PUMA CUP 2015 The 20th All Japan Futsal Championship will get underway on Friday 6 March to determine the nation’s best futsal team. As people say the tournament is “futsal version of Emperor’s Cup,” it is the only place where F.League sides and regional representatives assembled to face each other on the same stage. PUMA CUP will mark the 20th milestone anniversary this year.

The total of 26 teams, twelve F.League teams and 14 teams winning the regional qualifiers, participate in the tournament. After the teams, divided into six groups of four, finish the first round (single round-robin), top one team in each group advances to the final round. Japan’s top futsal teams play the first round from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 March at three different sites―Group A and B at Ecopa Arena in Shizuoka, Group C and D at Maishima Arena in Osaka, Group E and F at Kobe Central Gymnasium in Hyogo.

In the following week between Friday 13 and Sunday 15 March, the tournament moves onto the final round under the knockout system at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo. Then, F.League’s playoff champions and runners-up (Nagoya Oceans or Shriker Osaka) will join the first round winners to in addition to compete for top place.

After attending the open drawing on Monday 2 February, F.League COO Matsuzaki Yasuhiro, also JFA Executive Managing Director, commented on a must-see point of the tournament. “As the F.League’s COO, it’s not a good thing, but I’m willing to see giant-killing,” he said. Considering that F.League teams have outperformed in the past years, he inspired regional representatives. Meanwhile, Japan’s national futsal team head coach Miguel Rodrigo said that how Nagoya Oceans play for the three-peat is something to keep an eye on. “They are obligated to prove themselves as the champs and responsible for attracting fans every single year,” said Japan boss.

Nagoya’s ace Morioka Kaoru has a clear picture of the contest, saying “This tournament is going to be the finale of the season, so every year we need to manage our fatigue. But this time we are exempt from the qualifiers (first round). We will give our body a chance to rest enough and try to play well at the final round.” Other teams apparently want to stop Nagoya’s three-peat. The last year’s runners-up Espolada Hokkaido goalkeeper Sekiguchi Yushi showed his enthusiasm by saying “We won’t win the championship unless we stop Morioka. We will play the final once again and hold up the trophy.”

PUMA CUP has generated a number of fierce contests in the past. Be at the arenas and enjoy exciting dramas to be created.

More Information

PUMA CUP 2015 The 20th All Japan Futsal Championship

Fri. 6 March 2015 - Sun. 15 March 2015
1st Round：Shizuoka／Ecopa Arena、Osaka／Maishima Arena、Hyogo／Kobe Central Gymnasium
Final Round：Tokyo／Japan Yoyogi first National Gymnasium