Japan Regional Champions League tournament matchups announced

The Japan Football Association has finalized the matchups for the first round of the National Regional Football Champions League, a tournament determining entry into the Japan Football League (JFL). The first round will take place from November 13 to 15 across Gunma, Hyogo, and Oita prefectures.

Twelve teams, consisting of champions from nine regional leagues and top performers from the National Adult Soccer Championship, will be divided into three groups of four. Each group will play a round-robin format. The winners of each group, along with the best-performing runner-up, will advance to the final round in Ibaraki Prefecture from November 25 to 29.

Group B, held in Hyogo, has drawn significant attention as a “group of death.” It features several high-ranking teams, including the National Adult Soccer Championship winners Eries Toyoshima FC, Kansai League champions FC BASARA HYOGO, Chugoku League champions Fukuyama City FC, and Hokushinetsu League champions Fukui United FC. The top two teams from the final round will earn automatic promotion to the JFL.