Penalty shootouts instead of draws: Japan looking to start a football revolution

Martin Macdonald

• 11 Feb 2026 05:25 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

Every football fan hates it when a team turns up at an away stadium playing for a draw as it often leads to a damp squib of a spectacle.

In the money-driven modern game, even an extra point in the standings either in the league or in a continental competition can be worth millions so sometimes teams opt to ensure gaining that one point rather than going for the victory and claiming all three.

In Japan, at least, such situations will become a thing of the past.

It's all part of the J1 100 Year Vision League - a special tournament that takes place from February 2026 to June 2026. From the 2026/27 campaign onwards in the J-League, the format will take place from August 2026 to May of 2027 to match the European calendar.

Prior seasons in the J1-League have taken place across a single calendar year. Before that transition is made, the J1 100 Year Vision League will take place.

Twenty J1-League teams will take part in the tournament 10 from the East and 10 from the West.

Teams from East and West will play each other home and away in a league format before the leaders of those two tables meet in a Final to determine the champion.

The most radical change to the traditional football format is that draws will no longer mean one point each for the teams involved.

Instead, a penalty shootout will take place. The winners of that will gain two points while the losers will gain just one.

A statement from the J-League stated: "J.LEAGUE was born from change. Evolution is in our DNA. In 2026, we're taking our next great step towards the future. A new season, built for a new era - looking beyond Japan, to Asia and the world. Our next chapter begins with the MEIJI YASUDA J.LEAGUE 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE.

"Since our inception, over 30 years ago, J.LEAGUE has grown from 10 clubs in 1993 to 60 clubs today. Each club carries the pride of its hometown, shaping the future of Japanese football. That's why our journey begins where it matters most, the regional communities. Taking fierce local rivalries and devoted support to the world stage. This is the new era of J.LEAGUE."

Has there been a penalty shootout yet?

The first round of fixtures took place last week and yes, there were penalty shootouts to determine the end of matches.

In the West league, Avispa Fukuoka drew 1-1 with Fagiano Okayama and won 6-5 on penalties, Vissel Kobe drew 1-1 with Kyoto Sanga and won 4-1 on penalties and Gamba Osaka drew 0-0 with Cerezo Osaka and won 5-4 pn penalties.

In the East league, FC Tokyo drew 1-1 with Kashima Antlers before winning 5-4 on penalties.

The top goalscorer after the first round of fixtures is Erison, who scored a hat-trick for Kawasaki Frontale in a 5-3 win over Kashiwa Reysol.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•App Store