Ehime Football Club (愛媛フットボールクラブ, Ehime Futtobōrukurabu) commonly known as Ehime (愛媛FC, Ehime Efu Shī) is a professional football club based in Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime Prefecture of Japan. The club will play in the J3 League, the third tier of Japanese professional football, starting from the 2026–27 season after finishing 20th in the 2025 J2 League.
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| Full name | Ehime Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short name | Ehime | ||
| Founded | 1970 | ||
| Stadium | Ningineer Stadium Matsuyama, Ehime | ||
| Capacity | 20,919 | ||
| Chairman | Tadashi Murakami | ||
| Manager | Takeshi Oki | ||
| League | J3 League | ||
| 2025 | J2 League, 20th of 20 (relegated) | ||
| Website | ehimefc | ||
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The club has won 1 J3 League title in the 2023 season which is their only highest honours in the club history.
History
editThe club was founded in 1970 as Matsuyama Soccer Club and renamed itself as Ehime Football Club in 1995.[1] For many years it competed in the regional and prefectural league, as Matsuyama was represented in the Japan Soccer League by the local club belonging to the Teijin company.
Ehime was promoted to the Japan Football League in 2003. After winning the JFL in 2005 season, Ehime spent 16 seasons in the J2 League before being relegated to the J3 League at the end of the 2021 season.
On 28 November 2007, Ehime pulled off a major shock by consigning the Urawa Red Diamonds, the AFC Champions League 2007 winners, to a fourth-round exit from the Emperor's Cup courtesy of a 2–0 win on Urawa's home soil, Urawa Komaba Stadium.[2]
On 11 November 2023, after two years absence from Japanese second division, Ehime officially returned to J2 League for 2024 season.[3] They were promoted as J3 League champions of 2023 season with a narrow 1–0 win against their local rivals, FC Imabari on matchweek 35 with Riki Matsuda scored the only goal of the match.[4][5]
Stadium
editThe club plays its home games at Ningineer Stadium in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. The stadium, which is owned by Ehime Prefecture, has a capacity of 20,919 spectators.[6] The sports facility is operated and managed by the Ehime Prefectural Sports Promotion Corporation as the designated manager.
Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors
editKit evolution
edit| Home kit – 1st | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
         2006 |
     2007 |
     2008 |
    2009 |
    2010 |
   2011 |
    2012 |
    2013 |
    2014 |
    2015 |
    2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 |
     2024 |
     2025 - |
| Away kit – 2nd | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
    2006 |
     2007 |
    2008 |
     2009 |
    2010 |
    2011 |
    2012 |
    2013 |
     2014 |
    2015 |
    2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
    2022 |
     2023 |
     2024 |
     2025 - |
Players
editFirst-team squad
edit- As of 1 April 2026.[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Management and staff
editClub officials for 2025 [8]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Shinya Aono (Interim) |
| Coaches | Kazuhiro Murakami Naoyuki Iwata  On Byung-hoon |
| Goalkeeper coach | Keisuke Hada |
| Physical coach | Takehisa Tsugawa |
| Analysis coach | Toya Takemoto |
| Interpreter | Yohei Murayama Koji Kurosu |
| Chief trainer | Haruhiko Tsukada |
| Physiotherapist | Yukinari Miyamoto |
| Conditioning coach | Yo Maezuru |
| Chief doctor | Kazuki Morizane |
| Doctors | Takashi Inoue Yoshito Homma Shinji Iwata Tomofumi Kinoshita Koji Yamashita |
| Competent | Hideki Ikenaga |
| Deputy Officers | Manato Fujitsu Taichi Zen |
| Mental advisor | Konomi Kimura |
Honours
edit| Type | Honours | Titles | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| League | J3 League | 1 | 2023 |
| Shikoku Football League | 3 | 1998, 1999, 2000 | |
| Japan Football League | 1 | 2005 |
Bold is for those competition that are currently active.
Managerial history
edit| Manager | Tenure | Honours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Finish | ||
| Takashi Onishi | 1 February 2001 | 31 January 2005 | |
| Kazuhito Mochizuki | 1 February 2005 | 14 September 2009 | − 2005 Japan Football League |
 Ivica Barbarić | 15 September 2009 | 15 November 2012 | |
| Kiyotaka Ishimaru | 1 February 2013 | 31 January 2015 | |
| Takashi Kiyama | 1 February 2015 | 31 January 2017 | |
| Shuichi Mase | 1 February 2017 | 15 May 2018 | |
| Kenta Kawai | 15 May 2018 | 31 January 2021 | |
| Shigenari Izumi | 1 February 2021 | 4 April 2021[9] | |
| Noritada Saneyoshi | 7 April 2021 | 16 December 2021[10] | |
| Kiyotaka Ishimaru | 17 December 2021[11] | 21 May 2025[12] | − 2023 J3 League |
| Shinya Aono (Interim) | 21 May 2025 | Current | |
Season by season record
edit| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |
| League | J. League Cup | Emperor's Cup | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Div. | Teams | Pos. | P | W | D | L | G | A | GD | Pts | Attendance/G | ||
| 2006 | J2 | 13 | 9th | 48 | 14 | 11 | 23 | 51 | 63 | −13 | 53 | 4,139 | Not eligible | 4th round |
| 2007 | 13 | 10th | 48 | 12 | 9 | 27 | 39 | 66 | −27 | 45 | 3,317 | Quarter-final | ||
| 2008 | 15 | 14th | 42 | 9 | 10 | 23 | 39 | 66 | −27 | 37 | 3,704 | 4th round | ||
| 2009 | 18 | 15th | 51 | 12 | 11 | 28 | 54 | 80 | −26 | 47 | 3,694 | 2nd round | ||
| 2010 | 19 | 11th | 36 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 48 | 4,386 | 2nd round | ||
| 2011 | 20 | 15th | 38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 44 | 54 | −10 | 44 | 3,475 | 4th round | ||
| 2012 | 22 | 16th | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 47 | 46 | 1 | 50 | 3,629 | 2nd round | ||
| 2013 | 22 | 17th | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 43 | 52 | −9 | 47 | 3,950 | 2nd round | ||
| 2014 | 22 | 19th | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 54 | 58 | −4 | 48 | 3,820 | 4th round | ||
| 2015 | 22 | 5th | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 47 | 39 | 8 | 65 | 3,771 | 3rd round | ||
| 2016 | 22 | 10th | 42 | 12 | 20 | 10 | 41 | 40 | 1 | 56 | 4,089 | 3rd round | ||
| 2017 | 22 | 15th | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 54 | 68 | −14 | 51 | 3,866 | 3rd round | ||
| 2018 | 22 | 18th | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 34 | 52 | −18 | 48 | 3,161 | 2nd round | ||
| 2019 | 22 | 19th | 42 | 12 | 6 | 24 | 46 | 62 | −16 | 42 | 3,780 | 2nd round | ||
| 2020 † | 22 | 21st | 42 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 38 | 68 | −30 | 34 | 1,512 | Did not qualify | ||
| 2021 † | 22 | 20th | 42 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 38 | 67 | −29 | 35 | 1,854 | 1st round | ||
| 2022 | J3 | 18 | 7th | 34 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 51 | 41 | 10 | 52 | 2,938 | Did not qualify | |
| 2023 | 20 | 1st | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 59 | 48 | 11 | 73 | 3,674 | |||
| 2024 | J2 | 20 | 17th | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 41 | 69 | −28 | 40 | 4,721 | 1st round | Round of 16 |
| 2025 | 20 | 20th | 38 | 3 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 71 | -36 | 22 | 4,714 | 1st round | 2nd round | |
| 2026 | J3 | 10 | TBD | 18 | N/A | N/A | ||||||||
| 2026–27 | 20 | TBD | 38 | TBD | TBD | |||||||||
- Key
- Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
- Attendance/G = Average league home attendance
- † 2020 & 2021 seasons attendance reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
- Source: J. League Data Site[13]
References
edit- ↑ "Club guide: Ehime FC". J. League. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ↑ "Urawa mark Asian award with cup collapse". ESPN soccernet. 29 November 2007. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ↑ "愛媛ＦＣのＪ２昇格が決定【Ｊリーグ】". J. League. 11 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ↑ "Ehime FC capture J3 League title". J. League. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ↑ "MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE • MATCHWEEK 35 – Ehime FC vs FC Imabari". J. League. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ↑ "Stadium capacity". ehimefc.com. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ↑ "トップチーム選手". Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ↑ "Club officials for 2025 season". ehimefc.com. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ↑ "Shigenori Izumi, Director, Resigns". ehimefc.com. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ↑ "Ehime FC New Team Coach". ehimefc.com/. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ↑ "New Head Coach of Ehime FC First Team". ehimefc.com/.
- ↑ "Ehime manager change announcement, resignation old manager and appointment of new manager"". ehimefc.com/. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ↑ "J. League Data Site". J. League. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
External links
edit- Official website (in Japanese)