J1 League
Japan · League
J1 League 2026 Season Review
Kashima took a commanding lead in the J1 League 2026 season, securing the title with 45 points from 18 games and a healthy goal difference of +20. Their dominance was clear, finishing eight points ahead of the chasing pack. FC Tokyo and Machida Zelvia both finished on 37 points, but FC Tokyo's superior goal difference of +14 saw them claim second place, just ahead of Machida's +6.
The battle for European qualification spots was intriguing, with Kawasaki Frontale and Tokyo Verdy both on 28 points, though both posted negative goal differences, suggesting tighter and perhaps more nerve-wracking matches. Urawa finished in a respectable sixth place with 25 points and a positive goal difference, while Yokohama F. Marinos and Kashiwa Reysol struggled to make a significant impact, both sitting on 20 points but with negative goal differences.
At the other end of the table, Mito Hollyhock and JEF United Chiba found themselves languishing near the bottom, with 18 and 12 points respectively, and both suffering from a -16 goal difference. It seems the relegation scrap is as fierce as ever, but Kashima’s title charge left little doubt about who ruled the roost in 2026.
League Pulse
League trends
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kashima | 18 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 11 | +20 | 45 | |
| 2 |  FC Tokyo | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 32 | 18 | +14 | 37 | |
| 3 |  Machida Zelvia | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 28 | 22 | +6 | 37 | |
| 4 |  Kawasaki Frontale | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 26 | 28 | -2 | 28 | |
| 5 |  Tokyo Verdy | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 22 | 26 | -4 | 28 | |
| 6 |  Urawa | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 25 | 22 | +3 | 25 | |
| 7 |  Yokohama F. Marinos | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 28 | 31 | -3 | 20 | |
| 8 |  Kashiwa Reysol | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 22 | 24 | -2 | 20 | |
| 9 |  Mito Hollyhock | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 23 | 39 | -16 | 18 | |
| 10 |  JEF United Chiba | 18 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 18 | 34 | -16 | 12 |
J1 League 2026 Table Analysis
Kashima have stamped their authority on the J1 League with a commanding 45 points from 18 games, boasting a goal difference of +20. Their lead over second-placed FC Tokyo, who sit on 37 points, is a comfortable eight points, suggesting a clear frontrunner in this campaign. Machida Zelvia also share 37 points but trail behind on goal difference, making the battle for second place a bit more interesting.
Below the top three, the mid-table tussle tightens considerably. Kawasaki Frontale and Tokyo Verdy are level on points (28), but both have negative goal differences, reflecting perhaps more inconsistent form. Further down, the struggle intensifies with Urawa at 25 points and Yokohama F. Marinos and Kashiwa Reysol both on 20, indicating a congested pack where small margins could have big consequences.
At the bottom, the gap widens with JEF United Chiba languishing on 12 points and a worrying -16 goal difference, pointing to a tough run ahead. Overall, Kashima’s dominance is clear, but the fight for European qualification spots and survival promises plenty of drama yet.
Top scorers — race
The race chart appears once at least 2 league rounds have been played and snapshot data is available.
No player stats available.
Standout Individuals in the J1 League 2026
The race for the golden boot is a three-way tie at the top, with K. Tanimura of Yokohama F. Marinos, Y. Yamagishi from Nagoya Grampus, and Léo Ceará of league leaders Kashima each netting 10 goals. Not far behind, Y. Kimura of Nagoya Grampus has contributed nine, while Erik from Machida Zelvia rounds out the top scorers with eight.
When it comes to setting up these goals, S. Higashi of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, M. Shibayama from Cerezo Osaka, and K. Nakayama representing Nagoya Grampus all lead the assists chart with seven each. Kashima’s Y. Suzuki and Urawa’s Matheus Sávio are also noteworthy, each providing five assists to keep their teams ticking.
No surprises that Kashima sits comfortably atop the table, with key contributors in both scoring and assists. It seems their well-rounded attack is the recipe for success in this campaign.