Member Associations - JAPAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (JFA)

JFA

Key Personnel - JFA

Honour - JFA

Grassroots

DOWNLOADS - JFA

LATEST NEWS - JFA

Group F: Gamba Osaka (JPN) 2-0 Ratchaburi FC (THA)

Thu, 11 Dec, 2025

Group F: Gamba Osaka (JPN) 2-0 Ratchaburi FC (THA)

Suita: Gamba Osaka closed their AFC Champions League Two 2025/26™ Group F campaign with a perfect record after defeating Ratchaburi FC 2-0 at the Suita City Football Stadium on Thursday.

Second half goals from Gaku Nawata and substitute Ryoya Yamashita gave head coach Daniel Poyatos a memorable send-off in his last match in charge, with the Japanese already qualifying for the knockout stage with two games to spare. 

Thailand’s Ratchaburi qualified ahead of Vietnam’s Nam Dinh FC by scoring more goals - 15 to 14, in their six matches after both sides finished with nine points.

Araki delivers as Sanfrecce give Skibbe winning farewell

Thu, 11 Dec, 2025

Araki delivers as Sanfrecce give Skibbe winning farewell

Hiroshima: Hayato Araki was pleased to play his part to give outgoing head coach Michael Skibbe a winning farewell after the defender scored the solitary goal in Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s 1-0 win against Shanghai Shenhua FC in their AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ match on Tuesday.

Araki rose highest in the 78th minute to thump home a corner from Naoto Araki to give Sanfrecce the third win of their first continental top tier campaign since 2019.

MD6: Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) 1-0 Shanghai Shenhua FC (CHN)

Wed, 10 Dec, 2025

MD6: Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) 1-0 Shanghai Shenhua FC (CHN)

Hiroshima: Sanfrecce Hiroshima closed their final AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ match of the year with a 1-0 win over Shanghai Shenhua FC in an action-packed encounter at the Hiroshima Soccer Stadium on Wednesday.

Hayato Araki’s strike late in the second half gave Michael Skibbe’s side their second win in five fixtures and moved them up to nine points. China PR’s Shenhua, who are four points adrift, fell to their third consecutive defeat.

Departing Yoshida proud of Vissel

Wed, 10 Dec, 2025

Departing Yoshida proud of Vissel

Kobe: It was a bittersweet ending for Takayuki Yoshida after his time at Vissel Kobe came to a close following a 2-2 draw with Chengdu Rongcheng FC in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2025/26 tie on Tuesday.

After over four years with Vissel, Yoshida will take over at Shimizu S-Pulse for the 2026 season but the 48-year-old tactician is leaving the club top of the East Zone standings with 13 points, as well as with two league titles and one cup success.

Kuroda warns Machida to stay focused

Wed, 10 Dec, 2025

Kuroda warns Machida to stay focused

Machida: Machida Zelvia head coach Go Kuroda insisted his side must remain focused and stay mentally sharp following a 3-1 victory over Ulsan HD in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2025/26 tie on Tuesday.

The win meant Machida surged to 11 points but Kuroda still sent a firm message to his players after seeing them drop their focus after the break.

MD6: FC Machida Zelvia (JPN) 3-1 Ulsan HD (KOR)

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

MD6: FC Machida Zelvia (JPN) 3-1 Ulsan HD (KOR)

Machida: Japan’s Machida Zelvia enhanced their hopes of a place in the knockout rounds of the AFC Champions League Elite™ 2025/26 on Tuesday as Go Kuroda’s side registered a 3-1 win over Ulsan HD at Machida Stadium.

Asahi Masuyama deflected in Hokuto Shimoda’s shot for a sixth minute opener and Takuma Nishimura doubled the lead 15 minutes later while Oh Se-hun headed in Machida’s third two minutes into the second half.
 
Um Won-sang gave Ulsan a glimmer of hope eight minutes later with a close range finish but, despite the best efforts of the side from Korea Republic, Machida held on to take a win that moves them onto 11 points after six matches. Ulsan remain on eight points.

MD6: Vissel Kobe (JPN) 2-2 Chengdu Rongcheng FC (CHN)

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

MD6: Vissel Kobe (JPN) 2-2 Chengdu Rongcheng FC (CHN)

Kobe: Vissel Kobe’s hopes of early Round of 16 qualification were dashed after a 2-2 draw with Chengdu Rongcheng FC in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2025/26 tie at the Kobe City Misaki Park Stadium on Tuesday. 

The sides exchanged leads, with Yoshinori Muto’s first-half strike cancelled out by a brace from Felipe only for Daiju Sasaki to strike a late equaliser for Vissel. 

The hard-fought draw means the Japanese side remain at the top of the East Zone with 13 points with Chengdu on six.

Preview: Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) v Shanghai Shenhua FC (CHN)

Wed, 10 Dec, 2025

Preview: Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) v Shanghai Shenhua FC (CHN)

Hiroshima: Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Shanghai Shenhua FC can't afford to hold back when they face off in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/25™ on Wednesday.

Japan's Sanfrecce ended Matchday Five fifth in the standings with eight points while China PR's Shenhua were four adrift in 11th.

Preview: Vissel Kobe (JPN) v Chengdu Rongcheng FC (CHN)

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Preview: Vissel Kobe (JPN) v Chengdu Rongcheng FC (CHN)

Vissel: Vissel Kobe could become the first East Zone team to confirm their AFC Champions League Elite 2025/25™ Round of 16 spot with victory over Chengdu Rongcheng FC on Tuesday.

The Japanese side - who finished fifth in the J1 League after having won the previous two titles - will head into the tie with a three-point advantage at the top of the standings and will advance with victory and if results elsewhere go their way.

Preview: FC Machida Zelvia (JPN) v Ulsan HD (KOR)

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Preview: FC Machida Zelvia (JPN) v Ulsan HD (KOR)

Machida: FC Machida Zelvia and Ulsan HD will be equally desperate for three points when they face off in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/25™ on Tuesday.

Tied on eight points, Japan's Machida sit third in the East Zone standings while Korea Republic's Ulsan HD are sixth.

East Asia Wrap: Double joy for Jeonbuk; Kashima, Beijing end long waits

Mon, 08 Dec, 2025

East Asia Wrap: Double joy for Jeonbuk; Kashima, Beijing end long waits

Seoul: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC sealed the domestic double in Korea Republic while Kashima Antlers lifted a record-extending ninth J.League crown on a dramatic final day in Japan.

Beijing FC celebrated Chinese FA Cup glory, while the race continues in Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei following a busy week of fixtures.

Join the the-AFC.com for a look back at the past week’s domestic action in East Asia.

Draw: What they said

Sat, 06 Dec, 2025

Draw: What they said

Washington: Friday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw revealed the challenges Asia’s finest will face in the expanded global showpiece next summer.

It was a draw which had everything and the Asian teams were understandably excited as they began to lay plans for their respective sides.

The-AFC.com listened to what they had to say.