Oita Trinita


Ōita Trinita is a Japanese football club located in Ōita, Capital of Ōita Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football.
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Name origin

The club's name, Trinita, is the Italian translation of the word trinity , which was the club's original name before being changed in 1999, and Ōita, the club's home town. The combined word expresses the will of the local citizens, companies, and government to support the team. Another connection to the Italian culture can be found in the city nickname Azzurro.

History

The club was formed as Ōita Trinity in 1994 and advanced through the Ōita Prefectural League and the Kyushu League before finishing as the runner-up of the 1996 National League, resulting in promotion to the JFL. In 1999, the club changed its name to Trinita due to copyright infringement concerns. The same year, the club joined J.League Division 2, the second-highest flight in Japanese football and placed third. The club also placed third in 2000, and despite being in contention for promotion until the final game of the season in 2001, finished sixth. The following year, the club won J.League Division 2 and finally earned promotion to the top-flight Division 1. In 2008, the club won the J.League Cup, the first major title won by a Kyūshū club since Yawata Steel SC shared the 1964 Emperor's Cup.
In the 2009 season, Ōita suffered their worst-ever results in their seven-year history in the topflight, including 14 straight losses in league matches, which is the current worst record in the J.League since the golden goal system was eliminated. Ōita even fired cup-winning manager Pericles Chamusca in mid-July. On October 25, the club's relegation was confirmed after being held to a 1–1 draw by ten-man Kyoto Sanga, although the club would have faced relegation anyway as they had outstanding loans from the JFL's emergency fund and league rules prohibit clubs with such loans from participating in the top tier.
During the 2012 J.League Division 2 season, Ōita finished in sixth place, qualifying for the promotion playoffs in the first year of its introduction in Japan's second flight as the club had also paid back all its emergency loans that October. Despite being the lowest seed, Ōita defeated Kyoto Sanga 4–0 in the semi-final and JEF United Chiba 1–0 in the final, earning promotion to 2013 J.League Division 1, returning to the top tier after a 5-year absence This time, however, their top tier stay lasted only one season. In 2015 they were further relegated to J3 League after losing in the promotion playoffs to Machida Zelvia on December 6, becoming the first major trophy winner to be relegated to the third tier. The club immediately gained promotion back to J2 League by winning the J3 League title in [2016 J3 League|J3 League|2016]. In 2018, after finishing as runner's up in the J2 League in 2018, Oita Trinita gained promotion back to J1. After finishing 18th in 2021, Trinita would be relegated back to J2 League, but in the background of that, the club made a Cinderella run to the Emperor's Cup Final. Just 1 week after the confirmation to be relegated, they defeated defending Emperor's Cup champion Kawasaki Frontale in stunning fashion in the semis; after the game was tied 1 all, Trinita won 4–5 on penalty kicks. They ended up losing to Urawa Red Diamonds in the final, giving the Reds their eighth Emperor's Cup title.
The club will play its second consecutive season at the J2 League in the 2023 season.

Stadium

The club's hometown is the city of Ōita, but the club draws support from the entire Ōita Prefecture. The stadium originally had a capacity of 43,000 for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, 3,000 movable seats on the track were removed, giving the stadium its current capacity of 40,000.
The club's home ground is Crasas Dome Oita, also known as the "Big Eye", which was one of the venues built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The club practices at its adjacent football and rugby field, and Ōita City Public Ground.

League and cup record

SeasonDiv.TeamsPos.PW DL FAGDPtsAttendance/GJ.League CupEmperor's Cup
1999J2103rd3618 38 624220633,8862nd round3rd round
2000J2113rd4026 38 803842814,8181st round3rd round
2001J2126th4424 49 755223786,6382nd round3rd round
2002J2121st44281066734339412,349Not eligible4th round
2003J11614th30511142737-102621,373Group stage3rd round
2004J11613th3086163556-213021,889Group stage5th round
2005J11811th3412715444314322,080Group stage5th round
2006J1188th3413813474524720,350Group stage5th round
2007J11814th34125174260-184119,759Group stage5th round
2008J1184th3416810332495620,322Winners4th round
2009J11817th3486202645-193018,428Group stage3rd round
2010J21915th361011153949-104110,463Not eligible3rd round
2011J22012th381214124245-3508,779Not eligible2nd round
2012J2226th4221813594019719,721Not eligible2nd round
2013J11818th3428243167-361411,915Group stageQuarter finals
2014J2227th421712135255-3638,422Not eligible3rd round
2015J22221st42814204151-10387,533Not eligible3rd round
2016J3161st301947502426617,771Not eligible3rd round
2017J2229th4217131258508648,063Not eligible3rd round
2018J2222nd4223712765125768,907Not eligible2nd round
2019J1189th34121111353504715,347Group stageQuarter finals
2020 †J11811th341110133645-9435,147Group stageDid not qualify
2021 †J12018th3898213155-24356,722Group stageRunners-up
2022J2225th42171510625210666,618Group stage3rd round
2023J2229th421711145456-2629,143Not eligible2nd round
2024J22016th381013153347-144310,3601st roundRound of 16
2025J22016th38814162744-173810,4021st round3rd round
2026J210TBD18N/AN/A
2026-27J220TBD38TBDTBD

;Key

Club officials

For 2025 season
PositionStaff
Manager

Club captains