The 2020 J2 League, also known as the 2020 Meiji Yasuda J2 League (Japanese: 2020 明治安田生命J2リーグ, Hepburn: 2020 Meiji Yasuda Seimei J2 Rīgu) for sponsorship reasons, was the 28th season of J2 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1993. The league started on 21 February 2020. For this season, the league was planned to have a season break to avoid a clash with 2020 Summer Olympics due to be starting from June to August, as the Olympics were postponed by a year.[1]

Meiji Yasuda J2 League
Season2020
Dates20 February
27 June – 20 December 2020
ChampionsTokushima Vortis (1st title)
PromotedTokushima Vortis
Avispa Fukuoka
Relegatednone (for season 2020 only)
Matches played462
Goals scored1,119 (2.42 per match)
Top goalscorerPeter Utaka
(22 goals)
Biggest home win6-0 F.C. Ryukyu v Ehime F.C.
JEF United Chiba v Zweigen Kanazawa
Biggest away win1-6 Matsumoto Yamaga v F.C. Ryukyu
Highest scoring3-5 Albirex Niigata v Zweigen Kanazawa
Longest winning run12 Avispa Fukuoka
Longest unbeaten run15 Avispa Fukuoka
Longest winless run11 Renofa Yamaguchi
Longest losing run7 Renofa Yamaguchi
Highest attendance14,526 Júbilo Iwata v Montedio Yamagata
Lowest attendance0 due to Covid-19
Total attendance1,269,962
Average attendance2,754
2019
2021
All statistics correct as of 20 December 2020.

Effects of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

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On 25 February, all J.League matches until March 15 were postponed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] After that, it was announced that it would be postponed until 29 March.[3] On 19 March, the J.League announced no relegation would take place for the 2020 season, with the J1 League expanding to 20 clubs for the 2021 season.[4] On 25 March, a further announcement declared that the league would be suspended from 3 April to 6 May.[5]

On 3 April, a decision to start over the official game schedule, which aimed to gradually resume J3 from 25 April, J2 from 2 May, and J1 from 9 May. Note that, considering a new schedule in the future, but it would resume it at least one month later and later in the month.[6]

On 29 May, the J.League announced a resumption of matches on 27 June.[7] On 9 June, the league issued a further announcement about the schedule of the 2020 season.[8] On 15 June, a new announcement about the New dates was published. The first 2 rounds of matches in each league (J2 2nd-3rd series) were held without spectators. After 10 July, as a rule, the maximum number of people was 5,000 (stadiums with lower capacity were those with less than 50% of the capacity of people, and forbade away supporters). After August, the maximum stadium capacity was 50%, and it would be a “high alert spectator match”.[9]

After the 11th J.League extraordinary executive committee on 20 July, it was announced that the "super strict alert audience game" would be extended to 10 August in view of the spread of coronavirus infection.[10]

Clubs

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After spending only one season in J2, Kashiwa Reysol were crowned champions and were promoted to 2020 J1 League along with the runners-up Yokohama FC. The 2019 J3 League champions Giravanz Kitakyushu and runners-up Thespakusatsu Gunma entered the league as the promoted teams, replacing Kagoshima United and FC Gifu who were relegated to 2020 J3 League. Those teams that qualified for promotion playoffs in 2019 were unable to defeat their opponent and thus remained in the 2020 season.

Giravanz Kitakyushu returned to J2 after spending three seasons in J3, while Thespakusatsu Gunma return after spending two seasons.

Meanwhile, Matsumoto Yamaga and Júbilo Iwata joined the 2020 J2 League as relegated teams from 2019 J1 League having placed 17th and 18th respectively.

Club Name Home Town Stadium Capacity Last season licence
Albirex Niigata Niigata & Seiro, Niigata Denka Big Swan Stadium 42,300 J2 (10th) J1
Avispa Fukuoka Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Level5 Stadium 22,563 J2 (16th) J1
Ehime FC All cities/towns in Ehime[a] Ningineer Stadium 20,000 J2 (19th) J1
Fagiano Okayama All cities/towns in Okayama[b] City Light Stadium 20,000 J2 (9th) J1
Giravanz Kitakyushu Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu 15,066   Promoted from J3 (champions) J1
JEF United Chiba Chiba & Ichihara, Chiba Fukuda Denshi Arena 18,500 J2 (17th) J1
Júbilo Iwata Iwata, Shizuoka Yamaha Stadium 15,165   Relegated from J1 (18th) J1
Kyoto Sanga Cities/towns in Kyoto[c] Sanga Stadium by Kyocera 21,600 J2 (8th) J1
Machida Zelvia Machida, Tokyo Machida Athletic Stadium 10,600 J2 (18th) J1
Matsumoto Yamaga Cities/towns in Nagano[d] Sunpro Alwin 20,396   Relegated from J1 (17th) J1
Mito HollyHock Cities/towns in Ibaraki[e] K's denki Stadium Mito 12,000 J2 (7th) J2
Montedio Yamagata All cities/towns in Yamagata[f] ND Soft Stadium 20,315 J2 (6th) J1
Omiya Ardija Saitama, Saitama NACK5 Stadium Omiya 15,500 J2 (3rd) J1
Renofa Yamaguchi All cities/towns in Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Ishin Park Stadium 20,000 J2 (15th) J1
FC Ryukyu All cities/towns in Okinawa[g] Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium 25,000 J2 (14th) J1
Tochigi SC Utsunomiya, Tochigi Tochigi Green Stadium 18,025 J2 (20th) J1
Thespakusatsu Gunma All cities/towns in Gunma[h] Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma 15,253   Promoted from J3 (2nd) J1
Tokushima Vortis All cities/towns in Tokushima[i] Pocarisweat Stadium 20,441 J2 (4th) J1
V-Varen Nagasaki All cities/towns in Nagasaki Prefecture[j] Nagasaki Athletic Stadium 20,246 J2 (12th) J1
Ventforet Kofu All cities/towns in Yamanashi Prefecture[k] Yamanashi Chuo Bank Stadium 17,000 J2 (5th) J1
Tokyo Verdy All cities/towns in Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium 49,970 J2 (13th) J1
Zweigen Kanazawa All cities/towns in Ishikawa[l] Ishikawa Kanazawa Stadium 20,000 J2 (11th) J1

Personnel and kits

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Club Manager Captain Kit manufacturer
Albirex Niigata   Albert Puig[11]   Adidas
Avispa Fukuoka   Shigetoshi Hasebe[12]   YONEX
Ehime FC   Kenta Kawai[13]   Mizuno
Fagiano Okayama   Kenji Arima[14]   Penalty
Giravanz Kitakyushu   Shinji Kobayashi[15]   Penalty
JEF United Chiba   Yoon Jong-hwan[16]   Kappa
Júbilo Iwata   Fernando Jubero[17]   Puma
Kyoto Sanga   Noritada Saneyoshi[18]   Puma
Machida Zelvia    Ranko Popović[19]   SVOLME
Matsumoto Yamaga   Keiichiro Nuno[20]   Adidas
Mito HollyHock   Tadahiro Akiba[21]   GAViC
Montedio Yamagata   Kiyotaka Ishimaru[22]   Penalty
Omiya Ardija   Takuya Takagi[23]   Under Armour
Renofa Yamaguchi   Masahiro Shimoda[24]   Finta
FC Ryukyu   Yasuhiro Higuchi[25]   sfida
Tochigi SC   Kazuaki Tasaka[26]   ATHLETA
Thespakusatsu Gunma   Ryosuke Okuno[27]   Kelme
Tokushima Vortis   Ricardo Rodríguez[28]   Mizuno
V-Varen Nagasaki   Makoto Teguramori[29]   Umbro
Ventforet Kofu   Akira Ito[30]   Mizuno
Tokyo Verdy   Hideki Nagai[31]   ATHLETA
Zweigen Kanazawa   Masaaki Yanagishita[32]   Adidas

Managerial changes

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Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Matsumoto Yamaga   Keiichiro Nuno Dismissal 25 September 2020[33]   Kei Shibata 25 September 2020[34]
Júbilo Iwata   Fernando Jubero Dismissal 1 October 2020[35]   Masakazu Suzuki 2 October 2020[36]

Foreign players

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As of 2020 season, there are no more restrictions on a number of signed foreign players, but clubs can only register up to five foreign players for a single match-day squad.[37] Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia and Qatar) are exempt from these restrictions.

  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Former players
Montedio Yamagata   Vinícius Araújo   Min Seong-jun
Mito HollyHock   Halef Pitbull
Tochigi SC   Woo Sang-ho   Han Yong-thae
Thespakusatsu Gunma
Omiya Ardija   Nermin Haskić   Vitālijs Maksimenko   Filip Kljajić   Ippei Shinozuka   Ibba Laajab
JEF United Chiba   Alan Pinheiro   Kléber   Jang Min-gyu   Jason Geria   Hebert
Tokyo Verdy   Leandro   Klebinho   Matheus Vidotto
Machida Zelvia   Alen Mašović   Ri Han-jae   Dorian Babunski   Jeong Chung-geun   Stefan Šćepović   Erick Noriega
Ventforet Kofu   Dudu   Rafael Marques
Matsumoto Yamaga   Augusto César   Serginho   Alvaro   Jael   Han Yong-thae
Albirex Niigata   Jong Tae-se   Silvinho   Gonzalo González   Pedro Manzi   Mauro dos Santos   Fábio
Zweigen Kanazawa   Rodolfo   Lucão
Jubilo Iwata   Lulinha   Lukian   Juan Forlín   Fozil Musaev
Kyoto Sanga   Renan Mota   Juninho   Jordy Buijs   Peter Utaka
Fagiano Okayama   Paulinho   Léo Mineiro   Lee Yong-jae   Yu Yong-hyeon   Lee Kyeong-tae   Choi Jung-won   Hadi Fayyadh
Renofa Yamaguchi   Renan   Henik   Iury   Sandro
Tokushima Vortis   Diego   Dušan Cvetinović
Ehime FC   Sisi
Avispa Fukuoka   Douglas Grolli   Jon Ander Serantes   Carlos Gutiérrez   Juanma   Emil Salomonsson
Giravanz Kitakyushu
V-Varen Nagasaki   Caio César   Freire   Luan   Víctor Ibarbo   Edigar Junio
FC Ryukyu   Felipe Tavares   Danny Carvajal   Lee Ji-seong   Ri Yong-jik   Cao Văn Triền   Trần Danh Trung

League table

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It was decided on 19 March to change the format regarding the rules for promotion/relegation for the end of the season for the J1, J2 and J3 leagues,[38] such that there would be no relegation this season, that two clubs from the J2 League would be promoted to the 2021 J1 League, and that two clubs from the J3 League would be promoted to the 2021 J2 League (subject to licensing regulations). It was also announced that the J1/J2 play-offs would not be held.[39]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Tokushima Vortis (C, P) 42 25 9 8 67 33 +34 84 Promotion to 2021 J1 League
2020 Emperor's Cup quarter-finals
2 Avispa Fukuoka (P) 42 25 9 8 51 29 +22 84 Promotion to 2021 J1 League
3 V-Varen Nagasaki 42 23 11 8 66 39 +27 80
4 Ventforet Kofu 42 16 17 9 50 41 +9 65
5 Giravanz Kitakyushu 42 19 8 15 59 51 +8 65
6 Júbilo Iwata 42 16 15 11 58 47 +11 63
7 Montedio Yamagata 42 17 11 14 59 42 +17 62
8 Kyoto Sanga 42 16 11 15 47 45 +2 59
9 Mito HollyHock 42 16 10 16 68 62 +6 58
10 Tochigi SC 42 15 13 14 41 39 +2 58
11 Albirex Niigata 42 14 15 13 55 55 0 57
12 Tokyo Verdy 42 13 15 14 48 48 0 54
13 Matsumoto Yamaga 42 13 15 14 44 52 −8 54
14 JEF United Chiba 42 15 8 19 47 51 −4 53
15 Omiya Ardija 42 14 11 17 43 52 −9 53
16 FC Ryukyu 42 14 8 20 58 61 −3 50
17 Fagiano Okayama 42 12 14 16 39 49 −10 50
18 Zweigen Kanazawa 42 12 13 17 57 67 −10 49
19 Machida Zelvia 42 12 13 17 41 52 −11 49
20 Thespakusatsu Gunma 42 15 4 23 40 62 −22 49
21 Ehime FC 42 8 10 24 38 68 −30 34
22 Renofa Yamaguchi 42 9 6 27 43 74 −31 33
Source: Meiji Yasuda J2 League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Head-to-head goal scored; 6) Number of wins; 7) Goals scored; 8) Fair-play points
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Positions by round

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Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
Tokushima Vortis28311
Avispa Fukuoka96822
V-Varen Nagasaki102233
Ventforet Kofu1215444
Albirex Niigata137511
Giravanz Kitakyushu1820165
Montedio Yamagata20141677
Kyoto Sanga1710588
Júbilo Iwata312696
Tochigi SC1521111010
Tokyo Verdy221991112
Zweigen Kanazawa1618121218
Fagiano Okayama74171317
Mito HollyHock13914149
Machida Zelvia1116101519
JEF United Chiba613151614
Omiya Ardija41131715
FC Ryukyu1917191816
Matsumoto Yamaga57181913
Thespakusatsu Gunma2122212020
Ehime FC1411202121
Renofa Yamaguchi85222222
Leader and qualification for 2021 J1 League
Runner-up and qualification for 2021 J1 League

Top scorers

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Source:[40]

Rank Player Club Goals
1
  Peter Utaka Kyoto Sanga
22
2
  Akira Silvano Disaro Giravanz Kitakyushu
18
3
  Yuki Kakita Tokushima Vortis
17
4
  Kazuma Yamaguchi Mito HollyHock
15
5
  Vinícius Araújo Montedio Yamagata
14
6
  Masato Nakayama Mito HollyHock
13
  Takuma Abe FC Ryukyu
  Mutsuki Kato Zweigen Kanazawa
9
  Kazuma Takai Renofa Yamaguchi
11
  Daiya Tono Avispa Fukuoka
11
  Dudu Ventforet Kofu
10
  Lukian Júbilo Iwata
  Lucão Zweigen Kanazawa
  Koya Kazama FC Ryukyu

Attendances

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Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Albirex Niigata 65,355 8,369 0 4,668 −68.5%
2 V-Varen Nagasaki 44,568 9,436 0 3,714 −52.0%
3 Jubilo Iwata 44,998 14,526 0 3,214 −79.0%
4 Giravanz Kitakyushu 41,283 13,574 0 3,176 −47.5%
5 Matsumoto Yamaga 37,101 4,877 0 3,092 −82.2%
6 Kyoto Sanga 32,164 4,133 0 2,924 −62.8%
7 Fagiano Okayama 42,816 12,434 0 2,854 −69.8%
8 Montedio Yamagata 35,186 5,435 0 2,707 −67.3%
9 Tokushima Vortis 34,308 9,033 0 2,639 −54.0%
10 JEF United Chiba 33,936 9,701 0 2,610 −73.1%
11 Avispa Fukuoka 32,771 9,006 0 2,521 −63.9%
12 Renofa Yamaguchi 23,707 8,424 0 1,976 −64.9%
13 Mito HollyHock 25,670 7,029 0 1,975 −67.6%
14 Tokyo Verdy 23,512 4,161 0 1,959 −63.5%
15 Omiya Ardija 25,049 3,029 0 1,927 −79.7%
16 Ventforet Kofu 25,345 2,390 0 1,810 −78.1%
17 Thespakusatsu Gunma 22,216 11,038 0 1,709 −52.4%
18 Tochigi SC 21,543 2,701 0 1,657 −67.8%
19 Ehime FC 22,084 5,681 0 1,577 −58.3%
20 Zweigen Kanazawa 19,625 2,764 0 1,510 −71.0%
21 Machida Zelvia 17,241 6,421 0 1,232 −73.9%
22 FC Ryukyu 7,625 1,464 0 635 −87.2%
League total 678,103 14,526 0 2,371 −67.0%

Updated to games played on 14 October 2020
Source: J. League Data
Notes:
Last year in J1 League
Last year in J3 League

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Orlowitz, Dan (18 December 2019). "J. League season to include Olympic break". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  2. ^ "2020Jリーグ 明治安田生命J1リーグ 第2節~第4節 明治安田生命J2リーグ 第2節~第4節 明治安田生命J3リーグ 第1節~第2節 JリーグYBCルヴァンカップ グループステージ第2節~第3節 開催延期のお知らせ" (Press release) (in Japanese). 日本プロサッカーリーグ. 2020-02-25. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
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