After struggling in the relegation zone during the first half of the season, the team made a significant comeback in the second half, aided by the contributions of new players acquired during the special registration period in June. The 2025 season, fought under the new head coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI, became a year of clear progress, marked by both challenges and achievements. While the football aspect saw only gradual improvement, the business side recorded the highest sales in the club’s history and announced plans for a new training facility, among other positive developments. This season review features President Shigeya Kawagishi reflecting on the year. In the latter part, we discuss the upcoming irregular new season, including the start of the U-21 team, and explore the club’s new phase under the banner of “Tokyo Strategy.”
Coverage and Composition = Kei Sato (Freelance Writer)
──The 2026 season, which requires a shift from the conventional standards in budgeting and team formation, will see the Meiji Yasuda J1 Hundred-Year Vision League kick off in February, followed by the start of the 2026/27 Meiji Yasuda J1 League season in August, transitioning to a fall-spring system. How do you view this irregular schedule?
We have exchanged various opinions with the league and other clubs, and each club has a different stance, which often makes us think, "I see." We basically consider the Hyakunen Koso League and the 2026/27 season to be continuous. The Hyakunen Koso League has no relegation and is positioned as a tournament where various things can be tried as needed. Of course, winning grants the right to participate in the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE), so aiming for the championship is natural, but we also see it as a period to thoroughly address the team's issues, and we want to approach it with that understanding. With that in mind, we will then enter the 2026/27 season.
──Speaking of team balance, generational change has long been considered one of the challenges, but it seems that in the latter half of the 2025 season, experienced players often called “veterans” saved the team.
Indeed, experienced players took the lead in the second half of the season, which helped the team regain its composure. However, that does not mean that generational change is unnecessary. In every era, the growth and success of young players bring vitality to the team. Naturally, we should not just wait for this to happen; I believe it is necessary to build a system and take initiatives to accelerate the growth speed of young players.
──In addition to the Century Concept League, which has no relegation, won’t the establishment of the U-21 League starting from the 26/27 season create opportunities to develop young players?
That's right. In the Asia Challenge League, I think it's good to actively use young players and also challenge ourselves to promote team renewal. We once had a U-23 team, and that remains a success story for the club. Although I was not with the club at that time, many players grew there, and the club recognized the need for a similar system. When the J.League proposed participation, not participating was not an option for us.
──It can be said that forming the top team mainly with academy graduates is an ideal form for J clubs.
Until now, it has been difficult to create a situation where academy graduates consistently play as regulars in the top team, so we have chosen to let them gain experience through loan transfers. The case of Ryunosuke SATO (loaned to Fagiano Okayama on a developmental loan and returning from the 2026 season) is exactly such an example. I think it was very good that he proved his ability by performing well at another club. However, while we always kept track of their situations and information, there was also a frustration in not being able to firmly confirm their growth firsthand. I believe that the establishment of the U-21 League has a high possibility of changing that situation.
──Please tell us about the business side of the 2025 season as well. Although the financial statements are not finalized yet, is there anything you can say about the sales at this point?
The sales for the 2024 fiscal year narrowly missed reaching 7 billion yen, but for the 2025 fiscal year, we expect sales to exceed 7 billion yen as each business segment has grown steadily. Included in that is the transfer fees left by players who moved overseas. In the 2024 season, Kuryu MATSUKI left a significant amount, and similarly, multiple players left money for the club in the 2025 season as well.
In the 2022 season, when I assumed the position of CEO, sales remained in the 4 billion yen range due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but since then, we have rebounded and grown rapidly. However, I feel that this growth pace has now stabilized. In that sense, the challenge now is how to further grow the club from here.
──How can we overcome that challenge?
This is something I have been saying recently, but without success on the football side, the business side cannot advance to the next stage either. Looking at the average attendance per match, thanks to everyone, we have reached over 31,000 people. The cumulative number reached 600,000. We truly had many people come, but if we want to continue increasing those numbers steadily, it is essential for many people to experience winning matches and the atmosphere in the stadium during those games. It’s not just about building the team on the pitch; we also need to raise those expectations and further strengthen the relationship with our fans and supporters.
──In terms of the phases outlined in the growth strategy 'VISION2030,' after 'overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic' and 'regrowth,' from 2026 we will enter 'Phase III,' called 'Tokyo Conquest.'
The club has designated the three years from 2026 to 2028 as the 'Tokyo Conquest' phase. Although it may be presumptuous to set a goal for just three years, the staff are actively discussing how to achieve such a situation. To give one concrete example, in the sports field, it means 'becoming a representative presence of Tokyo.' According to a certain survey, the top currently is the professional baseball team Yomiuri Giants, followed by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Even so, when asked 'Which sports team do you think of in Tokyo?' among the younger generation under 30, FC Tokyo ranks higher than the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. We want to further increase recognition to surpass the Giants. We don’t know how far we can go in the next three years, but we regard this as an important milestone and are committed to working toward it.
──What kind of approaches do you think are necessary, besides match results, to advance the 'Tokyo Strategy'?
The core value is definitely on the pitch, so as I explained earlier, we must demonstrate it through results. This will increase opportunities for media coverage and lead to greater exposure and topics around the players. The foundation is to lead the club on the football side while spreading recognition throughout Tokyo as a whole.
At the same time, we are also actively engaged in numerous initiatives such as collaboration with local governments centered around our hometown of Tokyo, school activities, social partnerships, and sustainability-related efforts. The true nature of the club extends far beyond the pitch; it is something much larger. By presenting these aspects in a genuine and relatable way, we believe we can convey our value to many more people, which can then lead to further expansion. While we naturally have many opportunities to engage with those strongly connected through football, there are actually many people involved with the club, and we believe we can greatly expand that circle. Unless these people also come to watch FC Tokyo’s matches and support us, it will be difficult to surpass the Giants in recognition. This is an area where we want to actively take on the challenge.
──In terms of attendance, the average has decreased by about 1,000 from the 32,000 range in the 2024 season. What reasons do you think are behind this?
First, there was one less match held at the Japan National Stadium, and also many of the home games in the first half of the season were affected by bad weather. At first glance, it may seem like the numbers have dropped, but there are clear reasons for this. In the 2019 season, attendance increased significantly due to competing for the championship, and that is the baseline we consider. Currently, we have reached that level. Right now, Urawa Reds have about 5,000 to 6,000 more average spectators than us, but we believe Tokyo can get closer to that by competing for the championship as well. To achieve that, it is essential to provide many powerful success experiences where the fans who come to watch feel that "their support helped the team win." Everyone spends their own money and time to come to the stadium, so the team must be worth cheering for in return. Of course, throughout the year there will be ups and downs, but I think it is necessary to accumulate results where “joy” and “fun” remain in large amounts──.
──How do you see the impact of the season transition on the business side and attendance?
Since this is the first time we are dealing with this case, we haven't fully sorted it out yet, but we see both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, we expect an increase in family attendance. With more matches held in spring and autumn, there will be more day games, making it easier for families to attend. For night games, you have to consider the children's return time, and on Sundays, it can be difficult to come if the next day is a weekday. Therefore, going forward, we plan to place even greater emphasis on initiatives targeting families. This will also help increase future fans and supporters.
On the other hand, the negative factors include an increase in matches during the cold season and the approximately two-month league suspension caused by the winter break. Inevitably, the “flow” of the season is interrupted, so when the league resumes, both the team and the spectators need to get back into a ready state. This is something we won’t fully understand until we experience it, but I believe both the pitch and the stadium must be in a state of “we have been waiting for the restart.”
──This year, the club made a major announcement regarding the relocation of the training ground. Please tell us again about the reasons and the current status.
This is part of the thinking I have been discussing earlier about how to focus our investment in football. The current clubhouse is used thanks to a special arrangement with Tokyo Gas, and they have been accommodating our requests while managing the facility well. However, although the pitch is excellent, the clubhouse inevitably lacks certain functions. For example, recovery facilities are one such area. We want to bring the facilities that can support injured players and those undergoing rehabilitation up to the highest J1 standards. There is also a shortage of rooms for interviews and meetings with players. Since I became president, I have strongly felt the need to improve the clubhouse when considering these aspects.
──How was the decision made to relocate to Chofu City?
When we decided to enhance the functions of the clubhouse, we first considered a plan to renovate the current facility while discussing with Tokyo Gas. On the other hand, we had already been aware of the national land within Chofu City announced this time, and we heard that Chofu City intends to develop a park and has plans to make it a sports park. Therefore, we formally proposed whether we could collaborate on this. As a result, including the club’s investment, we decided to create a plan to jointly develop the facilities.
We also considered an update plan for Kodaira, but since it involved renovating the existing facility, there were land restrictions, and only a slight expansion was possible; rebuilding was not feasible. On the other hand, Chofu offers not only better transportation convenience but also a certain degree of freedom in designing the training facilities. From now on, we will proceed with land acquisition, of course, as well as obtaining approval from the council and investing the city’s budget for development, so we need the understanding of the citizens. We will also be working on this with the cooperation of our largest shareholder, MIXI, Inc., so we want to steadily advance toward the relocation. I have heard that Chofu City is also considering a system to accept donations from the general public, so we would be grateful for the cooperation of many people, including our fans and supporters.
──The relocation of the training ground might also be related to the 'Tokyo Strategy,' but are there any other plans you are considering?
This is still in the planning stage, but something I have been thinking about since I took office is the establishment of a women's team. FC Tokyo's club mission and vision emphasize diversity, and of course, there are girls enrolled in FC Tokyo's schools. The Promotion Department has also increased the number of female coaching staff. Looking at clubs in Tokyo, both Tokyo Verdy and FC Machida Zelvia have women's teams. Among Tokyo's J1 clubs, we are the only ones without one. Since we compete under the name FC Tokyo, I believe we should have a women's team.
This is not limited to Japan; there have been increasing inquiries about a women's team from overseas clubs that want to collaborate and work together with FC Tokyo. When we respond that we do not have one, they are surprised and ask, "Why don't you have one?" With many clubs worldwide having women's teams, we also feel that this is something expected of us. Tokyo is a vast metropolis that the world can be proud of, and as a club that calls the capital city of Tokyo its hometown and carries that name, we are in a position where we cannot say, "We do not have a women's team." Of course, we have heard about the challenges of the WE League, and we also hope to contribute to the development of women's soccer. For these reasons, as we move toward the new phase of our 'VISION2030,' we have come to think that we want to proceed with preparations to establish a women's soccer team. We cannot keep postponing this forever, and we will also consider what form would be best.
The first part ishere
♢Previous Management Reports are here
2024 Financial Report and the Club's Current Position (Part 1)
2024 Financial Report and the Club's Current Position (Part 2)
2024 Season Summary: Business and Football (Part 1)
2024 Season Summary: Business and Football (Part 2)
2023 Financial Report and the Club's Current Position (Part 1)
2023 Financial Report and the Club's Current Position (Part 2)
