TOKYO (Kyodo) — The J-League will step up talks on switching to a fall-spring season to have it coincide with the European season, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
The J-League and the Japan Football Association will discuss the potential switch as the Asian Champions League is set to introduce its September start from the 2023 season.
The switch would make things easier for Japanese players’ transfer to overseas clubs, overseas players’ and coaches’ transfer to J-League clubs and the activities of the Samurai Blue national team led by Europe-based players.
Once the ACL begins in September, teaming will be difficult for J-League clubs under the current spring-fall structure.
With the next World Cup year of 2026 being one option for the start of a fall-spring season, there has been a proposal to push back the start of a J-League season by about one month each season from the current February opening, the sources said.
But many issues remain for the switch. More games in the winter will affect match-day attendance and activities of clubs based in snowy areas.
A survey conducted by the Japan Pro-Footballers Association in 2022 showed that players in snowy areas opposed the switch.
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