Matsumoto Yamaga FC
 | |||
| Full name | Matsumoto Yamaga Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Ptarmigans, Gans | ||
| Founded | 1965 as Yamaga Club | ||
| Stadium | Sunpro Alwin (Matsumoto, Nagano) | ||
| Capacity | 20,396 | ||
| Chairman | Fumiyuki Kanda | ||
| Manager | Nobuhiro Ishizaki | ||
| League | J3 League | ||
| 2025 | J3 League, 15th of 20 | ||
| Website | yamaga-fc | ||
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Matsumoto Yamaga Football Club (松本山雅フットボールクラブ, Matsumoto Yamaga Futtobōru Kurabu) or simply Matsumoto Yamaga (松本山雅, Matsumoto Yamaga Efu Shī) is a Japanese football (soccer) club based in the city of Matsumoto, located in the Nagano Prefecture. The club currently plays in the J3 League, Japanese third tier of professional football.
The club has won 1 J2 League title in the 2018 season which is their only highest honours in the club history.
History
Foundation and amateur years (1965–2011)
The club was founded in 1965 by the players who represented Nagano Prefecture. The players frequented a cafe called Yamaga in front of Matsumoto railway station and initially they were simply called Yamaga Club. For many years, the team competed in regional leagues in the Nagano Prefecture and gradually built a dedicated local following.
In 2004, they were renamed as Matsumoto Yamaga when nonprofit organisation, Alwin Sports Project were set up to support the club with the intention of promotion to J. League. The very coffee shop where they founded the club no longer exists, but the club opened a new one in 2017.
In the 2007 and 2008 season they finished respectively 1st and 4th in the Hokushin'etsu First Division, but failed to gain the promotion to the Japan Football League as they exited at the group stage of the Regional League promotion series against other regional champions. 2008 also brought a crucial Emperor's Cup run, where Yamaga defeated former Japanese champions Shonan Bellmare in the third round by penalty kicks, only to be eliminated 8–0 by Vissel Kobe.
The 2009 season brought inconsistency, as they took 4th place in the regional league but knocked Urawa Red Diamonds out of the Emperor's Cup in the second round, their biggest giant-killing ever.
By virtue of winning the Shakaijin Cup, they earned a berth in the Regional League promotion series, and won the series at home to earn promotion to the Japan Football League for 2010. They earned 7th place on their first season in the third tier.
In 2011, despite a season thrown off by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and the resulting inability of Sony Sendai to play a full schedule, Yamaga earned 4th place and were promoted to J. League Division 2. After three seasons they earned their first ever promotion to J1 League, only to be relegated after one season.
Entry into J.League and challenges (2012–2019)
In 2012, Yamaga was admitted to the J2 League, marking its entry into the professional divisions of the J.League. The club quickly established itself as a competitive side, consistently finishing in the upper half of the table.
Their rapid progress culminated in 2014 when they secured promotion to the J1 League for the first time in club history.
Yamaga made its J1 League debut in 2015 but faced difficulties competing against more established clubs, resulting in relegation after one season.
After failing to secure promotion in 2016 and 2017, Yamaga finished their 2018 season at the top of the J2 table, winning their first ever league title and securing automatic promotion to J1 in the process.
Recent years (2020–present)
This began the downfall of Yamaga, due to the club's bad idea of high player turnover. Ahead of the 2020 J2 League, Yamaga turned over more than 20 players, in which began a slow start in 2020, as the club also went through many winless runs, including 5 losses in a row, which at the time was a record number of defeats for the club in J2. Eventually, in September 2020, manager Keiichiro Nuno was sacked, and the club finished 13th that season. Things were about to get worse as they continued high player turnover, with twenty-seven players leaving and twenty-four coming to the club before the 2021 J2 League. In June that year, Nuno's replacement, Kei Shibata, was fired from the club, and was replaced with Hiroshi Nanami, who couldn't help the club escape relegation after finishing dead last that season.[1]
In 2022, Yamaga played its first season on the J3. Matsumoto failed to be promoted back to the J2 League, as it finished on fourth place in the final standings of the 2022 J3 League season. The club ended tied on points with Kagoshima United, with both having earned 66 points in 34 matches. However, the goal difference stood out in Kagoshima's favour. The club will play its third consecutive season in the J3 during 2024.
Team image
Name origin
The club’s name “Yamaga” is derived from a local bar where early members gathered, reflecting its strong community roots.
Supporters
The supporters of Yamaga are widely regarded as one of the most passionate fanbases in Japanese football. Based mainly in Nagano Prefecture, they have built a strong reputation for their high attendance and vocal support, even during the club’s time in lower divisions.
At Sunpro Alwin, fans gather behind the goal stands to lead chants, wave large flags, and create coordinated displays throughout matches. The compact design of the stadium amplifies the atmosphere, making it one of the most intimidating venues for visiting teams.
Yamaga’s supporters are also known for traveling in large numbers to away matches across the J.League, demonstrating strong loyalty and pride in representing their region. Their support has been a key factor in the club’s identity and rise through the Japanese football league system.
Rivalries
The biggest rival of Matsumoto Yamaga are the prefectural neighbours and former Hokushin'etsu League fellows Nagano Parceiro. Matches between those teams are labelled "Shinshū derby" and generate a lot of interest in both cities.[2] For 2011 season, Parceiro joined their rivals in JFL bringing the derby to the national level.
Mascot
The mascot of the club is named "Gans-kun" (ガンズくん), who is a Ptarmigan (ターミガン, Tāmigan), the symbol bird of Nagano Prefecture.[3]
Theme song
The club's theme song is "wanna be a superstar" by local rock band ASIAN2.
Stadium
Yamaga plays its home matches at Sunpro Alwin, located in the city of Matsumoto. Opened in 2001, the stadium has a seating capacity of approximately 20,396 spectators and is designed primarily for football.[4] It is the third largest Sport venue in Nagano Prefecture
The stadium is designed primarily for football, with steep stands positioned close to the pitch, allowing for excellent sightlines and a strong connection between players and supporters. It features a large covered main stand and additional seating around the pitch, while the open ends contribute to a distinctive atmosphere, especially during high-attendance matches.
One of the stadium’s unique characteristics is its scenic setting, surrounded by the mountains of the Japanese Alps, which provides a recognizable backdrop and adds to its identity. The venue is also known for its well-maintained natural grass pitch and quality facilities, meeting the standards required for matches in the J.League. It has hosted the club’s fixtures in the J1 League, J2 League, and J3 League, as well as domestic cup competitions such as the Emperor's Cup.
Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors
Kit evolution
| First kit - home | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
          2005 |
     2006 |
     2007 |
    2008 |
     2009 |
     2010 |
     2011 |
     2012 |
     2013 |
     2014 |
     2015 |
     2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
   2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 |
     2024 |
     2025 |
     2026 - | |||
| Second kit - away | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
     2006 |
     2007 |
    2008 |
     2009 |
    2010 |
     2011 |
     2012 |
     2013 |
     2014 |
     2015 |
     2016 |
     2017 |
     2018 |
     2019 |
     2020 |
     2021 |
     2022 |
     2023 |
     2024 |
     2025 - |
| Third kit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
     2015 Club 50th anniversary |
    2016 Mountain Day |
   2017 3rd |
    2017 Mountain Day |
     2018 Mountain Day |
    2019 Mountain Day |
     2020 Club 55th anniversary |
     2021 SP |
     2022 Summer |
     2023 Summer |
     2024 Summer |
     2025 60th Anniversary EMERALD | |||
Affiliated clubs
Geylang International (2016–present)[5]
On 23 November 2016, Matsumoto Yamaga and Geylang International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in a press event which was held at the Marina Bay Floating Platform. This MOU will enable both clubs to establish a platform to exchange expertise and knowledge with the objective of promoting cohesion and development of football between the two clubs. The MOU spells out possible areas of collaboration such as the exchange of players and technical staff for training attachments and loans. Geylang will be looking to select promising players from its Active SG-GIFC Soccer Academy and junior teams to send on short training stints with Matsumoto Yamaga while the Japanese club is also looking into the possibility of sending players from their junior team to Singapore for pre-season training stints. Amongst the key initiatives of the partnership with Matsumoto Yamaga is the exchange programmes for head coach, Mohd Noor Ali, who had a one-year attachment with the club in 2018, where he guided the club U18 B team to the Japan FA's Under-18 Football League Nagano prefecture title while on 17 August 2018, Anders Aplin become the first Singaporean football player to sign for a J.League team signing on loan until the end of the 2018 J2 League season in November.
On 30 October 2022, both clubs reaffirmed their close and long-standing relationship as Geylang International officials went to Japan to explore future collaborations going into the seventh year of partnership since 2016. Geylang International has a memorandum of understanding with J.League outfits, Matsumoto Yamaga that was signed in 2016, while Epson's relationship with the club also dates back to the same year when it became the club's platinum sponsor. In the last seven years, Epson has enjoyed premium hospitality access to the club's home matches and has also supported the Singaporean football community and youths with the staging of the Epson Youth Cup.
Players
First-team squad
- As of 21 February 2026.[6]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Management and staff
- As of 21 February 2026[7]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Nobuhiro Ishizaki
|
| Head coach | Kenji Takahashi
|
| Coach | Akira Muto
|
| Technical coach | Kensuke Akasaka
|
| Goalkeeper coach | Masaaki Furukawa
|
| Physical Coach | Yi Chang-yeob
|
| Doctor | Takashige Momose
|
| Chief trainer | Hirotaka Ogawa
|
| Trainer | Chisato Chiba Fumiya Sugiuchi
|
| Physiotherapist | Toshiki Sugiyama
|
| Competent | Kazumasa Kirabayashi
|
Honours
| Type | Honours | Titles | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| League | J2 League | 1 | 2018 |
| Hokushin'etsu Football League Div. 1 | 2 | 1985, 2007 | |
| Nagano Prefectural Soccer Championship
Emperor's Cup Nagano Prefectural qualifiers |
8 | 1997, 2006, 2008, 2009,
2010, 2011, 2022, 2025 | |
| Hokushin'etsu Football League Div. 2 | 1 | 2005 | |
| Regional League promotion series | 1 | 2009 | |
| Cup | Shakaijin Cup | 1 | 2009 |
Bold is for those competition that are currently active.
Managerial history
| Manager | Period | Honours |
|---|---|---|
| Katsua Kobayashi |
2004−January 2005 | |
| Keiju Karashima |
1 February 2005−31 January 2008 | − 2005 Hokushin'etsu Football League Div. 2
− 2007 Hokushin'etsu Football League Div. 1 |
| Hideo Yoshizawa |
21 February 2008−8 June 2011 | |
| Yoshiyuki Katō |
9 June 2011−31 January 2012 | |
| Yasuharu Sorimachi |
1 February 2012−31 January 2020 | − 2018 J2 League |
| Keiichirō Nuno |
1 February 2020−24 September 2020 | |
| Kei Shibata |
25 September 2020−20 June 2021 | |
| Hiroshi Nanami |
21 June 2021−31 January 2023 | |
| Masahiro Shimoda |
1 February 2023−31 January 2025 | |
| Tomonobu Hayakawa |
1 February 2025−29 November 2025[8] | |
| Nobuhiro Ishizaki |
8 December 2025[9]−present |
Season by season record
| Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Promoted | Relegated |
| League | J. League Cup |
Emperor's Cup | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Division | Tier | Pos | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1975 | Hokushin'etsu | 3 | 6th | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 7 | Not eligible | Did not qualify |
| 1976 | 6th | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 8 | ||||
| 1977 | 8th | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 22 | −5 | 7 | ||||
| 1978 | 10th | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 27 | −18 | 2 | ||||
| 1979 | 2nd | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 13 | ||||
| 1980 | 4th | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 14 | ||||
| 1981 | 3rd | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 11 | ||||
| 1982 | 5th | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 9 | ||||
| 1983 | 7th | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 7 | ||||
| 1984 | 7th | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 15 | −2 | 7 | ||||
| 1985 | 1st | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 7 | 16 | 15 | ||||
| 1986 | 4th | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 10 | ||||
| 1987 | 4th | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 10 | ||||
| 1988 | 3rd | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 11 | ||||
| 1989 | 2nd | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 13 | ||||
| 1990 | 4th | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 10 | ||||
| 1991 | 5th | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 9 | ||||
| 1992 | 4 | 5th | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 11 | |||
| 1993 | 6th | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 17 | −2 | 9 | ||||
| 1994 | 3 | 5th | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 13 | −2 | 9 | |||
| 1995 | 6th | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 14 | −6 | 8 | ||||
| 1996 | 5th | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 19 | −10 | 11 | ||||
| 1997 | 8th | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 23 | −12 | 7 | 1st round | |||
| 1998 | 3rd | 8 | 4 | - | 4 | 17 | 24 | −7 | 12 | Did not qualify | |||
| 1999 | 4 | 9th | 9 | 2(1) | - | 7 | 4 | 29 | −25 | 4 | |||
| 2000 | 8th | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 18 | −12 | 3 | ||||
| 2001 | 9th | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 24 | −20 | 2 | ||||
| 2002 | 8th | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 18 | −6 | 9 | ||||
| 2003 | 9th | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 42 | −29 | 7 | ||||
| 2004 | Hokushin'etsu (Div. 2) |
5 | 6th | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 27 | −11 | 14 | ||
| 2005 | 1st | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 36 | 11 | 25 | 27 | ||||
| 2006 | Hokushin'etsu (Div. 1) |
4 | 2nd | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 34 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 2nd round | |
| 2007 | 1st | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 47 | 15 | 32 | 31 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2008 | 4th | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 31 | 18 | 13 | 24 | 4th round | |||
| 2009 | 4th | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 40 | 14 | 26 | 29 | 3rd round | |||
| 2010 | JFL | 3 | 7th | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 48 | 41 | 7 | 52 | 2nd round | |
| 2011 | 4th | 34 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 60 | 38 | 22 | 59 | 4th round | |||
| 2012 | J2 League | 2 | 12th | 42 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 46 | 43 | 3 | 59 | 2nd round | |
| 2013 | 7th | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 66 | 3rd Round | |||
| 2014 | 2nd | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 65 | 35 | 30 | 83 | 3rd round | |||
| 2015 | J1 League | 1 | 16th | 34 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 30 | 54 | −24 | 28 | Group stage | 4th round |
| 2016 | J2 League | 2 | 3rd | 42 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 62 | 32 | 30 | 84 | Not eligible | 2nd round |
| 2017 | 8th | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 61 | 45 | 16 | 66 | 4th round | |||
| 2018 | 1st | 42 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 54 | 34 | 20 | 77 | 3rd round | |||
| 2019 | J1 League | 1 | 17th | 34 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 21 | 40 | -19 | 31 | Group stage | 2nd round |
| 2020 | J2 League | 2 | 13th | 42 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 44 | 52 | -8 | 54 | Group stage | Did not qualify |
| 2021 | 22nd | 42 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 36 | 71 | -35 | 34 | Not eligible | 3rd round | ||
| 2022 | J3 League | 3 | 4th | 34 | 20 | 6 | 8 | 46 | 33 | 13 | 66 | 2nd round | |
| 2023 | 9th | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 51 | 47 | 4 | 54 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2024 | 4th | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 61 | 45 | 16 | 60 | 2nd round | |||
| 2025 | 15th | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 41 | 50 | -9 | 43 | 2nd round | 2nd round | ||
| 2026 | TBD | 18 | N/A | N/A | |||||||||
| 2026-27 | 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
- Source: J.League Data Site
References
- ^ From J1 to J3 in three years | What happened to Matsumoto Yamaga?, 7 April 2022, retrieved 22 August 2022
- ^ Senta, Houji. 信州ダービー (in Japanese). JAPAN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. - Club Profile
- ^ 【松本平広域公園】 信州スカイパーク アルウィン (in Japanese). TOYBOX. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ "Geylang International and Matsumoto Yamaga FC reaffirm strong ties - Geylang International FC". 30 October 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- ^ "選手・スタッフ". yamaga-fc.com. 1 July 2022.
- ^ "選手・スタッフ". 松本山雅FC オフィシャルサイト｜Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ "早川 知伸監督 退任のお知らせ". 松本山雅FC オフィシャルサイト｜Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. (in Japanese). 28 November 2025. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ "石﨑信弘 氏 監督就任のお知らせ". 松本山雅FC オフィシャルサイト｜Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. (in Japanese). 8 December 2025. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
External links
- Official website (in Japanese)