Yokohama FC

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Yokohama FC
横浜FC
Logo
Full nameYokohama Football Club
NicknameFulie
Founded25 December 1998 (25 December 1998)
GroundMitsuzawa Stadium
Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama
Capacity15,046
OwnerOnodera Group
ChairmanYuji Onodera
ManagerDaisuke Sudo
LeagueJ2 League
2025J1 League, 18th of 20 (relegated)
Websiteyokohamafc.com

Yokohama Football Club (横浜FC, Yokohama Efushī) is a Japanese professional football club based in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The club was formed by fans of Yokohama Flügels as a protest against Flügels' merger with Yokohama Marinos in 1999, becoming the first supporter-owned professional sports team in Japan.[1] They are set to play in the J2 League from 2026–27, the second tier of Japanese football, after relegation from J1 League in 2025.

Since gaining J.League membership in 2001, Yokohama spent considerable time in the second tier of the Japanese football league system. The club gained promotion to J.League Division 1 for the 2007 season after winning the Division 2 title. However, YFC were immediately relegated in the following season. After 12 years in the J2 League, they returned to Japan's top tier, now called J1 League, for the 2020 season. The team finished 15th in its first season back in the top flight. But history would repeat itself in 2021, as they were relegated to J2 after finishing the season as J1's last-place team. The team was promoted again to J1 from 2025 after one year stint second tier in 2024.

History

Graphical timeline of Yokohama football clubs

Yokohama was formed on 25 December 1998 following the merger of Yokohama's two J.League clubs, the Flügels and the Marinos.[2] Flügels supporters felt that their club had essentially been dissolved rather than merged with, so rejected the suggestion that they should start supporting Marinos – who had been their crosstown rivals. Instead, with money raised through donations from the general public and an affiliation with talent management company IMG, the former Flügels supporters founded the Yokohama Fulie Sports Club.[3] Following the socio model used by FC Barcelona, the Fulie Sports Club created Yokohama Football Club, the first professional sports team in Japan owned and operated by its supporters.[1]

For its first season in 1999, Yokohama hired former Germany national team and FIFA World Cup star Pierre Littbarski to be the manager and Yasuhiko Okudera, the first Japanese footballer to play professionally in Europe, to be the chairman.[4] The club attempted to gain entry directly into the professional J.League, but the Japan Football Association only permitted entry to the amateur Japan Football League (JFL), at the time the third level of the Japanese football league system, and ruled that the club would not be eligible for promotion into J.League Division 2 at the end of its first season. So, despite finishing as JFL champion in 1999, Yokohama finished as JFL champion again in 2000 before being promoted to J.League Division 2.[5]

Although they had a dire season in 2005, ending 11th out of 12, they were in the top half of table throughout the 2006 season. Yokohama had lost all of their pre-season matches, including against college teams; they later hired player-manager Takuya Takagi, under whom they saw success. On 26 November 2006, they finished in the top spot of the J2 League and were promoted to the J. League 1. Yokohama's financial situation remained poor, with no ownership of their stadium or training ground, and few staff members. One of their players, Kazuyoshi Miura, last played for the team at the age of 53, and a former player, Atsuhiro Miura (one of their main players before his 2010 retirement) was 36 when he last played for the club. These players once played for the Japan national team.

In 2007, just the ninth year of its existence, Yokohama played its first season in the top flight of Japanese football. After a poor season, the team were relegated with five games of the season still remaining. Despite their early relegation, Yokohama defeated title contenders Urawa Red Diamonds on the last day of the season, allowing Kashima Antlers to secure the J.League Division 1 title.[6]

In 2018, Yokohama narrowly missed out on automatic promotion by goal difference. The team made it to the J2 promotion final, losing to Tokyo Verdy on an stoppage time winner. In 2019, Yokohama finished second in J2 and gained automatic promotion to J1.

After finishing in last place in 2021, Yokohama would be relegated back to J2 for the 2022 season, but they bounced back immediately to J1 League the next year. On 25 November 2023, Yokohama FC were relegated from J1 to J2 from 2024 after the club lost to Shonan Bellmare. On 11 November 2024, Yokohama FC secure promotion again to J1 from 2025 after draw against Renofa Yamaguchi 0-0 in final matchweek and ended one year stint in second tier.

Crest

Yokohama's crest features a phoenix, symbolizing the rise of Yokohama from the ashes of the Yokohama Flügels. The blue ribbon on the top represents the Blue Ribbon Movement, a movement that began at the end of the 1998 J.League season to keep the Flugels alive.

Kit and colours

As they could not adopt directly Flügels' white and blue strip given its similarity to that of Marinos, Yokohama decided to adopt an all-cyan kit, after NKK SC, a former company club which had closed in 1994. NKK SC was based in Kawasaki and played most matches at Todoroki Athletics Stadium, but used Mitsuzawa Stadium on days when the other Kawasaki clubs at the time (Verdy Kawasaki, Toshiba and Fujitsu) used the Todoroki stadium.

Current squad

As of 17 February 2026.[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
3 DF  JPN Junya Suzuki
5 DF  JPN Kyo Hosoi (captain)
7 MF  JPN Kota Yamada
8 MF  JPN Hinata Ogura
9 FW  BRA Lukian
10 FW  BRA João Paulo
13 MF  JPN Ryo Kubota
14 MF  JPN Hayase Takashio
16 DF  JPN Makito Ito
17 FW  JPN Keisuke Muroi
18 FW  JPN Kaito Mori
19 DF  JPN Hayato Sugita
20 MF  JPN Toma Murata
21 GK  JPN Akinori Ichikawa
22 DF  JPN Katsuya Iwatake
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 FW  JPN Kantaro Maeda
24 DF  JPN Jui Hata
26 MF  JPN Akiyuki Yokoyama
27 GK  POL Jakub Słowik
28 MF  JPN Koki Kumakura
35 MF  JPN Koshiro Uda
39 MF  JPN Takanari Endo
42 GK  JPN Ryo Ishii
48 DF  JPN Kaili Shimbo
49 FW  JPN Naoya Komazawa
77 MF  JPN Leo Takae
78 MF  JPN Ryosuke Iwasaki
90 FW  BRA Adaílton
94 DF  JPN Soma Sato

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
11 FW  JPN Kazuyoshi Miura (at Fukushima United FC)
— DF  JPN Ibuki Matsushita (at FC Tokushima)
— MF  JPN Tomoya Takahashi (at Portugal Pevidém S.C.)
— FW  JPN Izumi Miyata (at Yokogawa Musashino)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  JPN Sota Tsukuda (at Belgium Jong KAA Gent)
— MF  JPN Yuto Shimizu (at Tiamo Hirakata)
— DF  JPN Kengo Hayashi (at Tiamo Hirakata)
— MF  JPN Yoshiaki Komai (at FC Imabari)

Club officials

For the 2024 season.[8]

RoleName
Manager Japan Fumitake Miura
Assistant manager Japan Takafumi Hori
First-team coach Japan Seiya Takeuchi
Japan Shunsuke Nakamura
Japan Shingi Ono
Goalkeeper coach Japan Yoichi Doi
Assistant goalkeeper coach Japan Taiki Murai
Physical coach Japan Takeshi Ikoma
Conditioning coach Japan Akihiro Tanaka
Analyst Japan Shohei Waki

Managerial history

ManagerNationalityTenure
StartFinish
Pierre Littbarski Germany1 February 199931 December 2000
Yoshikazu Nagai Japan1 January 200110 September 2001
Yūji Sakakura11 September 200115 September 2001
Pierre Littbarski Germany1 February 200331 January 2005
Yūsuke Adachi1 January 20056 March 2006
Takuya Takagi7 March 200627 August 2007
Júlio César Leal Brazil28 August 200731 December 2007
Satoshi Tsunami Japan1 February 200831 January 2009
Yasuhiro Higuchi1 February 200931 January 2010
Yasuyuki Kishino1 February 201018 March 2012
Takahiro Taguchi18 March 201221 March 2012
Motohiro Yamaguchi21 March 201231 January 2015
Miloš Rus Slovenia1 January 201514 September 2015
Hitoshi Nakata Japan14 September 20151 December 2015
Miloš Rus Slovenia1 December 201515 June 2016
Hitoshi Nakata Japan16 June 201615 October 2017
Tomonobu Hayakawa15 October 201717 October 2017
Yasuhiko Okudera19 October 201723 October 2017
Edson Tavares Brazil24 October 201713 May 2019
Takahiro Shimotaira Japan14 May 20198 April 2021
Tomonobu Hayakawa8 April 202131 January 2022
Shūhei Yomoda1 February 202223 July 2025[9]
Fumitake Miura23 July 2025[10]present

Record as J.League member

Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
LeagueJ.League
Cup		Emperor's
Cup
SeasonDiv.TeamsPos.PW (OTW)DL (OTL)FAGDPtsAttendance/G
2001 J2129th4412 (3)125 (3)5881-23433,0072nd roundRound of 16
200212th44811254381-38353,477–3rd round
200311th441012224988-39423,743
20048th441022124250-8524,219Round of 16
200511th441015194864-16455,9384th round
2006 131st48261576132-29935,1193rd round
2007 J11818th3444261966-471614,039Group stageRound of 16
2008 J21510th421117145156-5506,793–
2009 1816th511111294370-27443,5353rd round
2010 196th361661454477545,791
2011 2018th38118194054-14415,7702nd round
2012 224th4222713624517736,0393rd round
201311th4215131449463586,0642nd round
20144214131549472555,146
201515th421313163358-25525,113
20168th421611155051-1594,892Round of 16
201710th42171213604911635,9672nd round
20183rd4221138634419766,1413rd round
20192nd4223109664026797,061
2020 † J11815th3496193860-22333,559Group stageDid not qualify
2021 † 2020th3869233277-45274,511Group stage2nd round
2022 J2222nd4223118664917805,088–3rd round
2023 J11818th3478193158-27299,128Group stage3rd round
2024 J2202nd3822106602733766,9633rd round3rd round
2025 J118th3898212745-183510,199Semi-final3rd round
2026 J210TBA18–
2026–27 20TBA38
Key
  • Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
  • Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
  • † 2020 & 2021 season's attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic.
  • Source: J. League Data Site

Honours

Yokohama FC honours
HonourNo.Years
Japan Football League 2 1999, 2000
J2 League 1 2006

Kit evolution

Home kits - 1st
2001
2002
2003 - 2004
2005 - 2006
2007 - 2008
2009 - 2010
2011 - 2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025 -
Away kits - 2nd
2001
2002
2003 - 2004
2005 - 2006
2007 - 2008
2009 - 2010
2011 - 2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025 -

Mascot

The Yokohama mascot is named Fulie-maru, an alien-bird like figure. He is, supposedly, a tribute to Yokohama Flugels' mascot, Tobimaru, a flying squirrel.[11]

References

  1. Ichiro Hirose (2014). スポーツ・マネジメント入門 [Introduction to Sport Management] (in Japanese). Toyo Keizai. p. 123. ISBN 978-4492502600.
  2. "クラブ概要". yokohamafc.com. Yokohama FC. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  3. John Horne, Wolfram Manzenreiter (2013). Japan, Korea and the 2002 World Cup. Routledge. p. 101. ISBN 978-0415275637.
  4. Kumi Kinohara (27 July 2000). "Yokohama FC struggling to survive despite JFL success". Japan Times. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  5. "Interview with Tomio Tsujino" (PDF) (in Japanese). Yokohama City. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  6. Andrew Mckirdy (2 December 2007). "Inspired Antlers squad captures J.League title". Japan Times. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  7. "選手・スタッフ" (in Japanese). Yokohama FC. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  8. 選手・スタッフ [Players/staff]. Yokohama FC. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  9. "四方田修平監督 解任のお知らせ". 横浜FCオフィシャルウェブサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  10. "三浦文丈 監督就任のお知らせ". 横浜FCオフィシャルウェブサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  11. A brief history of J.League mascots | Mascot madness in Japanese football, 30 January 2022, retrieved 2022-04-07