Thespa Gunma

Thespa Gunma
ザスパ群馬
NicknamesThespa (ザスパ, Zasupa)
Founded1995 (1995) as Liaison Kusatsu
StadiumShoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma
(Maebashi, Gunma)
Capacity15,253
OwnerKusatsu Onsen Football Club
ChairmanHajime Hosogai
ManagerMasaru Okita
LeagueJ3 League
2025J3 League, 14th of 20
Websitethespa.co.jp

Thespa Gunma (ザスパ群馬, Zasupa Gunma), formerly Thespakusatsu Gunma (ザスパクサツ群馬, Zasupakusatsu Gunma) is a professional football (soccer) club based in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club currently play in the J3 League, the third tier of Japanese professional football.

History

The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu, one of the most well-known spa resorts in Japan, as Liaison Kusatsu Football Club.[1] The players were students of the specialized training college Higashi Nihon Soccer Academy. When the school closed in 1999 due to financial difficulties, the players decided to stay in Kusatsu and keep the club alive. In 2002, the club was incorporated as K.K. Kusatsu Onsen Football Club with a future promotion to the J. League in mind and adopted the new team name Thespa Kusatsu (ザスパ草津, zasupa kusatsu), meaning "The Spa, Kusatsu".[1]

The club achieved a major breakthrough in 2004 when it earned promotion to the J2 League, becoming one of the smallest community-based clubs to reach the professional divisions of the J.League. For more than a decade, the club competed in the J2 League, focusing on stability and local development despite limited financial resources..[2]

From 1 February 2013, the club adopted the new name "Thespakusatsu Gunma", to give the impression of the club as a representative of the entire Gunma Prefecture, while still leaving the name "Kusatsu" in it, as well as the logo of the club as it is.[3][4]

After 12 years spent in the J2 League, Thespakusatsu Gunma were relegated to the J3 League for the first time in their history, having finished in last place in the 2017 J2 League. Gunma returned to the J2 League ahead of the 2020 season after being promoted back to J2 after two years spent in J3.

On 5 October 2023, Thespakusatsu Gunma announced officially, a change of name and logo to Thespa Gunma commencing from the 2024 season, dropping the "Kusatsu" which was included in the name since 2005.[5]

On 29 September 2024, Thespa Gunma were officially relegated to J3 for the second time in their history, for the 2025 season after a defeat by Roasso Kumamoto 2–3 at home, which ended four years in second tier with five games remaining.

Team image

Name origin

The name “Thespa” is derived from the word “spa,” reflecting the area’s well-known hot spring culture.

Stadium

Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma

Thespa Gunma plays its home matches at Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma, located in Maebashi. The stadium is situated within the Gunma Shikishima Park sports complex and serves as the main football venue in the prefecture.

Opened in 1951 and later renovated several times, the stadium has a seating capacity of around 15,253 spectators. It is a multi-purpose facility that hosts football and athletics events, but it is most closely associated with Thespa Gunma’s home matches in the J.League.

The stadium features a main covered stand and surrounding terraces that allow supporters to gather close to the pitch. Matchdays often see local fans from across Gunma Prefecture coming to support the club, creating a lively atmosphere. In addition to league fixtures in the J2 League and J3 League, the venue has also hosted matches in domestic competitions such as the Emperor's Cup

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Kit evolution

Players

Current squad

As of 23 March 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.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  JPN Kazuki Yamada
2 DF  JPN Ryota Tagashira
3 DF  JPN Ryuya Ohata
4 MF  JPN Taishi Tamashiro
5 DF  KOR Kim Gunil
6 MF  JPN Shusuke Yonehara
7 MF  JPN Yasufumi Nishimura
8 MF  JPN Riku Kamigaki
9 FW  JPN Shota Aoki
10 MF  JPN Kazuma Yamaguchi
11 FW  JPN Toi Kagami
13 GK  JPN Issei Kondo
14 DF  JPN Kenta Kikuchi
15 MF  JPN Koki Kazama
16 GK  JPN Kazumasa Shiga
17 FW  JPN Manato Hyakuda
18 FW  JPN Shota Tanaka
19 MF  JPN Mohammad Farzan Sana (on loan from Kashiwa Reysol)
20 MF  JPN Taiyo Shimokawa
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 DF  JPN Masato Nuki
25 DF  JPN Rikiru Nakano
26 DF  JPN Ryusei Akimoto
27 MF  JPN Ren Fujimura
29 FW  JPN Kosei Matsumoto
30 DF  JPN Tatsushi Koyanagi
33 MF  JPN Ayahi Sakurai
36 MF  JPN Shuto Adachi (on loan from Vissel Kobe)
37 MF  JPN Gijo Sehata
38 FW  JPN Hiroto Konishi
39 MF  JPN Rinya Sato
42 MF  JPN Takatora Harada
43 DF  JPN Shoya Nose
44 MF  JPN Shun Koga
69 FW  JPN Shido Izuma (on loan from Consadole Sapporo)
88 GK  KOR Kim Je-hee
97 MF  KOR Song Min-seob
99 FW  JPN Taika Nakashima (on loan from Consadole Sapporo)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  JPN Muku Arae (at Coedo Kawagoe)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW  JPN Toranosuke Onozeki (at Basara Hyogo)

Management and staff

Coaching staff for 2025.

Position Name
Manager Japan Masaru Okita
Coach Japan Kentaro Yoshida
Assistant coach Japan Ryo Ishibashi
Goalkeeping coach Japan Hidetoyo Watanabe
Analyst Japan Yota Sakuma
Physical coach Japan Yutaka Aoki
Physiotherapist Japan Koki Katakai
Trainer Japan Ryo Murakami
Japan Ryoji Sejino
Chief secretary Japan Ryo Suzuki
Team secretary Japan Ryota Osawa
Kitman Japan Riku Takahashi

Honours

Thespa Gunma honours
Honour No. Years Notes
Gunma Prefecture Division 4 1 1995 as Liaison Kusatsu
Gunma Prefecture Division 3 1 1996
Gunma Prefecture 2nd Division A 1 1997
Gunma Prefecture Division 2 B 1 2001
Gunma Prefecture Division 1 1 2002 as Thespa Kusatsu
Kantō Division 2 1 2003
Gunma Prefectural Football Association
President's Cup Soccer Tournament 		4 2003, 2018, 2019, 2025

Managerial history

Manager Tenure
Start Finish
Montenegro Ratko Stevović 1995 1997
Japan Naoki Kimura 1998 1999
Montenegro Ratko Stevović (2) 2000 2001
Japan Ryōsuke Okuno 1 February 2002 31 January 2004
Japan Satoshi Tezuka 1 January 2005 31 December 2005
Japan Shigeharu Ueki 1 February 2006 31 January 2009
Japan Tōru Sano 1 February 2009 31 January 2010
Japan Hiroshi Soejima 1 February 2010 31 January 2013
Japan Tadahiro Akiba 1 February 2013 31 January 2015
Japan Hiroki Hattori 1 January 2015 31 December 2016
Japan Hitoshi Morishita 1 February 2017 31 January 2018
Japan Keiichirō Nuno 1 February 2018 31 January 2020
Japan Ryōsuke Okuno 1 February 2020 4 July 2021
Japan Kiyokazu Kudō 5 July 2021 31 January 2022
Japan Tsuyoshi Otsuki 1 February 2022 8 May 2024
Japan Akira Muto 9 May 2024 [7] 31 January 2025
Japan Masaru Okita 1 February 2025 [8] present

Season by season record

Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
League J. League
Cup		 Emperor's
Cup
Season Div. Teams Pos. P W D L F A GD Pts Attendance/G
As Thespa Kusatsu
2004 JFL 16 3rd 30 19 5 6 63 35 28 62 4,948 Not eligible Quartferfinals
2005 J2 12 12th 44 5 8 31 26 82 -56 23 3,959 4th round
2006 13 12th 48 9 15 24 54 86 -32 42 3,736 4th round
2007 13 11th 48 7 21 20 42 71 -29 42 3,808 4th round
2008 15 9th 42 13 14 15 45 52 -7 53 4,215 3rd round
2009 18 10th 51 18 11 22 64 76 -12 65 4,330 3rd round
2010 19 12th 36 14 6 16 36 48 -12 48 4,424 2nd round
2011 20 9th 38 16 9 13 51 51 0 57 3,211 2nd round
2012 22 17th 42 12 11 19 31 15 -14 47 3,341 2nd round
As Thespakusatsu Gunma
2013 J2 22 20th 42 9 13 20 43 61 -18 40 3,571 Not eligible 2nd round
2014 22 18th 42 14 7 21 45 54 -9 49 3,689 4th round
2015 22 18th 42 13 9 20 34 56 -22 48 4,099 1st round
2016 22 17th 42 11 12 19 52 66 -14 45 4,744 2nd round
2017 22 22nd 42 5 5 32 32 88 -56 20 3,832 3rd round
2018 J3 17 5th 32 15 7 10 37 35 2 52 3,346 2nd round
2019 18 2nd 34 18 9 7 59 34 25 63 3,594 2nd round
2020 † J2 22 20th 42 15 4 23 40 62 -22 49 1,709 Did not qualify
2021 † 22 18th 42 9 14 19 35 56 -21 41 2,082 4th round
2022 22 20th 42 11 9 22 36 57 -21 42 3,076 Round of 16
2023 22 11th 42 14 15 13 44 44 0 57 4,116 2nd round
As Thespa Gunma
2024 J2 20 20th 38 3 9 26 24 62 -38 18 3,988 2nd round 2nd round
2025 J3 14th 38 12 10 16 56 59 -3 46 3,555 1st round 2nd round
2026 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 home league attendance
  • † 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
  • Source: J. League Data Site

References

  1. ^ a b "Club guide; Thespa Kusatsu". J. League. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  2. ^ "Two JFL clubs apply for J. League entry". Japan Times. September 30, 2004. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  3. ^ Ken Matsushita (February 12, 2014). "Classifying the J2 teams from top to bottom". ONE World Sports. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  4. ^ チーム名・ロゴ・マスコット [Team name, Emblem, Mascot] (in Japanese). Thespakusatsu Gunma. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  5. ^ "新クラブプロパティについて". ザスパクサツ群馬. 2023-10-27. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  6. ^ "2025 PLAYERS | 2025選手・スタッフ". Thespakusatsu Gunma. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  7. ^ "武藤 覚ヘッドコーチ　新監督就任のお知らせ". thespa.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  8. ^ "沖田 優 氏の監督就任決定について". ザスパ群馬. 2024-12-10. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
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