FC Tokyo facts for kids
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| Full name | Football Club Tokyo | ||
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| Founded | 1999 | ||
| Stadium | Ajinomoto Stadium Chōfu, Tokyo |
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| Stadium capacity |
49,970 | ||
| Chairman | Naoki Ogane | ||
| Head coach | Rikizo Matsuhashi | ||
| League | J1 League | ||
| 2022 | J1 League, 6th of 18 | ||
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Football Club Tokyo, often called FC Tokyo, is a professional football club from Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan. They play in the J1 League, which is the top football league in Japan.
Since 2025, FC Tokyo is one of the few J.League clubs known simply as Football Club, without a longer name. Other clubs like this are FC Imabari, FC Gifu, and FC Osaka.
The club has won one J2 League title, one Emperor's Cup, and three J.League Cup titles. They also won the 2010 J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship.
Contents
Club History
How the Team Started (1935–1997)
The team began in 1935 as a company team called Tokyo Gas Football Club. They played in local leagues and slowly got better. In 1991, they joined the national leagues. With the help of Brazilian player Amaral and manager Kiyoshi Okuma, the team became very strong. In 1997, they finished second in the JFL, and won the championship the next year. However, they couldn't move up to the J1 league yet because they didn't meet all the requirements.
Becoming FC Tokyo (1998–Present)
To join the top league, several companies, including Tokyo Gas and TEPCO, created a new company called Tokyo Football Club Company on October 1, 1998. In 1999, the team changed its name to FC Tokyo and joined the second division, the J2 League. They quickly showed their strength by beating three J1 League teams in the J.League Cup and reaching the top four.
In the same year, FC Tokyo finished second in the J2 league and moved up to the J1 League for the 2000 season. Many people thought they would struggle, but the team won four games in a row at the start and finished in a strong 7th place.
Because of their success, more fans started coming to their games. In 2003, they reached their highest-ever finish, coming in 4th place. That same year, they played a friendly match against the famous club Real Madrid. Even though they lost 3–0, it was a valuable experience for the club.
In 2004, a long-time star player, Amaral, who fans called The King of Tokyo, left the team. He was replaced by Yasuyuki Konno. In November 2004, FC Tokyo won the J.League Cup, which was their first big title since joining the J.League.
In January 2009, FC Tokyo got its first official mascot, Tokyo Dorompa. He's a fun tanuki-like character.
In 2010, FC Tokyo was unfortunately moved down to the second division (J2) after 11 years in J1. But they quickly bounced back! In November 2011, they won the J2 League title and returned to J1. They also won the 2011 Emperor's Cup that year, which was amazing because they were a J2 team at the time. They were only the third second-tier team ever to win this important cup.
Home Stadium
FC Tokyo plays its home games at Ajinomoto Stadium, also known as Tokyo Stadium. This stadium can hold almost 50,000 fans! Before 2001, the club didn't have its own permanent home and played at different fields around Tokyo. Ajinomoto Stadium became their official home in 2001.
The club also has training grounds in Kōtō and Kodaira, Tokyo. The stadium's pitch is built lower than the ground around it because of height limits near the airport.
Players and Awards
Talented Players
FC Tokyo has many skilled players. Some of them have even played for their countries in big tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympic Games. For example, players like Yuto Nagatomo and Masato Morishige have represented Japan in the World Cup while playing for FC Tokyo.
Player Achievements
Over the years, FC Tokyo players have won several important awards. These include:
- The J.League Best Eleven: This award goes to the best players in the league each year.
- The J.League Cup MVP: This is given to the most valuable player in the J.League Cup.
- The J.League Cup New Hero Award: This award celebrates talented young players in the J.League Cup.
Club Honours
Here are the main titles FC Tokyo has won:
| Honour | Number of Wins | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| Japan Football League/J2 League | 2 | 1998, 2011 |
| Regional League Promotion Series | 1 | 1990 |
| Emperor's Cup | 1 | 2011 |
| J.League Cup | 3 | 2004, 2009, 2020 |
| J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship | 1 | 2010 |
International Matches
FC Tokyo has also played in the AFC Champions League, which is a big tournament for top clubs in Asia. They have reached the Round of 16 in this competition multiple times, showing they can compete with strong teams from other countries.
Images for kids
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FC Tokyo fans cheering during a match against Tokyo Verdy.
- FC Tokyo (volleyball)
- FC Tokyo U-23
See also
In Spanish: Football Club Tokyo para niños
