Kirin Cup Soccer Explained
The is an association football tournament organised in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 then known as Japan Cup (International competition which national teams and clubs participated in), and was last held in its full form in 2022.
From 1992 onwards, the format was changed to a round robin national team competition. The first nation to win the competition was Argentina. Japan are the tournament's most successful team with eleven titles, followed by Peru with three titles. As of 2022, the current cup holders are Tunisia.
Since the start of the international competitions in 1992, the tournament has hosted a variety of teams from South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Out of the South American members of CONMEBOL who have been invited (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Peru), Peru have been the most successful (three titles).
Out of the European invitees, there have been seven different champions, the most successful being the Czech Republic with two titles, with Hungary, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Slovakia and Scotland winning one title each. Aside from Japan, the only other Asian country to have won the tournament are the United Arab Emirates (2005), who shared the title with Peru.
In addition to the annual Kirin Cup Soccer there are a few, friendlies also sponsored by the Kirin Corporation, played throughout the year in Japan. Japan took out the most recent 2021 Kirin Challenge Cup with 1–0 win over Serbia on 11 June 2021.
Tournaments
All times are Japan standard time (UTC+9)
1978 Japan Cup
Won by Borussia Mönchengladbach and Palmeiras. In the semi final Palmeiras beat English club Coventry City 1-0.
1979 Japan Cup
Won by Tottenham Hotspur.
1980 Japan Cup Kirin World Soccer
Won by Middlesbrough F.C.
1981 Japan Cup Kirin World Soccer
Won by Club Brugge KV.
1982 Japan Cup Kirin World Soccer
1983 Japan Cup Kirin World Soccer
1984 Japan Cup Kirin World Soccer
Group A
width=165 | Team | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
Toulouse | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
Group B
width=165 | Team | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | | width=20 | |
---|
Internacional | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Japan Universiade XI | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 1 | |
1985 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
Santos | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 4 | +15 | 9 |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 6 | +10 | 8 |
West Ham | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 5 |
Yomiuri | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 5 |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 3 |
Malaysian Tigers | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 31 | −28 | 0 | |
1986 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
Palmeiras | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 6 |
Werder Bremen | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 3 |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 2 |
B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 1 | |
1987 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
Torino | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 5 |
Fluminense | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 4 |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 2 |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | −9 | 1 | |
1988 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
Bayer Leverkusen | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 5 |
Flamengo | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 4 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0 | |
1991 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 | 6 |
Vasco | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
Tottenham | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 0 | |
1992 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 |
|
1993 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1 |
|
1994 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 6 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 1 |
|
1995 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | | | | | | | | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 4 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
| |
1996 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 1 |
|
1997 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 1 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
|
1998 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
|
1999 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
2000 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 |
|
2001 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 0 |
|
2004 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 |
|
2005 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 |
|
2006 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 4 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
|
2007 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 0 |
|
2008 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
|
2009 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=165 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | |
---|
| 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | +8 |
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 |
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 |
|
2011 Kirin Cup Soccer
width=120 | Team | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | | width=25 | Pts |
---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
2016 Kirin Cup Soccer
Kirin Cup returned in 2016, under a new name and format: Kirin Cup Soccer 2016.[1]
2020 Kirin Challenge Cup
On 17 July, Japan national under-23 football team was planning to hold the 2020 Kirin Challenge Cup at Noevir Stadium Kobe, but it was cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[2]
2021 Kirin Challenge Cup
The friendly against on 3 June 2021 was cancelled due to multiple Jamaican players being unable to board their flight to Japan on account of not meeting the Japanese government's pre-travel COVID-19 testing requirements. The fixture was replaced with a match against the Japan under-24 team.[3] This match between Japanese teams was a substitute match for the Kirin Challenge Cup, which was a charity match, not the Kirin Challenge Cup.[3]
2021 Kirin Challenge Cup (Under-24)
Japan, Honduras and Spain participated in the Kirin Challenge Cup (Under-24) 2021.
2022 Kirin Cup Soccer
See main article: 2022 Kirin Cup Soccer.
2022 Kirin Cup Soccer was held between 10 and 14 June 2022, in a four-nation tournament format.[4] Tunisia have won their first title, defeating Japan 3–0 in the final.
- Teams
Final
2023 Kirin Challenge Cup
Winners (Kirin Cup Soccer)
Clubs
National teams
- 1992:
- 1993:
- 1994:
- 1995:
- 1996:
- 1997:
- 1998:
- 1999: and (Shared)
- 2000: and (Shared)
- 2001:
- 2002: Not Finished
- 2003: Not Finished
- 2004:
- 2005: and (Shared)
- 2006:
- 2007:
- 2008:
- 2009:
- 2010: Not Held
- 2011:, and (Shared)
- 2012: Not Held
- 2013: Not Held
- 2014: Not Held
- 2015: Not Held
- 2016:
- 2017: Not Held
- 2018: Not Held
- 2019: Not Held
- 2020: Not Held
- 2021: Not Held
- 2022:
See also
External links
Notes and References
- News: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Denmark to participate in Kirin Cup Soccer 2016. Japan Football Association. 25 January 2016.
- News: Kirin Challenge Cup 2020 of U-23 National Team Cancelled. Japan Football Association. 1 April 2020.
- News: Samurai Blue 対 U-24日本代表 開催決定 【6.3@北海道】. ja. Japan Football Association . 1 June 2021.
- News: 大会参加国、マッチスケジュール、テレビ放送が決定 キリンカップサッカー2022. ja. Japan Football Association. 28 April 2022.