2024 J2 League

The 2024 J2 League, also known as the 2024 Meiji Yasuda J2 League (2024 明治安田J2リーグ) for sponsorship reasons, is the 26th season of the J2 League, the second-tier Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1999. This will also be the tenth season of the league since its rebrand from J.League Division 2.

Overview
For the first time since 2011, the number of the clubs in the league decreased from 22 to 20.

This season, there will be three automatic relegation spots to the J3 League (one more than the 2023 season) and two clubs will gain automatic promotion to the J1 League. Like last season, the winner of the J2 promotion play-off will also be promoted to the top tier.

Additionally, some J3 League clubs may not have a J2 license and may not be promoted if they finish in the top two places of the J3 League.

Schedule
The league and match format was announced on 19 December 2023. The league will begin on 23 February and end on 10 November in a round-robin format of 38 matches.

The J1 promotion play-offs will have the semi-finals on 30 November or 1 December with the final taking place on 7 December.

Changes from the previous season
Zweigen Kanazawa and Omiya Ardija were relegated to the 2024 J3 League, finishing the previous J2 League season as 21st and 22nd-placed teams, respectively.

Yokohama FC were the sole team to be relegated from the J1 League, after only one season in the top flight.

Both Machida Zelvia and Júbilo Iwata are promoted to the J1 League as champions and runners-up, respectively, of the previous J2 League season. Tokyo-based Machida will make their debut in the top flight of Japanese football, while Júbilo will make their immediate comeback to the J1. Joining the duo are Tokyo Verdy, who finished 3rd in 2023 and earned promotion after winning the promotion play-offs, thus making their first top flight appearance since 2008.

J3 winners Ehime FC and runners-up Kagoshima United were both promoted from the J3 League. Ehime are returning to the second-tier following two seasons in the J3 League and Kagoshima United will be playing only their second J2 season after five years absence.

From this season, Thespakusatsu Gunma changed their name to Thespa Gunma.

Foreign players
As of the 2023 season, there are no more restrictions on a number of signed foreign players, but clubs can only register up to five foreign players for a single match-day squad. Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia and Qatar) are exempt from these restrictions.


 * Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the midseason transfer window.
 * Player's name in italics indicates the player has Japanese nationality in addition to their FIFA nationality, or is exempt from being treated as a foreign player due to having been born in Japan and being enrolled in, or having graduated from school in the country.