On Saturday 10 August, the JFA Vermont Cup 29th U-12 Japan Futsal Championship will kick-off to determine the futsal national champion of the primary school category.

48 teams who qualified through regional qualifiers will compete in the three day tournament. The teams will be divided into 12 groups at the group stage, where the group leaders and the top four runners-up will advance through to the knockout stage.

The Vermont Cup has produced many top players, starting from ONO Shinji (FC Ryukyu), who played in the inaugural tournament, followed by many other players who has been named into the SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team), such as HARAGUCHI Genki (Hannover 96/Germany), SHIBASAKI Gaku (Deportivo/Spain), and SAITO Manabu (Kawasaki Frontale). Coach KOGURE Kenichiro of the Japan Futsal National Team has also played in this tournament in the past.

In that sense, this 29th edition of the Vermont Cup may have a significant impact on the future of the Japanese football family, including the fields of football, futsal, beach soccer, and women’s football. As the level of individual skills has seen dramatic improvements over the recent years, many teams have started to incorporate more strategical approaches to their matches. Watching the players develop their skills and build their confidence at the national stage is another symbolic scene of this tournament.

Participating teams consists variety of colours, from regular members to newcomers, but for more than 10 years, a unique champion has been produced at this tournament, suggesting that every team has the possibility to become the national champion.

It will be interesting to see how the newcomers like Playful Hakodate Junior (Hokkaido2), Una Primavera FC (Tokyo), Shonan Futsal Club Loco (Kanagawa), and Primo Osaka (Osaka) will compete against the tournament regulars, malva Ibaraki fc (Ibaraki), Konan Minami SSS (Saitama), and Brincar FC (Aichi). We will see if another team can duplicate the feat accomplished by last year’s champion, Osaka City Jeunesse FC, who showcased a spectacular performance to win the title in their first ever appearance.

JFA Vermont Cup 29th U-12 Japan Futsal Championship

Tournament dates: Sat. 10 - Mon. 12 August 2019
Tournament venue: Komazawa Gymnasium and Indoor Ball Sports Field at Komazawa Olympic Park Sports Ground, Tokyo

Tournament Information