J.Youth Cup

The J.Youth Cup (Jユースカップ, Jei yūsu kappu) is an annual nationwide association football tournament for youth clubs in Japan. It is restricted to members of J.League Academies and of the Japan Club Youth Football Federation (JCY).

The tournament started on 1993. Some J.League (and JFL in a smaller amount) club academies did not participate in the tournament as their youth teams were not well developed. As youth teams continued to show progress and development, it led to all clubs that were J.League members on 2012 having their youth team participating on it.

During the pandemic, the J.Youth Cup was not officially held. From 2021 to 2023, the J.Youth Cup became the J.Youth League, with the teams split into different groups. However, at each competition there were no official champions or even a knockout stage. On 2024, the tournament was reintroduced as the J.Youth Cup, being played in a cup format, with group and knockout stage, featuring all 60 J.League clubs' youth teams and 4 other nominated JCY-affiliated teams.