FC Imabari (FC今治, Efu Shī Imabari) is a Japanese football club based in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture. They are set to play in the J2 League from 2025 after promotion from J3 League in 2024, Japan's second tier of professional football.
 | |||
| Full name | FC Imabari | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1976 | ||
| Ground | ASICS Satoyama Stadium Imabari, Ehime, Japan | ||
| Capacity | 5,316 | ||
| Chairman | Takeshi Okada | ||
| Manager | Keiji Kuraishi | ||
| League | J2 League | ||
| 2024 | J3 League, 2nd of 20 (promoted) | ||
| Website | www | ||
|
| |||
History
editThe club was founded in 1976 and were promoted to the Shikoku Football League in 2001.
From 2009 to 2011, they were owned by Ehime FC as their reserve team, Ehime FC Shimanami. In 2014, the majority of FC Imabari was bought by former Japan national team coach Takeshi Okada.[1]
In February 2016, the club made another step forward towards the J. League, as JFA recognised J.League Hundred Year Vision clubs.[2] In November, they won the Regional Promotion Series and were promoted to the Japan Football League. During their debut season on the JFL, they opened their new stadium and acquired a J3 League license from the 2018 season.
In 2019, after finishing on third place at the JFL, FC Imabari were promoted to Japan's professional league system, becoming a professional club, as they were promoted to the J3 for the first time in their history.[3]
FC Imabari acquired a J2 license in 2021, meaning that Imabari can be promoted to the J2 League once they are able to finish the season in the promotion zone.
On 10 November 2024, FC Imabari secure promotion to J2 League for the first time in history from next season after defeat Gainare Tottori 0-5 in Matchweek 36 and ending five years stint in third tier.
Stadium
editArigato Service Dream Stadium (2017–2022)
editFC Imabari played their J3 League matches on the Arigato Service Dream Stadium from 2017 to 2022. They played their final league match there (as their home stadium) at the club's last home match of the 2022 season. Imabari played this match against Nagano Parceiro on 13 November 2022, at the 33rd Matchweek, with the match ending tied by 3–3.
ASICS Satoyama Stadium (2023–)
editFrom 2023, Imabari decided to change its home stadium to their newly built ASICS Satoyama Stadium. The opening ceremony was decided to be held on 29 January 2023.[4] Satoyama Stadium was opened to the public on 29 January 2023, with a charity match contested between an XI of J-League Legends against FC Imabari U-18 and Ladies, respectively. On 5 March of the same year, FC Imabari played their first match of the season at their new stadium against Fukushima United in the J3 League, which ended in a 1–0 win for Imabari.
League and cup records
edit| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |
| League | J. League Cup |
Emperor's Cup |
Shakaijin Cup | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Division | Tier | Pos | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Attendance/G | |||
| 2011 | Shikoku Soccer League |
4 | 1st | 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 4 | 48 | 34 | Not eligible | 1st round | 3rd place | |
| 2012 | 1st | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 44 | 10 | 34 | 34 | 3rd round | 1st round | ||||
| 2013 | 1st | 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 72 | 7 | 65 | 40 | 2nd round | 1st round | ||||
| 2014 | 5 | 3rd | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 78 | 16 | 62 | 34 | 1st round | Did not play | |||
| 2015 | 1st | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 58 | 5 | 53 | 37 | 1st round | 2nd round | ||||
| 2016 | 1st | 14 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 54 | 7 | 47 | 39 | 1st round | 2nd round | ||||
| 2017 | JFL | 4 | 6th | 30 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 54 | 36 | 18 | 48 | 2,182 | 2nd round | Not eligible | |
| 2018 | 5th | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 63 | 32 | 31 | 49 | 3,081 | 2nd round | ||||
| 2019 | 3rd | 30 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 41 | 26 | 15 | 51 | 3,101 | Did not qualify | ||||
| 2020 † | J3 | 3 | 7th | 34 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 39 | 27 | 12 | 55 | 1,355 | |||
| 2021 † | 11th | 28 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 34 | 33 | 1 | 30 | 1,660 | 2nd round | ||||
| 2022 | 5th | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 55 | 40 | 15 | 60 | 2,320 | 1st round | ||||
| 2023 | 4th | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 54 | 42 | 12 | 59 | 3,711 | 2nd round | ||||
| 2024 | 2nd | 38 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 62 | 38 | 24 | 73 | 3,786 | 2nd round | 1st round | |||
| 2025 | J2 | 2 | TBD | 38 | TBC | TBC | |||||||||
- 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 seasons attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic.
- Source: J.League Data Site
Honours
edit| Honour | No. | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Shikoku Soccer League | 5 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 |
| Regional League Promotion Series | 1 | 2016 |
Players
editCurrent squad
editAs of 12 July 2024.[5] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Coaching staff
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Sports director |  Shogo Kobara
|
| Manager | Toshihiro Hattori
|
| Assistant coach | Yoshikiyo Kuboyama
|
| First-team coach | Takamasa Watanabe
|
| Goalkeeper coach | Yuichi Mizutani
|
| Analysis | Kohei Nomoto
|
| Physical coach | Daiki Makino
|
| Chief trainer | Takuya Kishimoto
|
| Trainer | Ryosuke Konishi Suguru Sakai
|
| Competent | Satsuki Sinohara
|
| Side affairs | Ryo Tanaka
|
| Interpreter |  Daichi Lee Kashiwagi
|
| General manager | Tetsuji Koyama
|
| Strengthening scout | Naoto Kudo
|
| Strengthening commissioner | Kei Nakano
|
| Physical advisor | Masaya Sakihana
|
| Nutritionist | Kokoro Kawanami
|
| Team advisor |  Ruy Ramos
|
| Doctor | Takahisa Mori Yoji Nagano Yuko Fujii Hiroya Imaoka
|
Managerial history
edit| Manager | Nationality | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Finish | ||
| Takahiro Kimura | Japan |
February 1, 2012 | January 31, 2016 |
| Hirofumi Yoshitake | Japan |
February 1, 2016 | June 27, 2018 |
| Naoto Kudo | Japan |
June 27, 2018 | January 31, 2019 |
| Takeshi Ono | Japan |
February 1, 2019 | January 31, 2020 |
| Lluís Planagumà |  Spain |
February 1, 2020 | May 19, 2021 |
| Kazuaki Hashikawa | Japan |
May 19, 2021 | May 23, 2021 |
| Keiichiro Nuno | Japan |
May 24, 2021 | 29 September 2021[6] |
| Kazuaki Hashikawa | Japan |
September 29, 2021[7] | January 31, 2023 |
| Riki Takagi | Japan |
February 1, 2023[8] | August 16, 2023 |
| Naoto Kudo | Japan |
August 16, 2023[9] | January 31, 2024 |
| Toshihiro Hattori | Japan |
February 1, 2024 | January 31, 2025 |
| Keiji Kuraishi | Japan |
February 1, 2025 | present |
Kit evolution
edit| Home kit - 1st | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
          2015 |
     2016 - 2018 |
     2019 - 2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 - 2023 |
     2024 - |
||||
| Away kit - 2nd | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
     2015 |
     2016 - 2018 |
     2019 - 2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 - 2023 |
     2024 - |
||||
References
edit- ^ "Okada buys majority ownership stake in FC Imabari". 4 November 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2017 – via Japan Times Online.
- ^ "Musashino City, FC Imabari take step toward J3 admission：J. LEAGUE.JP". jleague.jp. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "２０１８シーズン Ｊ３クラブライセンス判定結果について （Ｊ３入会を希望するクラブ）：Ｊリーグ.jp". jleague.jp. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ "【チケット】里山スタジアムオープニングセレモニーチケット販売のお知らせ". fcimabari.com (in Japanese). FC Imabari. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "選手一覧｜選手紹介｜トップチーム｜ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site". ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ "Coach resigns". www.fcimabari.com. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ^ "New coach announced". www.fcimabari.com. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ^ "Riki Takagi appointed as new Top Team manager". www.fcimabari.com. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "【トップチーム】工藤 直人 氏トップチーム監督就任のお知らせ". www.fcimabari.com (in Japanese). FC Imabari. Retrieved 17 September 2023.