F.LEAGUE is a Japan national league for futsal that was created by the Japan Futsal federation in 2007. Its name is F.LEAGUE.

Even in Japan futsal’s popularity has been growing slowly since the creation of the F.LEAGUE. The F.LEAGUE that is going into its 5th season is the best time to watch.

Speaking of the center of the league, is the Nagoya Oceans that shined as the Asia champion in 2011 AFC Futsal Club competition Qatar.

Since the start of the F.LEAGUE, they are the “ambitious winners” that has been winning the league for 4 years in a row.

This year they have retrieved several high level foreign team members such as Marquinho from Spain’s continuing winning team Intel Mobster, former Brazil national team, Portugal’s Benfica, and Pedro Costa, and so on.

On this day it was the opening game of the F.LEAGUE, held centrally. The match was held at Yoyogi 1st gymnasium. Futsal rules are similar to the ice hockey rules that “time will be paused when playing is paused”, and “players can be changed freely”.

Yoyogi gymnasium

Compared to soccer the number of chances and goals are bigger, watching the game can be enjoyed by beginners as well.

The match was 4-3 Nagoya Oceans winning. It was a very fun match to watch with a “power play” where the GK attacks when the Shonan opens their goals. After the match, both teams make their greetings to the “opponent’s supporters”, an amazing manner of fair play can be seen.

Japan’s futsal is making their developments. There are many more obstacles such as sponsors, and improvements of the environments to face, but just by going to watch their matches is a big help, so please if you have the chance go see their matches.