2023 J3 League


The 2023 J3 League, referred to as the '''2023 Meiji Yasuda Life for sponsorship reasons, was the 10th season of the J3 League under its current name.

Changes from the previous season

Iwaki FC and Fujieda MYFC were promoted to the J2 League after being champions and runners-up of last season's J3.
FC Ryukyu and Iwate Grulla Morioka were relegated from the J2 League after relatively short stints at the 2nd division, with Ryukyu spending four seasons, and Iwate spending just a single season. The clubs finished as 21st and 22nd-placed team at the 2022 J2 League, respectively.
Nara Club and FC Osaka were promoted to the J3 League after being respectively, champions and runners-up of last season's JFL. Both teams are making their debut in the J3 League after obtaining a J.League License, to enable their promotion from the JFL.
This season is the first of the J3 League to have 20 teams, seeing an increase from last season's 18 teams. About the number of teams, there will be no future changes, as the J.League confirmed that from 2024, all the three professional leagues would have 20 teams in each.

Overview

Promotion and relegation

This season was the first to feature promotion/relegation from the Japan Football League, enabling the possibility for teams to be relegated from the J3. The system of promotion/relegation between the leagues can be determined by the eligibility of the JFL's champions and runners-up for the season.
  • If only the JFL champions holds a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation with the J3's 20th-placed team.
  • If only the JFL runners-up holds a license, there will be promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 20th-placed team.
  • If both the JFL champions and runners-up hold a license, there will be automatic promotion/relegation between the JFL champions and the J3's 20th-placed team, and promotion/relegation play-offs with the J3's 19th-placed team.
  • If both the JFL champions and runners-up do not hold a license, no promotion/relegation between J3 and JFL will take place.
The dates and the host teams of the promotion/relegation play-off were pre-determined by the J.League. In case it happens, it will be played in two legs on 9 and 16 December, with the J3 team hosting the second leg.

Participating clubs

Club nameHome townStadiumCapacityLast seasonLicence
Azul Claro NumazuNumazuAshitaka Stadium5,104J3 J2
Ehime FCAll cities/towns in EhimeNingineer Stadium21,401J3 J1
Fukushima UnitedFukushimaToho Stadium21,000J3 J1
Gainare TottoriAll cities/towns in TottoriAxis Bird Stadium16,033J3 J2
All cities/towns in GifuGifu Nagaragawa Stadium26,109J3 J1
Giravanz KitakyushuKitakyushu, FukuokaMikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu15,066J3 J1
FC ImabariImabariImabari Satoyama Stadium5,316J3 J2
Iwate Grulla MoriokaAll cities/towns in IwateIwagin Stadium & Kitakami Stadium4,946 J2 J1
Kagoshima UnitedKagoshimaShiranami Stadium19,934J3 J1
Kamatamare SanukiAll cities/towns in KagawaPikara Stadium30,099J3 J1
Kataller ToyamaAll cities/towns in ToyamaToyama Athletic Stadium28,494J3 J1
Matsumoto YamagaCities/towns in NaganoSunpro Alwin20,396J3 J1
Nagano ParceiroNaganoNagano U Stadium15,491J3 J2
Nara ClubAll cities/towns on NaraRohto Field Nara30,600 JFL J2
FC OsakaHigashiōsaka, OsakaHanazono Rugby Stadium27,346 JFL J3
FC RyukyuAll cities/towns in OkinawaTapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium12,270 J2 J1
SC SagamiharaSagamiharaGion Stadium15,300J3 J2
Tegevajaro MiyazakiMiyazaki & Shintomi, MiyazakiUnilever Stadium Shintomi5,357J3 J2
Vanraure HachinohePrifoods Stadium5,200J3 J2
YSCC YokohamaYokohamaNippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium15,454J3 J2

Foreign players

From the 2021 season onwards, there is no limitations on signing foreign players, but clubs could only register up to five of them for a single matchday squad. Players from J.League partner nations were exempted from these restrictions.
  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the summer transfer window.
  • Player's name in italics indicates the player has Japanese nationality in addition to their FIFA nationality, holds the nationality of a J.League partner nation, or is exempt from being treated as a foreign player due to having been born in Japan and being enrolled in, or having graduated from an approved type of school in the country.
ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Player 4Player 5Player 6Left mid-season
Azul Claro Numazu

Stadiums

Primary venues to be used in the 2023 J3 League season:

Season statistics

Discipline

Player

Club

  • Most yellow cards: 65
  • Most red cards: '''4'''