Kawasaki Frontale facts for kids
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| Full name | Kawasaki Frontale | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Azzurro Nero (Sky-Blue-black), Frontale | ||
| Founded | 1955 as Fujitsu SC | ||
| Ground | Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium, Nakahara, Kawasaki, Japan |
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| Capacity | 26,232 | ||
| Owner | Fujitsu | ||
| Chairman | Yoshihiro Warashina | ||
| Manager | Shigetoshi Hasebe | ||
| League | J1 League | ||
| 2022 | J1 League, 2nd of 18 | ||
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Kawasaki Frontale (川崎フロンターレ, Kawasaki Furontāre) is a professional football club from Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. This city is located just south of Tokyo. The team plays in the J1 League, which is the top football league in Japan. Their home games are played at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium in the Nakahara area of Kawasaki.
Contents
History of Kawasaki Frontale
Early Days: Fujitsu Soccer Club (1955–1996)
The club started in 1955 as the Fujitsu Soccer Club. It was one of many city-based teams in the old Japan Soccer League (JSL). They reached the JSL Division 1 in 1977 but were moved down to a lower division the very next season.
Becoming Professional: Kawasaki Frontale (1997–2000)
In 1997, the Fujitsu club became a professional team and changed its name to "Kawasaki Frontale". The word "Frontale" means "frontal" in Italian. The team's original logo and colors were inspired by a Brazilian team called Grêmio, because the two clubs started working together in 1997.
Kawasaki Frontale joined the second division of the J.League in 1999 and won the championship that year. However, in the next season, 2000, they finished last in J.League Division 1 and were moved back down. They returned to the top league, now called J1, in 2000, but were again moved down to J2 at the end of that season.
Return to the Top and Asian Debut (2004–2007)
In 2004, Frontale won the J2 championship again and moved up to J1 for the second time. With other rival teams no longer in the city, Frontale began to become a stronger team in Kawasaki.
In 2006, the club finished second in J1, which was their best league finish at that time. Because of this, they got to play in the AFC Champions League for the first time in 2007. Kawasaki did very well in this competition. They were the first Japanese club to get past the group stage before the team that eventually won the tournament, Urawa Red Diamonds. However, they lost in the quarter-finals to the Iranian club Sepahan after a penalty shootout.
Winning Titles with Toru Oniki (2017–2024)
After finishing second two more times in 2008 and 2009, Kawasaki Frontale finally won their first J1 League title in 2017. They came from behind to beat their rivals Kashima Antlers. This was 16 seasons and 40 years after they first reached the top division.
Kawasaki Frontale became the first team to win four J1 titles in just five years. They had come close many times before (2000, 2007, 2009, and 2017). They won their first J.League Cup in 2019, beating Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in a penalty shootout. In 2020, they won their third J1 League title with 83 points, finishing 17 points ahead of Gamba Osaka. They secured the title with four games left, which was a record for the 34-match league format. The team was very strong, even using many substitute players, which helped them after the COVID-19 outbreak. A great example was Kaoru Mitoma, who had an amazing season even though he started more games from the bench than on the field.
In 2021, Frontale won their first title of the year in the very first match of the season, beating Gamba Osaka 3–2 in the 2021 Japanese Super Cup.
Kawasaki Frontale's high standards and great performances meant that many of their players were chosen for the national team. Foreign clubs also started to notice their talented players. Some important players left the club during the season. Kaoru Mitoma, who was named in the 2020 J.League Best XI in his first full professional season, joined Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. Midfielder Ao Tanaka, the 2020 J.League Rookie of the Year, moved to Fortuna Düsseldorf in Germany. These players followed Hidemasa Morita to Europe, who signed with Santa Clara in Portugal.
Even with these players leaving, Frontale had a record-breaking season in 2021, winning the 2021 J1 League. They earned the most points ever in a single J1 League season (92 points in 38 matches). They also had the fewest losses in a J1 League season, with only two defeats. They were also unbeaten in home matches, matching Urawa Red Diamonds's record from 2006. They became the first J1 team to earn more than 80 points in two seasons in a row.
Leandro Damião was a star player for Frontale in 2021, scoring 23 goals. He won the MVP award and was one of the top scorers and assist providers in the league. Another Frontale player, Miki Yamane, also had many call-ups for the Japan national football team in 2021 and 2022. Other Frontale players like captain Shogo Taniguchi and midfielder Yasuto Wakizaka also joined the national team. Many other players from Frontale have played for the national team over the years, including Yoshinobu Minowa (2005), Kengo Nakamura and Kazuki Ganaha (after the 2006 FIFA World Cup), and goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima (2008). Shuhei Terada, who played his entire 13-year career at Frontale, also played for the national team from 2008 to 2009.
After winning at least one major title for five years in a row (2017-2021), Frontale did not win any trophies in 2022. They had a difficult season, being knocked out early from all four competitions. In February, they lost 2–0 to Urawa Red Diamonds in the Super Cup. In April, they were eliminated from the AFC Champions League group stage. In June, they were surprisingly knocked out of the Emperor's Cup by a J2 League team, Tokyo Verdy.
In the second half of 2022, Frontale's struggles continued. In August, they played in the J.League Cup quarter-finals against Cerezo Osaka. The first game was a 1–1 draw. In the second game, Frontale led 2–0 with goals from Marcinho. However, they gave up two goals in the final minutes and were eliminated.
With only the J1 League title left, Frontale fought hard. They were in first place for five weeks in the first half of the season. In the second half, they never got higher than second place. They finished the season just two points behind the champions, Yokohama F. Marinos. Even though they finished second, it meant they qualified for the 2023–24 AFC Champions League.
On December 9, 2023, Frontale won the 2023 Emperor's Cup title, beating Kashiwa Reysol 8–7 in a penalty shootout after a 0–0 draw. This win qualified them for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite.
On February 17, 2024, Frontale defeated the 2023 J1 League champions, Vissel Kobe, in the 2024 Japanese Super Cup at Japan National Stadium. This was their third Super Cup title.
On October 16, 2024, it was announced that Toru Oniki stepped down as head coach at the end of the season.
New Manager: Shigetoshi Hasebe (2025–Present)
After Oniki left and the team finished 8th in both the 2023 and 2024 J1 League seasons, Shigetoshi Hasebe became the new manager for the 2025 season. Hasebe started his time as manager with a big 4–0 win over Pohang Steelers in the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite group stage. He followed this with another 4–0 win against Nagoya Grampus in the J1 League opener. Kawasaki then beat Chinese club Shanghai Shenghua 5–1 over two games in the AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16, moving on to the quarter-finals.
Playing in Saudi Arabia, Kawasaki faced Qatari team Al Sadd in the quarter-finals. Captain Yasuto Wakizaka scored the winning goal in extra time, giving the team a 3–2 victory and their first-ever semi-final spot in the AFC Champions League Elite. They then reached their first final by beating Al-Nassr 3–2. In the final on May 3, 2025, they played against another Saudi team, Al-Ahli. Kawasaki finished as runners-up in the 2024–25 AFC Champions League, losing 2–0.
Rivalries
Tamagawa Clásico
Kawasaki Frontale has a big rivalry with FC Tokyo, known as the Tamagawa Clásico. This name uses the Spanish word "Clásico," which means a classic match between rivals. These two clubs first played each other in 1967. They became rivals again in the 1990s when they both tried to get promoted to the J.League. They both started in the new J2 League in 1999 and were promoted together that same year. Even though Frontale was moved down right away, they were promoted again in 2005, and the two clubs have played each other regularly since then.
Frontale also has a Tamagawa rivalry with Tokyo Verdy. Tokyo Verdy was originally based in Kawasaki but moved in 2000. Fans in Kawasaki started to support Frontale more because it felt like a club that cared more about the local community. Frontale is now a top team, while Tokyo Verdy played in the second division for many years, only recently moving back up to J1 in 2024.
Affiliated Clubs
Fukushima United (February 1, 2024 – January 31, 2026)
Grêmio (March 26, 1997 – Present)
Kit Sponsors
| Season(s) | Main Shirt Sponsor | Collarbone Sponsor | Additional Sponsor(s) | Kit Manufacturer | ||||
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| 2017 | Fujitsu | - | SMBC Nikko Securities | @nifty | Fujitsu Marketing | PFU | Puma | |
| 2018 | - / RENOSY |
- / Fujitsu BSC |
Fujitsu Fsas | |||||
| 2019 | RENOSY | Fujitsu BSC | ||||||
| 2020 | Fujitsu Marketing / Fujitsu Japan |
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| 2021 | Anker Japan | Fujitsu Japan | - / Matsuo Komuten |
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| 2022 | Matsuo Komuten | |||||||
| 2023 | PwC Consulting | Ebara Food Industry | ||||||
| 2024 | ||||||||
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Kawasaki Frontale U-18 Team
Below are players from the Kawasaki Frontale youth academy (U-18 team). They play in the 2025 Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, which is the top league for U-18 football teams in Japan. Only players officially registered for this competition are listed.
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Club Officials
These are the main staff members for the 2025 season.
| Position | Name |
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| Manager | Shigetoshi Hasebe |
| Assistant manager | Yasuhiro Nagahashi |
| Coaches | Yuki Yoshida Masashi Oguro Hideki Sahara Kazuno Nakashima |
| Goalkeeper coach | Tomoaki Ishino |
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | Sotaro Higuchi |
| Assistant S&C coach | Keisuke Matsumoto |
| Analyst |  Shlok Asher |
| Trainer | Yoji Hirahara Tomohisa Seki Katsuhiro Suzuki Naoya Kinoshima |
| Physiotherapist | Hiroshi Nishimura Ryota Kudo |
| Interpreter | Kazuya Nakayama Hiroto Furukawa Kim Myong-ho |
| Roupeiro | Hiroyuki Ito |
| Side manager | Takashi Seto Akito Kobayashi |
| Scouting | Tatsuru Mukojima |
| Doctor | Hiroshi Iwaso Hidetaka Goto Yutaro Ishida Ryota Kuzuhara Eisaburo Honda Kensuke Kimura |
Team Records and Statistics
| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |
| Season | Div. | Teams | Pos. | Avg. Attd. | J.League Cup | Emperor's Cup | Super Cup | AFC CL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | JFL | 16 | 3rd | Did not enter | 3rd round | – | – | |
| 1998 | 16 | 2nd | Group stage | 3rd round | – | – | ||
| 1999 | J2 | 10 | 1st | 5,396 | 1st round | 4th round | – | – |
| 2000 | J1 | 16 | 16th | 7,439 | Runners-up | 3rd round | – | – |
| 2001 | J2 | 12 | 7th | 3,784 | Quarter finals | Semi-finals | – | – |
| 2002 | 12 | 4th | 5,247 | Did not qualify | Quarter finals | – | – | |
| 2003 | 12 | 3rd | 7,258 | 4th round | – | – | ||
| 2004 | 12 | 1st | 9,148 | 5th round | – | – | ||
| 2005 | J1 | 18 | 8th | 13,658 | Group stage | Quarter finals | – | – |
| 2006 | 18 | 2nd | 14,340 | Semi-finals | 5th round | – | – | |
| 2007 | 18 | 5th | 17,338 | Runners-up | Semi-finals | – | Quarter finals | |
| 2008 | 18 | 2nd | 17,565 | Group stage | 5th round | – | – | |
| 2009 | 18 | 2nd | 18,847 | Runners-up | Quarter finals | – | Quarter finals | |
| 2010 | 18 | 5th | 18,562 | Semi-finals | 4th round | – | Group stage | |
| 2011 | 18 | 11th | 17,340 | 2nd round | 4th round | – | – | |
| 2012 | 18 | 8th | 17,807 | Group stage | 4th round | – | – | |
| 2013 | 18 | 3rd | 16,644 | Semi-finals | Quarter finals | – | – | |
| 2014 | 18 | 6th | 16,661 | Semi-finals | 3rd round | – | Round of 16 | |
| 2015 | 18 | 5th | 20,999 | Group stage | 4th round | – | – | |
| 2016 | 18 | 3rd | 22,136 | Group stage | Runners-up | – | – | |
| 2017 | 18 | 1st | 22,112 | Runners-up | Quarter finals | – | Quarter finals | |
| 2018 | 18 | 1st | 23,218 | Quarter finals | Quarter finals | Runners-up | Group stage | |
| 2019 | 18 | 4th | 23,272 | Winners | 4th round | Winners | Group stage | |
| 2020 † | 18 | 1st | 7,862 | Semi-final | Winners | – | – | |
| 2021 † | 20 | 1st | 7,342 | Quarter finals | Semi-finals | Winners | Round of 16 | |
| 2022 | 18 | 2nd | 17,939 | Quarter finals | 3rd round | Runners-up | Group stage | |
| 2023 | 18 | 8th | 19,840 | Group Stage | Winners | – | Round of 16 | |
| 2024 | 20 | 8th | 21,067 | Semi-final | 3rd round | Winners | Runners-up | |
| 2025 | 20 | TBD | TBD | TBD | – |
League History
- Regional Leagues (Kanto Soccer League): 1967–71 (as Fujitsu)
- Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1972–76 (as Fujitsu)
- Division 1 (JSL Div. 1): 1977–78
- Division 2 (JSL Div. 2): 1979–91
- Division 2 (former JFL Div. 1): 1992–98 (as Fujitsu 1992–95; Fujitsu Kawasaki 1996; Kawasaki Frontale 1997–present)
- Division 2 (J2): 1999
- Division 1 (J1): 2000
- Division 2 (J2): 2001–04
- Division 1 (J1): 2005–present
As of 2021, the club has spent 20 seasons in the top league, 30 seasons in the second league, and 5 seasons in regional leagues.
Honours and Trophies
Here are the titles Kawasaki Frontale has won as Fujitsu SC (1955–1996) and Kawasaki Frontale (1997–present):
| Honour | No. | Years | |
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| J1 League | 4 | 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 | |
| Japan Soccer League Division 2/J2 League | 3 | 1976, 1999, 2004 | |
| Kanto Soccer League | 1 | 1968 | |
| Emperor's Cup | 2 | 2020, 2023 | |
| J.League Cup | 1 | 2019 | |
| Japanese Super Cup | 3 | 2019, 2021, 2024 |
Player Awards
- J.League Player of the Year
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- Kengo Nakamura (2016)
- Yu Kobayashi (2017)
- Akihiro Ienaga (2018)
- Leandro Damião (2021)
- J.League Top Scorer
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- Juninho (2008)
- Yoshito Ōkubo (2013, 2014, 2015)
- Yu Kobayashi (2017)
- Leandro Damião (2021)
- J.League Best Eleven
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- Kengo Nakamura (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018)
- Hiroyuki Taniguchi (2006)
- Juninho (2007)
- Eiji Kawashima (2009)
- Yoshito Ōkubo (2013, 2014, 2015)
- Yu Kobayashi (2016, 2017)
- Shintaro Kurumaya (2017, 2018)
- Elsinho (2017, 2018)
- Shogo Taniguchi (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022)
- Akihiro Ienaga (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022)
- Jung Sung-ryong (2018, 2020)
- Ryota Oshima (2018)
- Miki Yamane (2020, 2021, 2022)
- Jesiel (2020, 2021)
- Hidemasa Morita (2020)
- Kaoru Mitoma (2020)
- Kyohei Noborizato (2020)
- Ao Tanaka (2020)
- Leandro Damião (2021)
- Reo Hatate (2021)
- Yasuto Wakizaka (2021, 2022, 2023)
- Marcinho (2022)
- J.League Rookie of the Year
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- Ao Tanaka (2019)
- Kota Takai (2024)
Players in World Cups
The following players were chosen to play for their country in the World Cup while they were playing for Kawasaki Frontale:
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- Kengo Nakamura (2010)
- Junichi Inamoto (2010)
- Eiji Kawashima (2010)
Jong Tae-Se (2010)- Yoshito Ōkubo (2014)
- Ryota Oshima (2018)
- Shogo Taniguchi (2022)
- Miki Yamane (2022)
Players in the Olympics
The following players represented their country at the Summer Olympic Games while playing for Kawasaki Frontale:
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- Hiroyuki Taniguchi (2008)
- Shunsuke Ando (2012)
- Riki Harakawa (2016)
- Ryota Oshima (2016)
- Ao Tanaka (2020)
- Kaoru Mitoma (2020)
- Reo Hatate (2020)
Managerial History
| Manager | Nat. | Tenure |
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| Kazuo Saito | Japan |
1997 (resigned in halfway) |
| Everaldo Pierrotti | Brazil |
1997 (till the season end) |
| Beto | Brazil |
1998–99 (resigned in halfway) |
| Ikuo Matsumoto | Japan |
1999 (till the season end) |
| Zeca | Brazil |
2000 (resigned in halfway) |
| Toshiaki Imai | Japan |
2000 (after Zeca, resigned) |
| Hiroshi Kobayashi | Japan |
2000 (till the season end) |
| Yoshiharu Horii | Japan |
January 2001 – June 2001 (resigned in halfway) |
| Nobuhiro Ishizaki | Japan |
July 2001& – December 2003 (after Horii) |
| Takashi Sekizuka | Japan |
January 2004 – April 2008 (resigned in halfway due to illness) |
| Tsutomu Takahata | Japan |
May 2008 – December 2008 (till the season end) |
| Takashi Sekizuka | Japan |
January 2009 – December 2009 (returned) |
| Tsutomu Takahata | Japan |
January 2010 – December 2010 (returned) |
| Naoki Soma | Japan |
January 2011 – 11 April 2012 (sacked in halfway) |
| Tatsuya Mochizuki | Japan |
12 April 2012 – 22 April 2012 (interim) |
| Yahiro Kazama | Japan |
23 April 2012 – 31 December 2016 |
| Toru Oniki | Japan |
1 February 2017 – 11 December 2024 |
| Shigetoshi Hasebe | Japan |
12 December 2024 – present |
See also
In Spanish: Kawasaki Frontale para niños
