |
| 10 | Montedio Yamagata | 142,094 | 13,609 | 4,675 | 6,766 | +2.8%† |
| 11 | Yokohama FC | 128,959 | 10,978 | 3,051 | 6,141 | +2.9%† |
| 12 | Renofa Yamaguchi | 128,579 | 12,927 | 3,133 | 6,123 | +12.3%† |
| 13 | Tokyo Verdy | 124,654 | 10,529 | 3,048 | 5,936 | −4.4%† |
| 14 | Kyoto Sanga | 118,931 | 9,036 | 2,624 | 5,663 | −16.1%† |
| 15 | Tochigi SC | 118,805 | 11,562 | 3,203 | 5,657 | +9.9%‡ |
| 16 | Roasso Kumamoto | 110,643 | 10,226 | 3,206 | 5,269 | −19.6%† |
| 17 | Tokushima Vortis | 104,941 | 8,753 | 2,974 | 4,997 | +0.4%† |
| 18 | Mito HollyHock | 103,698 | 7,858 | 2,736 | 4,938 | +0.1%† |
| 19 | Machida Zelvia | 103,215 | 10,013 | 2,414 | 4,915 | +21.2%† |
| 20 | Zweigen Kanazawa | 95,093 | 9,645 | 2,108 | 4,528 | +3.0%† |
| 21 | Ehime FC | 66,382 | 5,319 | 2,196 | 3,161 | −18.2%† |
| 22 | Kamatamare Sanuki | 64,532 | 5,668 | 1,510 | 3,073 | −19.2%† |
| League total | 3,256,416 | 22,465 | 1,510 | 7,049 | +1.1%† |
Updated to games played on 17 November 2018
Source:J. League Data
Notes:
† Relegated from J1.‡ Promoted from J3.