Season 2012 Start date 2012 End date November 18, 2012 Matches played 272 | Highest attendance 11,658
Ryukyu vs MYFC Location Japan Goals scored 762 | |
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Champions V-Varen Nagasaki !V-Varen Nagasaki
1st JFL title
1st D3 title Promoted V-Varen Nagasaki !V-Varen Nagasaki Relegated Sagawa Shiga !Sagawa Shiga (withdrawn) Top goalscorer Shunta Takahashi, Masao Tsuji (20 goals) People also search for 2013 Japan Football League | ||
The 2012 Japan Football League was the fourteenth season of the Japan Football League, the third tier of the Japanese football league system. It has started on March 11, and finished on November 18.
Contents
Clubs
The league intended to run the season in the usual 18-team format, but after the withdrawal of Arte Takasaki !Arte Takasaki in January no replacement team was invited so in 2012 JFL features only 17 teams.
Subsequently, only one club will be directly relegated and one take part in pro/rele playoffs to bring the number of JFL clubs back to 18.
During the season, on 23 July, Nagano Parceiro were approved as J. League associate members, though they are not eligible for promotion until the completion of the renovation of their home stadium which is expected in 2016.
On 28 September 2012, J. League Organization made an announcement for club licenses for 2013, and only Nagasaki was granted conditional J2 license.
On 16 October 2012, it was reported that Sagawa Shiga F.C. had notified JFL organization about their intention of withdrawal from JFL as of the end of this season. On 17 October 2012, JFL Committee has approved the request from Sagawa Shiga F.C. for its withdrawal from JFL as of the end of the season.
Relegation to regional leagues
Because of withdrawals by Arte Takasaki !Arte Takasaki and Sagawa Shiga !Sagawa Shiga, no clubs will be relegated automatically as of the end of the season. The bottom finished (17th placed) club will play a play-off against the 3rd placed club of the 2012 Regional League promotion series.
Table
Updated to games played on 18 November 2012.
Source: Japan Football League
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal differential; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head results; 5th disciplinary points; 6th draw
† V-Varen Nagasaki !V-Varen Nagasaki topped the table at the end of the 17th round and thus were awarded JFL seed for 2012 Emperor's Cup.
1On 21 October Sagawa Express Co., the owner and operator of Sagawa Shiga FC, have announced that after the season the club will withdraw from JFL and cease its operations.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
Results
Updated to games played on 18 November 2012.
Source: Japan Football League: First round, second round
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
2 The 10th round game on May 6 between Tochigi Uva and Nagano Parceiro was discontinued after the first half because of heavy thunderstorm. The score at the moment was 0–0. The match was replayed in full on June 20.
3 F.C. Ryukyu vs Kamatamare Sanuki, a match for the 27th round originally scheduled on 29 September, was postponed due to approaching Typhoon Jelawat, and played on 31 October.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For coming matches, an a indicates there is an article about the match.
Top scorers
Updated to games played on 18 November 2012
Source: Japan Football League
Attendances
Updated to games played on 18 November 2012
Source: Japan Football League: First round, second round
Notes:
† Team played previous season in Regional Leagues.
Promotions and relegations after the regular season
V-Varen Nagasaki !V-Varen Nagasaki were automatically promoted to J2 while Machida Zelvia !Machida Zelvia became the first ever team to be relegated from J. League, returning to the JFL after only one season.
SC Sagamihara !SC Sagamihara and Fukushima United !Fukushima United were promoted to JFL as the winner and runner-up of the Regional League promotion series, respectively. Third-placed Norbritz Hokkaido !Norbritz Hokkaido faced Tochigi Uva !Tochigi Uva in a playoff series. Both games were played in Tochigi to prevent snow in Hokkaido from potentially postponing an away game. After two games, the series were tied 2–2, but Tochigi Uva won the penalty shootout 4–1, securing their spot in 2013 JFL.
Tochigi Uva won the series 4–1 on penalty kicks and remained in JFL.