J2联赛

The second highest football league in Japan is J2 League. Because of sponsorship reasons it`s also known as Meiji Yasuda J2 League. The league was founded in 1999 year and is built by 22 football clubs. Each club plays two matches against every other club from J2 League, one as host and one as guest, for a total 42 matches per season. Clubs are ranked in table according points they won, goal difference, golas scored. At the end of the season, first two clubs, are directly promoted to highest football division (J1 league), while the clubs form 3rd to 6th place, enters in promotion play off. The winner of this play-off plays against club which takes 16th place in J1 League for one spot in J1 League. Last two teams from end-season table are demoted to lower J3 League and their spots are taken by first two clubs from J3 league.