All Japan University Football Championship Explained

Current:2023 All Japan University Football Championship
Number Of Teams:24
Region:Japan
Current Champions:Meiji University
(2023, 4th title)
Most Successful Club:Waseda University (12 titles)
Website:JFA
JUFA

, also known as Intercollegiate nationally, is the main football (soccer) competition for universities across Japan.[1] Since 2013, the competition is held with 24 participating university teams. The competition was for the first time held on 1953, with the aim of opening the door to regional and lower-ranked university teams that did not have the opportunity to compete at the national level. The competition works similarly to the Japanese Regional Football Champions League, with the best teams from each region qualifying to the main tournament. University teams can only qualify for the Emperor's Cup through prefectural qualification, in where they need to face senior football clubs in order to qualify for it. With it stated, the All Japan University Championship does not qualify the winning team for any other competition, but it is of major relevance among the University football players.[2] The championship is organized by the Japan Football Association and the Japan University Football Association.

High schools and university teams are highly evaluated in Japan. Although the High School championship gets a large amount of spotlight away from the university football, many national team players have played at the competition, or have played for university teams through their youth careers. A recent example is Kaoru Mitoma, who studied and played for University of Tsukuba until 2019, who also stated the university studies and football structure helped him to prepare for professional football.[3] Most of the players at each edition of the competition, after graduating from their respectives universities, most likely goes on to pursue a career on football, either being it at professional or regional level.

On 2023, it was the last time 24 teams participated in the tournament, with 8 teams automatically seeded in the second round. From 2024 onwards, 28 teams participates in the tournament, with preliminary round results determining the 16 teams playing in the Final Round and the 12 teams in the strenghtening round.[4]

Past finals

YearWinner[5] ResultRunners-up
1952 2–1 Waseda University
1953 4–2 Chuo University
1954 2–1 Chuo University
1955 10–1 Tohoku Gakuin University
1956 2–1 Waseda University
1957 3–0 Meiji University
1958 1–0 Chuo University
1959 1–0 Hosei University
1960 3–0 Hosei University
1961 2–1 Waseda University
1962 2–1 Rikkyo University
1963 3–2 Meiji University
1964 1–0 Chuo University
1965 3–1 Rikkyo University
1966 4–0 Chuo University
1967 1–0 Chuo University
1968 3–0 Kansai University
1969 1–0 Rikkyo University
1970 2–0 Osaka University of Commerce
1971 2–1 Chuo University
1972 1–0 (a.e.t.) Osaka University of Commerce
1973 3–0 Hosei University
1974 2–0 Osaka University of Commerce
1975 2–0 Hosei University
1976 2–1 Nippon Sport Science University
1977 2–0 Hosei University
1978 1–0 Hosei University
1979 2–1 Hosei University
1980 2–2 Shared trophy
1981 3–0 Tokyo University of Agriculture
1982 3–2 Waseda University
1983 2–1 Juntendo University
1984 1–0 Kokushikan University
1985 0–0 (a.e.t.) Shared trophy
1986 4–0 Tokai University
1987 1–0 Tokai University
1988 0–0 (a.e.t.) Shared trophy
1989 4–0 Tokai University
1990 2–2 (5–4 pen.) Kokushikan University
1991 1–1 (4–2 pen.) Tokai University
1992 1–0 Waseda University
1993 3–1 Doshisha University
1994 1–1 (4–1 pen.) Komazawa University
1995 3–2 University of Tsukuba
1996 2–1 (GG) Waseda University
1997 3–1 Kokushikan University
1998 2–1 Fukuoka University
1999 2–1 (GG) University of Tsukuba
2000 2–1 University of Tsukuba
2001 2–1 Kokushikan University
2002 2–1 (GG) Kokushikan University
2003 1–0 Komazawa University
2004 5–2 Ritsumeikan University
2005 2–1 Juntendo University
2006 6–1 Waseda University
2007 2–0 Hosei University
2008 2–1 University of Tsukuba
2009 2–1 Fukuoka University
2010 2–1 (a.e.t.) Chukyo University
2011 3–0 Meiji University
2012 3–1 Fukuoka University
2013 3–1 Kokushikan University
2014 1–0 Kwansei Gakuin University
2015 4–0 Hannan University
2016 8–0 Nippon Sport Science University
2017 5–1 Hosei University
2018 1–0 Komazawa University
2019 3–1 (a.e.t.) Toin University of Yokohama
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
3–2 Hannan University
3–2 Niigata University of Health and Welfare
2–0 Kyoto Sangyo University

Most successful clubs

P. Team Champions Runners-up Winning years
1 12 7 1955, 1966, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2007, 2012
2 9 4 1954, 1956, 1968, 1971, 1979, 1980, 2002, 2003, 2016
3 8 7 1957, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1965, 1980, 1992, 2008
4 7 3 1995, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2021
54 3 1977, 1983, 1984, 1985
4 6 1982, 1996, 1998, 1999
4 3 1958, 2009, 2019, 2023
83 0 1961, 1963, 1969
3 2 1987, 1988, 1989
3 9 1970, 1976, 2018
112 2 1975, 1981
2 4 1988,1990
2 1 1967, 2010
2 0 1985, 2013
2 0 2014, 2017
161 0 1952
1 3 1953
1 0 1964
1 1 2000
1 0 2011
1 1 2015
1 1 2022
230 3
0 2
0 1
0 1
0 1
0 1
0 1
0 1

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 第71回 全日本大学サッカー選手権大会 : About. 23 November 2022. ja. JFA.
  2. Web site: 全日本大学サッカー選手権大会(通称:インカレ). 23 November 2022. Athletes Bank. ja.
  3. Web site: Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma: Uni studies helped my football. 23 November 2022. 19 November 2022. en. Tribal Football.
  4. Web site: ⼤会⽅式 変更の概要(⼀覧表). 9 July 2024. ja.
  5. Web site: 第71回 全日本大学サッカー選手権大会 : All-time Winners. 23 November 2022. ja. JFA.