The 38th Japan U-12 Football Championship will start its matches in Tokinosumika, Shizuoka, on Sunday 3 August. For seven days to Saturday 9 August, 48 teams representing their own prefecture will play against each other for the championship of their U-12 generation. 

Since its launch in 1977, the championship has taken place at Yomiuri Land, J Village, and Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium, currently known as Ajinomoto Field Nishigaoka. In 2011, it was taken to the current home, Tokinosumika in Shizuoka Prefecture. It was also when the match started being played on the 8-on-8 system, changed from previous the 11-on-11. Other new rules introduced together were free substitution, which allows more players to get a playing opportunity, and the use of the pitch sized as half of the regular adult one, where more shooting opportunities and quicker offense-defence transition can be seen.

This year’s wide range of participants include the defending champion Kashima Antlers Junior (Ibaraki), FC Orochi (Shimane), second appearance in their history and first since 16 years ago, and 17 teams who play for the first time in this national event. Teams will look to win the first round before advancing to the second round and onto the final tournament.

Some of the former and current national team players who played in this historic championship are Ito Teruyoshi (ex Shimizu FC player, now playing for Nagano Parceiro), Haraguchi Genki (ex Konan Minami player, now playing for Hertha BSC Berlin in Germany), and Yamada Hiroki (ex Hamamatsu JFC, now playing for Karlsruher SC in Germany). Finding talented prospects who blossom in their future careers is certainly one of many ways to enjoy this championship.

So come out for the tournament full of youngsters striving to be future national team players.

The 38th Japan U-12 Football Championship

Duration：Mon., 4 August ～ Sat., 9 August 2014
Venue：
＜1st round ～ Final Tournament（Quarter-finals）＞
Gotemba Tokinosumika Susono Ground（Susono, Shizuoka）
＜Final Tournament（Semi-finals / Final）＞
Shizuoka Ashitaka Park Multi-purpose Field（Numazu, Shizuoka）

» For more information on the Championship, please click here.