F.League
 | |
| Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Founded | 2007; 9 years ago |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Domestic cup(s) |
All Japan Futsal Championship F.League Ocean Cup |
| International cup(s) | AFC Futsal Club Championship |
| Current champions |
Nagoya Oceans (2015–16) |
| Most championships | Nagoya Oceans (9 titles) |
| Website | http://www.fleague.jp/ |
 2016 F.League | |
The F. League (in Japanese: "F・リーグ", Officially "日本フットサルリーグ",Nihon Futtosaru Rīgu) is the top league for Futsal in Japan. The winning team obtains the participation right to the AFC Futsal Club Championship.[1]
Overview
The league was formed in 2007 as a complement for the elimination tournament, (the current Puma Cup) which groups regional futsal champions into a final elimination phase.[2]
The league operates on the sports franchise system, with no promotion or relegation of clubs. The clubs are thus expansion teams. In 2009 the number of clubs was increased from 8 to 10 with the addition of Fuchu Athletic and Espolada Hokkaido.
In F. League play, the clubs battle each other three times: once at home, once away and once in a neutral venue (generally Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo). The season runs from August to February.
An elimination league cup, the Ocean Cup is played every season by the 12 F.League teams.
Teams
Teams playing the F.League 2015–16 season.
| Team | City/Area | Main Arena | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espolada Hokkaido | Sapporo, Hokkaido | Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center | 2008 |
| Voscuore Sendai | Sendai, Miyagi | Sendai Gymnasium | 2012 |
| Bardral Urayasu | Urayasu, Chiba | Urayasu General Gymnasium | 1998 |
| Fugador Sumida | Sumida, Tokyo | Sumida City Gymnasium | 2001 |
| Fuchu Athletic F.C. | Fuchū, Tokyo | Fuchu Sports Center | 2000 |
| Pescadola Machida | Machida, Tokyo | Machida Municipal General Gymnasium | 1999 |
| Shonan Bellmare | Hiratsuka, Kanagawa | Odawara Arena | 2007 |
| Agleymina Hamamatsu | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | Hamamatsu Arena | 1996 |
| Nagoya Oceans | Nagoya, Aichi | Taiyo Yakuhin Ocean Arena | 2006 |
| Shriker Osaka | Osaka, Osaka | Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium | 2002 |
| Deução Kobe | Kobe, Hyogo | Kobe Green Arena | 1993 |
| Vasagey Oita | Oita, Oita | Oozu Sports Park | 2003 |
History
| Seasons | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | Nagoya Oceans | Bardral Urayasu | Deução Kobe |
| 2008–09 | Nagoya Oceans | Bardral Urayasu | Deução Kobe |
| 2009–10 | Nagoya Oceans | Pescadola Machida | Shriker Osaka |
| 2010–11 | Nagoya Oceans | Deução Kobe | Vasagey Oita |
| 2011–12 | Nagoya Oceans | Shriker Osaka | Deução Kobe |
| 2012–13 | Nagoya Oceans | Shriker Osaka | Fuchu Athletic |
| 2013–14 | Nagoya Oceans | Shriker Osaka | Vasagey Oita |
| 2014-15 | Nagoya Oceans | Shriker Osaka | Bardral Urayasu |
| 2015-16 | Nagoya Oceans | Fuchu Athletic | Shriker Osaka |
See also
References
- ↑ ARITA, KENICHI (18 May 2012). "F.League hopes World Cup will boost sport's popularity". asahi.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- ↑ "Futsal league ready for the off". fifa.com. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
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