jpJ1 League

Ibaraki prefecture — defending champions, Japan's record 9-time champions.

The city of Saitama — the club with the largest and loudest fanbase in Japan.

Chiba prefecture — returned to J1 after winning the promotion play-offs, for the first time since 2008.

Tokyo — playing at the Ajinomoto Stadium.

The city of Kawasaki near Tokyo — multiple Japanese champions over the last decade.

The city of Shizuoka — one of the original ten J-League clubs from 1993.

Nagoya — one of the original ten J-League clubs.

Kyoto — playing at the new Sanga Stadium by Kyocera.

The city of Suita near Osaka — multiple Japanese champions and winners of the AFC Champions League.

Kobe — the club Andrés Iniesta played for, J1 champions in both 2023 and 2024.

Okayama prefecture — promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history.

Hiroshima — the name "three arrows" refers to the legend of the Mori clan, multiple Japanese champions.

The city of Fukuoka — club nicknamed the "Wasps" (avispa = Italian for wasp).

The city of Nagasaki — promoted to J1 after eight seasons in the second division.

Osaka — the club's academy has produced several Japan internationals.

The city of Mito, Ibaraki prefecture — promoted to J1 for the very first time in their history after winning the J2 title in 2025.

Tokyo — two-time Japanese champions in the 1990s, back in J1 after years in the lower divisions.

The city of Machida near Tokyo — the only Japanese club to have risen all the way from the lowest prefectural league to J1.

Yokohama — multiple Japanese champions, part of the City Football Group.

The city of Kashiwa, Chiba prefecture — originally a company club of Hitachi.