The J1 League, officially known as the Meiji Yasuda J1 League for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional football (soccer) league in Japan. Established in 1993, it serves as the premier division of the Japanese football league system. The league consists of 18 teams that compete annually, with each team playing 34 matches in a round-robin format, facing each opponent twice—once at home and once away. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned the league champion.
The league operates a system of promotion and relegation with the J2 League, the second tier of Japanese football, where the bottom-performing teams face relegation to J2 and the top teams from J2 have the opportunity to promote to J1. The J1 League is known for its high level of competition, attracting both domestic and international players, and it is governed by the Japan Professional Football League (JPFL). The league has contributed significantly to the development of football in Japan and has a passionate fan base, with its matches showcasing a blend of traditional Japanese culture and modern sports enthusiasm.
Montedio Yamagata aims for J2 League triumph and promotion to J1 this season. Coach Jinichi Watanabe leads with the mantra "Yamagata United," emphasizing unity and victory. Pre-season training in Shizuoka…