EC

Emperor Cup

Japan · Football

Season 2025

Emperor Cup — Today's Matches

Live scores, upcoming kick-offs, and finished results for today. Data refreshes automatically so you never miss a moment.

Emperor Cup — Playoffs

1st Round

FUFukushima United9
TUTokyo Int. University1
9–1
OAOmiya Ardija0
TUTsukuba University1
0–1
MHMito Hollyhock0
SSagamihara1
0–1
FTFC Tokushima1
FCFukuyama City2
1–2
KUKyoto Sangyo University3
MSMoriyama Samurai1
3–1
RAReinmeer Aomori5
TKThank Kuriyama0
5–0
KUKagoshima United2
IImabari0
2–0
TSTochigi SC5
OOyama0
5–0
TUToyo University4
SUSendai Uni2
4–2
FGFC Gifu3
TSToyama Shinjo1
3–1
EFEhime FC1
HIHeavy Industrial0
1–0
OTOita Trinita2
LLavenirosso0
2–0
KTKataller Toyama2
JUJuntendo Uinversity1
2–1
KKitakyushu1
BIBeluga Rosso Iwami0
1–0
GTGainare Tottori1
VTVeroskronos Tsuno2
1–2
KKanazawa6
CUChukyo University0
6–0
AWArterivo Wakayama4
BHBasara Hyogo3
4–3
TGThespakusatsu Gunma1
HUHosei University0
1–0
OSOkinawa SV4
VOVerspah Oita1
4–1
SLSaga LIXIL2
HKHirondelle Kumamoto1
2–1
VMVeertien Mie1
YGYamanashi Gakuin0
1–0
GMGrulla Morioka6
NUNorth Asia University0
6–0
FUFukui United1
HHonda0
1–0

Quarter-finals

SHSanfrecce Hiroshima4
NGNagoya Grampus2
4–2
UUrawa1
FTFC Tokyo2
1–2
KKashima0
MZMachida Zelvia3
0–3

Semi-finals

SHSanfrecce Hiroshima0
VKVissel Kobe2
0–2

Final

VKVissel Kobe1
MZMachida Zelvia3
1–3

Emperor Cup — Results

The latest 25 completed matches in the Emperor Cup. The highest-scoring result was Gamba Osaka 4–4 Montedio Yamagata. Review recent scorelines to spot form trends, home advantage patterns, and upset results that can inform your next bet.

HomeScoreAway
Final
3 – 1
Machida ZelviaMZ
3 – 1
VKVissel Kobe
2025-11-22FT
Semi-finals
2 – 0
Vissel KobeVK
2 – 0
SHSanfrecce Hiroshima
2025-11-16FT
2 – 0
Machida ZelviaMZ
2 – 0
FTFC Tokyo
2025-11-16AET
Quarter-finals
1 – 1
SagamiharaS
1 – 1
VKVissel Kobe
2025-08-27PEN
2 – 1
FC TokyoFT
2 – 1
UUrawa
2025-08-27FT
3 – 0
Machida ZelviaMZ
3 – 0
KKashima
2025-08-27FT
2 – 4
Nagoya GrampusNG
2 – 4
SHSanfrecce Hiroshima
2025-08-27FT
4th Round
1 – 2
Tokyo VerdyTV
1 – 2
NGNagoya Grampus
2025-08-13FT
2 – 1
SagamiharaS
2 – 1
BABlaublitz Akita
2025-08-06AET
1 – 2
Montedio YamagataMY
1 – 2
UUrawa
2025-08-06FT
3 – 2
KashimaK
3 – 2
AFAvispa Fukuoka
2025-08-06AET
2 – 1
Vissel KobeVK
2 – 1
TUToyo University
2025-08-06AET
1 – 0
Machida ZelviaMZ
1 – 0
KSKyoto Sanga
2025-08-06FT
2 – 1
FC TokyoFT
2 – 1
COCerezo Osaka
2025-08-06FT
3 – 0
Sanfrecce HiroshimaSH
3 – 0
SSShimizu S-pulse
2025-08-06FT
3rd Round
0 – 0
Avispa FukuokaAF
0 – 0
KKitakyushu
2025-07-16PEN
1 – 2
Albirex NiigataAN
1 – 2
TUToyo University
2025-07-16FT
1 – 0
Tokyo VerdyTV
1 – 0
STSagan Tosu
2025-07-16FT
2 – 1
Machida ZelviaMZ
2 – 1
KTKataller Toyama
2025-07-16FT
3 – 3
Kyoto SangaKS
3 – 3
YFYokohama FC
2025-07-16PEN
0 – 0
Kawasaki FrontaleKF
0 – 0
SSagamihara
2025-07-16PEN
4 – 4
Gamba OsakaGO
4 – 4
MYMontedio Yamagata
2025-07-16PEN
2 – 0
FC TokyoFT
2 – 0
OTOita Trinita
2025-07-16FT
2 – 1
KashimaK
2 – 1
VNV-varen Nagasaki
2025-07-16FT
2 – 1
Vissel KobeVK
2 – 1
VKVentforet Kofu
2025-07-16AET
View all match results→

Emperor Cup — Team Stats

Side-by-side performance comparison of all 81 teams in the Emperor Cup. Machida Zelvia leads with 5 wins this season. The colour-coded heatmap highlights wins, losses, draws, goals scored and conceded, goal difference, and win percentage — making it easy to spot the strongest and weakest teams at a glance for betting analysis.

Emperor Cup — Betting Insights

Emperor Cup 2025 — key betting statistics across 68 matches played. Games average 3.25 goals, with 54.4% seeing both teams score and 67.6% finishing with over 2.5 goals. Home sides win 77.9% of the time while 0.0% of matches end in a draw. Clean sheets are kept in 45.6% of games, and the most common scoreline is 2-1. Use these metrics to calibrate over/under, BTTS, and correct-score strategies.

3.25Goals / Match
54.4%Both Score %
67.6%Over 2.5 / 5.5 %
82.4%Over 1.5 %
30.9%Over 3.5 %
77.9%Home Win %
0.0%Draw %
22.1%Away Win %
45.6%Clean Sheet %
0.0%0-0 %
2.29Avg Home Goals
0.96Avg Away Goals
1.6Cards/Match
+44.60Home Advantage

Most Common Scorelines

The most frequently occurring final scorelines sorted by frequency. Each bar shows the number of matches and percentage ending with that exact score. Common scorelines help calibrate correct-score betting — a scoreline appearing in 15% or more of matches may offer value at typical odds.

2-1
23.5%(16)
1-0
11.8%(8)
2-0
10.3%(7)
1-2
8.8%(6)
3-1
8.8%(6)
0-1
5.9%(4)
5-0
4.4%(3)
0-2
4.4%(3)
3-0
4.4%(3)
2-4
2.9%(2)
3.25
Avg goals / game
221
Total goals
156
Home goals
65
Away goals
Try our Poisson predictor →

Emperor Cup — Season Trends

Goals distribution across 15-minute periods of play, revealing when goals are most likely to be scored. This is critical for live betting strategies — leagues with high concentrations of late goals (76-90 min) may offer value in late-goal markets, while first-half dominant leagues favor early cash-out strategies.

0-15
11.9%
16-30
11.0%
31-45
15.5%
46-60
20.5%
61-75
21.0%
76-90
20.1%

Top Scorers

The top 15 goalscorers in the Emperor Cup 2025 season. Koki Arita leads with 2 goals, followed by Kota Sugiura (2) and Towa Nishisaka (1). These 15 players have scored 17 goals combined — key data for anytime goalscorer bets and understanding which teams depend on a single attacker.

  1. 1KA
    Koki AritaReinmeer Aomori
    2goals
  2. 2KS
    Kota SugiuraArterivo Wakayama
    2goals
  3. 3TN
    Towa NishisakaReinmeer Aomori
    1goals
  4. 4YY
    Yuki YodaToyo University
    1goals
  5. 5RS
    Ryo SaitoReinmeer Aomori
    1goals
  6. 6FN
    Futa NagashimaReinmeer Aomori
    1goals
  7. 7TI
    Tsubasa ItoKyoto Sangyo University
    1goals
  8. 8RS
    Rennosuke ShimotsumaArterivo Wakayama
    1goals
  9. 9SK
    S. KagawaCerezo Osaka
    1goals
  10. 10MO
    Musashi OsakoArterivo Wakayama
    1goals
  11. 11SO
    Shimpei OguraKyoto Sangyo University
    1goals
  12. 12RH
    Rando HiroiTsukuba University
    1goals
  13. 13DT
    Douglas TanqueShimizu S-pulse
    1goals
  14. 14DH
    D. HümmetGamba Osaka
    1goals
  15. 15NH
    NIshikawa HirokiKyoto Sangyo University
    1goals

Top Assists

The leading assist providers in the Emperor Cup 2025 season. Koki Arita tops the chart with 0 assists, followed by Kota Sugiura (0) and Towa Nishisaka (0). Assist leaders are often key creators whose involvement boosts their team's goalscoring — valuable context for both goalscorer and team performance markets.

  1. 1KA
    Koki AritaReinmeer Aomori
    0Assists
  2. 2KS
    Kota SugiuraArterivo Wakayama
    0Assists
  3. 3TN
    Towa NishisakaReinmeer Aomori
    0Assists
  4. 4YY
    Yuki YodaToyo University
    0Assists
  5. 5RS
    Ryo SaitoReinmeer Aomori
    0Assists
  6. 6FN
    Futa NagashimaReinmeer Aomori
    0Assists
  7. 7TI
    Tsubasa ItoKyoto Sangyo University
    0Assists
  8. 8RS
    Rennosuke ShimotsumaArterivo Wakayama
    0Assists
  9. 9SK
    S. KagawaCerezo Osaka
    0Assists
  10. 10MO
    Musashi OsakoArterivo Wakayama
    0Assists
  11. 11SO
    Shimpei OguraKyoto Sangyo University
    0Assists
  12. 12RH
    Rando HiroiTsukuba University
    0Assists
  13. 13DT
    Douglas TanqueShimizu S-pulse
    0Assists
  14. 14DH
    D. HümmetGamba Osaka
    0Assists
  15. 15NH
    NIshikawa HirokiKyoto Sangyo University
    0Assists

Top Cards

Disciplinary leaders in the Emperor Cup 2025 season. Hinata Fukuhara has received the most yellow cards with 2, followed by I. Drešević (1) and Toi Ohashi (1) — 9 yellows in total among listed players. On the red card side, Hinata Fukuhara leads with 0. Card counts are essential for bookings markets and assessing which players are suspension risks.

Yellow Cards

  1. 1HF
    Hinata FukuharaToyo University
    2
  2. 2ID
    I. DreševićMachida Zelvia
    1
  3. 3TO
    Toi OhashiToyo University
    1
  4. 4YN
    Y. NagatomoFC Tokyo
    1
  5. 5RT
    Riku TamuraReinmeer Aomori
    1
  6. 6YP
    Yong-ji ParkReinmeer Aomori
    1
  7. 7GI
    Ginjiro IkegayaTsukuba University
    1
  8. 8KH
    Kazuki HigaSaga LIXIL
    1
  9. 9YT
    Yusaku TaseiToyo University
    0
  10. 10YY
    Yuki YodaToyo University
    0

Red Cards

  1. 1HF
    Hinata FukuharaToyo University
    0
  2. 2ID
    I. DreševićMachida Zelvia
    0
  3. 3TO
    Toi OhashiToyo University
    0
  4. 4YN
    Y. NagatomoFC Tokyo
    0
  5. 5RT
    Riku TamuraReinmeer Aomori
    0
  6. 6YP
    Yong-ji ParkReinmeer Aomori
    0
  7. 7GI
    Ginjiro IkegayaTsukuba University
    0
  8. 8KH
    Kazuki HigaSaga LIXIL
    0
  9. 9YT
    Yusaku TaseiToyo University
    0
  10. 10YY
    Yuki YodaToyo University
    0
Betting Analytics →

Emperor Cup — Teams

All 81 teams competing in the Emperor Cup 2025 season. Click any club to view their full squad, match history, and detailed statistics.

JIJubilo IwataSHSanfrecce HiroshimaSSShimizu S-pulseSBShonan BellmareVNV-varen NagasakiVSVegalta SendaiUUrawaNGNagoya GrampusVKVissel KobeKKashimaCOCerezo OsakaFTFC TokyoGOGamba OsakaKFKawasaki FrontaleSTSagan TosuYMYokohama F. MarinosFGFC GifuOTOita TrinitaTVTokushima VortisKKanazawaKSKyoto SangaMZMachida ZelviaMYMatsumoto YamagaMHMito HollyhockTVTokyo VerdyYFYokohama FCVKVentforet KofuRYRenofa YamaguchiFOFagiano OkayamaANAlbirex NiigataMYMontedio YamagataOAOmiya ArdijaRKRoasso KumamotoTSTochigi SCAFAvispa FukuokaEFEhime FCTGThespakusatsu GunmaKKitakyushuKUKagoshima UnitedBABlaublitz AkitaFMFujieda MYFCFUFukushima UnitedGTGainare TottoriGMGrulla MoriokaKTKataller ToyamaSSagamiharaAWArterivo WakayamaFTFC TokushimaFUFukui UnitedHHondaHUHosei UniversityIIwakiKUKochi UnitedNCNara ClubOSOkinawa SVSLSaga LIXILTUTokyo Int. UniversityVMVeertien MieVOVerspah OitaYGYamanashi GakuinIImabariRAReinmeer AomoriCUChukyo UniversityTUTsukuba UniversityKUKyoto Sangyo UniversityHIHeavy IndustrialVTVeroskronos TsunoJUJuntendo UinversityTSToyama ShinjoBSBaleine ShimonosekiFCFukuyama CityOOyamaNUNorth Asia UniversityBIBeluga Rosso IwamiTKThank KuriyamaBHBasara HyogoHKHirondelle KumamotoLLavenirossoMSMoriyama SamuraiTUToyo UniversitySUSendai Uni

Emperor Cup — Referees

View all referees

Top 6 referees officiating in the Emperor Cup, led by Y. Imamura. Compare cards issued, goals per match, and strictness to anticipate how the assigned referee might influence match flow and card-related bets.

1Y. Imamura
Officiated
11
0
0
Y/M
0.00
R/M
0.00
Goals
29
2Y. Nishimura
Officiated
11
0
0
Y/M
0.00
R/M
0.00
Goals
39
3A. Ikeuchi
Officiated
10
0
0
Y/M
0.00
R/M
0.00
Goals
25
4Y. Yamamoto
Officiated
9
0
0
Y/M
0.00
R/M
0.00
Goals
35
5K. Fukushima
Officiated
7
0
0
Y/M
0.00
R/M
0.00
Goals
18
6C. Ramos
Officiated
1
0
0
Y/M
0.00
R/M
0.00
Goals
3

Emperor Cup — Past Seasons

Browse 8 archived seasons of the Emperor Cup, from 2017 to 2024. Each season page includes full standings, top scorers, and match results — useful for comparing historical performance and identifying long-term betting patterns.

History 18 Mar 2026

Founded1921

The Emperor's Cup was inaugurated in 1921 as the All-Japan Football Championship, making it one of Asia's oldest continuously contested cup competitions. Originally featuring only a handful of teams in a knockout format, it has evolved into a nationwide tournament encompassing professional, semi-professional, and amateur sides. The competition underwent significant expansion in 1993 when the J-League's formation introduced a structured pyramid of participation. In 2018, the format was further reformed to guarantee representation from all 47 Japanese prefectures, broadening the tournament's reach beyond the professional sphere. The cup has grown from a domestic showcase into a prestigious competition that attracts international attention, particularly following Japan's rise in global football prominence over the past two decades.

  • —1921 — Emperor's Cup founded as the All-Japan Football Championship
  • —1965 — Competition transitions to modern knockout format with expanded participation
  • —1993 — J-League's formation transforms the cup into a multi-tiered national tournament
  • —2018 — Competition reformed to include representatives from all 47 prefectures
  • —2020 — Vissel Kobe win inaugural final at new National Stadium as first-time finalists
  • —2025 — FC Machida Zelvia claim maiden title, defeating defending champions Vissel Kobe 3-1

Competition Format 18 Mar 2026

Teams88European spots1

The Emperor's Cup operates as a single-elimination knockout tournament featuring 88 teams progressing through seven rounds to determine the champion. The competition draws participants from three primary sources: all 20 clubs from the J1 League and 22 from the J2 League (granted direct entry to the second round), the winners of 47 prefectural qualifying tournaments representing each of Japan's prefectures, and one specially nominated amateur representative. Matches are decided by a 90-minute contest; if level after regulation time, extra time is played followed by a penalty shootout to determine the winner. The tournament champion earns automatic qualification to the AFC Champions League, Japan's primary route to continental club competition.

Records 18 Mar 2026

Most titlesUrawa Red Diamonds (8)All-time top scorerPatric (21 goals)

The 2019 Emperor's Cup Final, contested between Vissel Kobe and Kashima Antlers at the newly completed National Stadium, marked a historic moment as the first final held at Japan's premier sporting venue.

Analysis 18 Mar 2026

Current Season Analysis

The 2024/25 Emperor's Cup season concluded with a remarkable triumph for FC Machida Zelvia, who captured their maiden title in one of the competition's most dramatic finals. On November 22, 2025, at the National Stadium, Zelvia dismantled defending champions Vissel Kobe with a convincing 3-1 victory, with Shota Fujio scoring twice and Yuki Soma adding a third goal to secure the trophy. This victory represented a watershed moment for the Machida-based club, who had competed in the cup for numerous seasons without previous success at the highest level.

Vissel Kobe entered the final as prohibitive favourites, having successfully defended their Emperor's Cup title the previous season with a commanding 2-0 victory. The Kobe club's pedigree in cup competitions and their consistent J1 League performances suggested another trophy was within reach. However, Zelvia's emergence as a genuine threat to the traditional powerhouses underscored the increasing competitive depth within Japanese football. The 3-1 scoreline represented a decisive performance that showcased Zelvia's tactical discipline and clinical finishing under pressure in the sport's biggest domestic occasion.

The path to the final demonstrated the tournament's capacity to produce unexpected narratives. Machida Zelvia navigated a challenging draw spanning seven knockout rounds, overcoming established J1 clubs and regional qualifiers with impressive consistency. Their progression illustrated how the Emperor's Cup's inclusive format—incorporating teams from all levels of Japanese football—creates opportunities for clubs outside the traditional elite to make championship runs. This democratic structure remains one of the competition's defining characteristics and explains its enduring cultural significance within Japanese football.

Looking ahead to the 2025/26 season, Machida Zelvia will represent Japan in the AFC Champions League as Emperor's Cup champions, providing them with continental exposure and prestige. The victory has elevated Zelvia's profile considerably within the J-League hierarchy and established them as a club capable of competing at the highest domestic level. Meanwhile, Vissel Kobe will seek redemption in future cup campaigns, their back-to-back title-winning streak halted by a superior performance from their rivals on the day.

The Emperor's Cup's Unique Position in Japanese Football

The Emperor's Cup occupies a distinctive place within Japan's football ecosystem, serving simultaneously as a domestic cup competition and a cultural institution. Unlike many European cup competitions that have gradually lost prominence to league football, the Emperor's Cup has maintained its prestige through consistent media coverage, prime-time broadcasting, and the tangible reward of AFC Champions League qualification. The competition's inclusion of university and amateur sides alongside professional clubs creates a unique pathway for emerging talent and smaller clubs to test themselves against elite opposition, embodying principles of competitive meritocracy.

The tournament's format evolution reflects Japan's football development trajectory. The 2018 reform guaranteeing representation from all 47 prefectures transformed the cup from a primarily professional competition into a genuinely national tournament. This structural change ensured that communities across Japan—from Hokkaido's northernmost reaches to Okinawa's southern islands—have their representatives competing on the national stage. The emotional investment this generates transcends traditional club allegiances, creating a unifying sporting spectacle that captures the imagination of Japanese football fans.

Historical Dominance and Evolving Competitive Balance

Urawa Red Diamonds' record of eight Emperor's Cup titles, achieved across multiple decades from the 1980s through to 2021, illustrates the sustained excellence required to dominate Japan's premier cup competition. Their victories span different eras of Japanese football, from the corporate-sponsored JSL period through the modern J-League era, demonstrating an organisational consistency and strategic acumen that has few parallels in Asian football. However, recent seasons suggest a shift toward greater competitive balance, with clubs like Vissel Kobe, Kawasaki Frontale, and Cerezo Osaka challenging the historical hegemony of traditional powerhouses.

The emergence of Machida Zelvia as champions represents a significant inflection point in this competitive narrative. The club's ascent reflects broader trends within Japanese football toward greater investment in J2 and mid-tier J1 clubs, coupled with improved coaching and player development infrastructure. Zelvia's maiden title suggests that the next generation of Emperor's Cup champions may emerge from unexpected quarters, challenging the assumption that traditional corporate-backed clubs will monopolise domestic honours.

International Context and AFC Champions League Pathway

The Emperor's Cup's most tangible benefit—automatic AFC Champions League qualification—has assumed heightened importance as Japanese clubs have increasingly competed at elite levels within continental competitions. The AFC Champions League Elite format introduced for the 2025/26 season elevates the prestige of this qualification, positioning the Emperor's Cup champion alongside Asia's elite clubs. This structural change enhances the cup's competitive significance and raises the stakes for participating clubs, as the continental pathway now offers opportunities to compete against sides from across Asia's most competitive leagues.

The tournament's role in identifying and developing future J-League stars cannot be overstated. Numerous players have used impressive Emperor's Cup performances as springboards to prominence within the professional game. The competition's knockout format, with its inherent drama and high-stakes moments, creates platforms for individual brilliance and tactical innovation that regular league football cannot replicate. For clubs seeking to establish themselves within Japan's football hierarchy, Emperor's Cup success provides both immediate prestige and long-term strategic benefits through continental exposure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many teams compete in the Emperor's Cup?

A total of 88 teams participate in the Emperor's Cup, comprising all 20 J1 League clubs, all 22 J2 League clubs, winners from 47 prefectural qualifying tournaments, and one specially nominated amateur representative.

Who has won the most Emperor's Cup titles?

Urawa Red Diamonds hold the record with 8 Emperor's Cup victories, achieved across multiple decades and cementing their status as Japan's most successful cup competition club.

Does the Emperor's Cup winner qualify for European competition?

Yes, the Emperor's Cup champion earns automatic qualification to the AFC Champions League, Japan's premier continental club competition and pathway to the Club World Cup.

What is the Emperor's Cup format?

The Emperor's Cup is a single-elimination knockout tournament contested over seven rounds. Matches are decided by 90 minutes of regulation play; if tied, extra time is played followed by a penalty shootout.

When was the Emperor's Cup founded?

The Emperor's Cup was established in 1921 as the All-Japan Football Championship, making it one of Asia's oldest national cup competitions and predating most European cup competitions.

Where is the Emperor's Cup final held?

Since 2020, the Emperor's Cup Final has been contested at Japan's National Stadium in Tokyo, a state-of-the-art venue that also hosted the 2020 Olympic Games.

API data: 26 Apr 2026 · Stats updated: 30 Apr 2026 · Content updated: 18 Mar 2026