Emperor's Cup facts for kids
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| Founded | 1921 |
|---|---|
| Region | Japan |
| Number of teams | 88 |
| Qualifier for | AFC Champions League Elite |
| Current champions | Kawasaki Frontale (2nd title) |
| Most successful club(s) | Urawa Red Diamonds Keio BRB (8 titles each) |
| Television broadcasters | NHK (live matches and highlights) |
The Emperor's Cup JFA All-Japan Football Championship Tournament, often called the Emperor's Cup or Japan FA Cup, is a big football competition in Japan. From 2024, it's also known as The JFA Emperor's Cup. It's the oldest football tournament in Japan, starting way back in 1921. This was long before the J.League (Japan's professional football league) even existed!
Before World War II, teams from Japan and its former colonies like Korea and Taiwan could join. The team that wins the Emperor's Cup gets to play in the AFC Champions League, which is a major Asian club competition. They also get a spot in the Japanese Super Cup. For girls and women, there's a similar tournament called the Empress's Cup.
The current champions are Kawasaki Frontale. They won their second title in 2023, after first winning in 2020.
Contents
About the Emperor's Cup
The Emperor's Cup aims to find the "best soccer club in Japan." Because of this, many different teams can join. This includes professional teams from J1 and J2, as well as teams from J3, the JFL, and even top college and high school teams from all over Japan. The Emperor's Cup is one of only two national football tournaments named after a monarch. The other is Spain's Copa del Rey.
The winning team gets to wear a special Yatagarasu emblem. This emblem is a symbol of victory. Winning the cup also gives the team a spot in the AFC Champions League for the next season.
Since the J.League started in 1992, professional teams have usually won the cup. However, because the Emperor's Cup is a knockout tournament, amateur teams can sometimes surprise everyone by beating a top J.League team. This is called a "giant-killer" moment! For example, in 2003/04, a high school team almost beat the J.League champions in a penalty shootout.
The final match of the Emperor's Cup has traditionally been played on New Year's Day in Tokyo. It's seen as the last big game of the football season. However, the final has sometimes been held on different dates since 2014. This was due to renovations at the National Stadium and other reasons like national team games.
In 2020, Vissel Kobe won their first-ever title at the new National Stadium. This game was also the first professional match in Japan to use video assistant referee (VAR) technology.
How the Tournament Works
The first matches for the Emperor's Cup usually start between April and August each year. The exact dates can change. For example, the 97th Emperor's Cup in 2017 started in April and ended with the final on January 1, 2018.
The main knockout part of the competition starts later in the year. This stage includes all teams from J1 and J2. It also features the winners from each of Japan's 47 prefectural championships. These prefectural winners are usually amateur teams, from J3 to college teams. One extra amateur team is also chosen by the organizers.
Teams from J1 and sometimes J2 get a "bye" in the early knockout rounds. This means they don't have to play in the very first games. For instance, in 2017, all J1 and J2 teams got a bye. However, they usually don't get to play at their home stadium from the third round onwards, unless they are playing against a team from a higher league or with a better ranking.
Over the years, the rules for which teams automatically join have changed. Since 1996, all second-tier clubs have been able to join automatically. Before 2008, 80 teams took part in total, with J1 teams joining in the fourth round.
The Trophy
The very first trophy for the "All Japan Championship Tournament" was given to the Japan Football Association by the English Football Association in 1919. This original trophy was used until 1945. Sadly, during World War II, the government took it and melted it down for metal to help with the war effort.
When the tournament started again after the war, a new trophy was made. This is the trophy used today, and it features the Imperial chrysanthemum seal. In 2011, the English FA gave Japan a copy of the original trophy. This was meant to be a symbol of peace.
Playing in the AFC Champions League
The team that wins the Emperor's Cup gets to play in the AFC Champions League (ACL). This has been the rule since the 2001 tournament. Before the ACL was created, the cup winner would play in the Asian Cup Winners' Cup. Since 2012, the winning team must also have a special J1 Club License (now called an ACL Club License) to enter the ACL.
The way the ACL spot is given has changed a bit over time. For example, the winner of the 2005 Emperor's Cup played in the 2007 ACL. But for the 2009 ACL, the spot went to the 2008 cup winner.
Starting from the 2024–25 season, the Emperor's Cup champions will qualify for a brand-new top-tier tournament called the AFC Champions League Elite. They will be placed directly into the main "League stage" of this tournament.
If the team that wins the Emperor's Cup has already qualified for the AFC Champions League by doing well in the J1 League, then the ACL spot from the cup goes to the team that finished fourth in J1.
Emperor's Cup Winners (All-time)
This table shows which clubs have won the Emperor's Cup the most times. Clubs in bold won both the league and the cup in the same year. Clubs in italics were not in the top professional league when they won.
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keio BRB (Students and graduates) | 9 | 2 | 1932, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956 | 1930, 1960 |
| Urawa Red Diamonds | 8 | 4 | 1971, 1973, 1978, 1980, 2005, 2006, 2018, 2021 | 1967, 1968, 1979, 2015 |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 7 | 2 | 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 2013 | 1990, 2017 |
| Kwansei Gakuin University | 7 | 0 | 1929, 1930, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959 | |
| Tokyo Verdy | 5 | 3 | 1984, 1986, 1987, 1996, 2004 | 1981, 1991, 1992 |
| Gamba Osaka | 5 | 3 | 1990, 2008, 2009,2014, 2015 | 2006, 2012, 2020 |
| Kashima Antlers | 5 | 3 | 1997, 2000, 2007, 2010, 2016 | 1993, 2002, 2019 |
| Cerezo Osaka | 4 | 8 | 1968, 1970, 1974, 2017 | 1971,1972, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1994, 2001, 2003 |
| JEF United Chiba | 4 | 2 | 1960, 1961, 1964, 1976 | 1962, 1984 |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 3 | 12 | 1965, 1967, 1969 | 1954, 1957, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2007, 2013, 2022 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 3 | 4 | 1972, 1975, 2012 | 1963, 1973, 2008, 2023 |
| Shonan Bellmare | 3 | 4 | 1977, 1979, 1994 | 1975, 1982, 1985, 1988 |
| Imperial Univ. of Tokyo LB | 3 | 1 | 1931, 1946, 1949 | 1925 |
| Waseda University | 3 | 1 | 1938, 1963, 1966 | 1939 |
| Júbilo Iwata | 2 | 2 | 1982, 2003 | 1989, 2004 |
| Rijo Shukyu Football Club (Hiroshima) | 2 | 1 | 1924, 1925 | 1927 |
| Yokohama Flügels | 2 | 1 | 1993, 1998 | 1997 |
| Nagoya Grampus | 2 | 1 | 1995, 1999 | 2009 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 2 | 1 | 2020, 2023 | 2016 |
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 1 | 4 | 2001 | 1998, 2000, 2005, 2010 |
| Yawata Steel | 1 | 3 | 1964 | 1956, 1958, 1965 |
| Keio University (Enrolled students) | 1 | 2 | 1937 | 1938, 1950 |
| Chuo University | 1 | 2 | 1962 | 1959, 1961 |
| Waseda University WMW | 1 | 1 | 1928 | 1940 |
| Chuo University Club | 1 | 1 | 1957 | 1955 |
| Nagoya Shukyu-dan | 1 | 1 | 1922 | 1923 |
| Nippon Kokan | 1 | 1 | 1981 | 1986 |
| Kyoto Sanga | 1 | 1 | 2002 | 2011 |
| Tokyo Shukyu-dan | 1 | 0 | 1921 | |
| Astra Club (Tokyo) | 1 | 0 | 1923 | |
| Kobe-Ichi Junior High School Club | 1 | 0 | 1927 | |
| Tokyo Old Boys Club | 1 | 0 | 1933 | |
| Kyungsung FC | 1 | 0 | 1935 | |
| FC Tokyo | 1 | 0 | 2011 | |
| Vissel Kobe | 1 | 0 | 2019 | |
| Ventforet Kofu | 1 | 0 | 2022 | |
| Osaka Club | 0 | 3 | 1951, 1952, 1953 | |
| Kobe University of Commerce | 0 | 2 | 1937, 1946 | |
| Mikage Shukyu-dan (Kobe) | 0 | 1 | 1921 | |
| Hiroshima Koto-shihan | 0 | 1 | 1922 | |
| All Mikage Shihan Club (Kobe) | 0 | 1 | 1924 | |
| Imperial University of Kyoto | 0 | 1 | 1928 | |
| Hosei University | 0 | 1 | 1929 | |
| Kobun Junior High School (Taiwan) | 0 | 1 | 1931 | |
| Yoshino Club (Nagoya) | 0 | 1 | 1932 | |
| Sendai Soccer Club | 0 | 1 | 1933 | |
| Tokyo Bunri University | 0 | 1 | 1935 | |
| Bosung College (Seoul) | 0 | 1 | 1936 | |
| Kandai Club | 0 | 1 | 1949 | |
| Rikkyo University | 0 | 1 | 1969 | |
| Eidai Industries | 0 | 1 | 1974 | |
| Tanabe Pharmaceutical | 0 | 1 | 1980 | |
| Montedio Yamagata | 0 | 1 | 2014 | |
| Vegalta Sendai | 0 | 1 | 2018 | |
| Oita Trinita | 0 | 1 | 2021 |
Other Emperor's Cups
The term Emperor's Cup is used for national championships in other sports in Japan too. For example, there's an Emperor's Cup for judo (All-Japan Judo Championships) and volleyball (Emperor's Cup and Empress's Cup All Japan Volleyball Championship). In sumo, the Emperor's Cup (天皇賜杯, Tennō shihai) is given to the winner of the top division tournament.
See also
In Spanish: Copa del Emperador para niños
- Football in Japan
- Japan Football Association (JFA)
- Japanese association football league system
- League system
- J.League
- Japan Football League (JFL) (IV)
- Japan Regional Football Champions League (Promotion Play-offs to JFL)
- Japanese Regional Leagues (V/VI)
- Fujifilm Super Cup (Super Cup)
- J.League YBC Levain Cup (League Cup)
- Empress's Cup
