Kagoshima United FC

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Kagoshima United
鹿児島ユナイテッド
Kagoshima United FC Crest
Full nameKagoshima United Football Club
Nickname(s)Yokanise Eleven
よかにせイレブン
Founded1959; 65 years ago (1959) as Volca Kagoshima
1994; 30 years ago (1994) as FC Kagoshima
2014; 10 years ago (2014) as Kagoshima United
StadiumShiranami Stadium
Kagoshima
Capacity19,934
ChairmanTsuyoshi Tokushige, Kenichiro Yuwaki (co-owners)
ManagerTetsuya Asano 
LeagueJ2 League
2023J3 League, 2nd of 20 (promoted)
Websitekufc.co.jp
Current season

Kagoshima United FC (鹿児島ユナイテッドFC, Kagoshima Yunaiteddo Efushī) is a Japanese professional football club based in Kagoshima, Capital of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. That was formed from the merger of Volca Kagoshima and FC Kagoshima. Both clubs played in the Kyushu Soccer League before the merger. Their top team is set to play in the J3 League from 2025, Japanese third tier of professional league football after relegation from J2 in 2024. Their secondary team plays in the Kagoshima Prefectural League as Kagoshima United FC SECOND.

History

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Origins (1959–2013)

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Volca Kagoshima was established in 1959 as Kagoshima Teachers' Soccer Club. The club was a founding member of the Kyushu Soccer League in 1973. Since the league's inception, the club had always played in this league and never be relegated to the Prefectural Leagues until the merge with FC Kagoshima in 2014. They advanced to the Regional League promotion series five times, but never succeeded to promote to the upper tier, Japan Football League, known as the highest level for amateur club football in the country. The club changed the name from Kagoshima Teachers to Volca Kagoshima in 1995.

FC Kagoshima was established in 1994 as an affiliated club of the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya. They were promoted to the Kyushu Soccer League as early as 2004 and changed the name to Osumi NIFS United FC.

Both of Volca and NIFS have been seeking the way to promote to the JFL separately. The idea of a merged club of Volca and FC Kagoshima (renamed from NIFS in 2010) had been discussed by the Kagoshima Prefectural Football Association as early as 2012, however, it was failed to reach an agreement at that time. Although Volca and FC Kagoshima had applied for J.League Associate Membership separately, both sides restarted their talk about the merger, then finally agreed with merging their clubs to aim promotion to the J.League, in response of the advisory by the J.League organization. As both clubs had advanced to the final round of the Regional League promotion series in 2013, the merged club earned the promotion to the JFL of 2014.

Kagoshima United (2014–)

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The two clubs, Volca Kagoshima and FC Kagoshima, were merged in 2014 to form Kagoshima United. In November 2015, after finishing promotion zone in 2015, they received J.League license to participate in the J3 League.[1]

In 2018, Kagoshima United was promoted to the J2 League for the first time in history from 2019 after five years at the J3.

In 2019, Kagoshima United was instantly relegated back to the J3, after a 21st-place finish in their J3 debut season.

On 2 December 2023, Kagoshima United secure promotion to J2 League from 2024 after draw against Gainare Tottori 1–1 and back to second tier after 4 years since 2019.

On 27 October 2024, Kagoshima United officially relegated to J3 League after defeat from V-Varen Nagasaki 4-1 and ending one year in second tier.

Rivalries

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The traditional rival of Kagoshima United is Roasso Kumamoto, the prefectural neighbours and former Kyushu Soccer League fellows since 1983 until 2005, except 20012002. Matches between the two clubs are labelled Hisatsu derby (肥薩ダービー, "Kumamoto-Kagoshima derby") and generate a lot of interest in both prefectures.

League & cup record

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Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated
League J. League Cup Emperor's Cup
Season Div. Teams Tier Pos. P W D L F A GD Pts Attendance/G
As Kagoshima United
2014 JFL 14 4 3rd 26 18 3 5 45 19 26 57 1,825 Not eligible 2nd round
2015 16 3rd 30 18 6 6 46 25 21 60 2,624 1st round
2016 J3 16 3 5th 30 15 5 10 39 29 10 50 3,665 1st round
2017 17 4th 32 17 4 11 49 37 12 55 3,508 2nd round
2018 17 2nd 32 16 9 7 46 35 11 57 4,040 2nd round
2019 J2 22 2 21st 42 11 7 24 41 73 -32 40 5,783 2nd round
2020 J3 18 3 4th 34 18 4 12 55 43 12 58 2,214 Did not qualify
2021 15 7th 28 11 7 10 34 35 -1 40 3,737 2nd round
2022 18 3rd 34 21 3 10 55 39 16 66 4,740 2nd round
2023 20 2nd 38 18 8 12 58 41 17 62 5,567 1st round
2024 J2 20 2 19th 38 7 9 22 35 59 -24 30 6,596 2nd round 2nd round
2025 J3 20 3 TBD 38
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

Honours

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Volca Kagoshima (1959–2013) FC Kagoshima (1994–2013) Kagoshima United (2014–)

Kagoshima United FC honours
Honour No. Years
Kyushu Soccer League 4 1974, 1986, 2012, 2013

League history

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  • Regional (Kyushu): 1973–2013
  • Division 4 (JFL): 2014–2015
  • Division 3 (J3): 2016–2018
  • Division 2 (J2): 2019
  • Division 3 (J3): 2020–2023
  • Division 2 (J2): 2024
  • Division 3 (J3): 2025–

Current squad

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As of 9 August 2024.[2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Japan JPN Ryota Izumori
3 DF Japan JPN Ryo Toyama (on loan from Tokushima Vortis)
4 DF Japan JPN Kenta Hirose
5 DF Japan JPN Akira Ibayashi (vice-captain)
6 MF Japan JPN Eisuke Watanabe
7 MF Japan JPN Kazuki Chibu
8 MF Japan JPN Keita Fujimura
9 FW Japan JPN Koki Arita
10 FW Japan JPN Noriaki Fujimoto
11 MF Japan JPN Junki Goryo
13 GK Japan JPN Kenta Matsuyama
14 MF Japan JPN Hiroya Nodake
15 MF Japan JPN Kazuaki Ihori
16 DF Japan JPN Ryosuke Kawano (on loan from Fagiano Okayama)
17 MF Japan JPN Kota Hoshi
18 FW Japan JPN Mikuto Fukuda
19 DF Japan JPN Shuto Inaba (on loan from Machida Zelvia)
20 MF Japan JPN Masayoshi Endo
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 MF Japan JPN Wataru Tanaka (on loan from Montedio Yamagata)
23 DF Japan JPN Shosei Okamoto (on loan from Albirex Niigata)
24 MF Japan JPN Sota Nagai (on loan from Tokyo Verdy)
25 FW Japan JPN Jin Hanato
26 DF Japan JPN Kosuke Kawashima DSP
27 MF Japan JPN Takumi Yamaguchi (vice-captain)
28 DF Japan JPN Issei Tone
30 MF Japan JPN Yuji Kimura (captain)
31 GK Japan JPN Ono Cholhwan
32 FW Japan JPN Takaya Numata (on loan from Machida Zelvia)
34 FW Japan JPN Shota Suzuki
35 MF Japan JPN Shuto Nakahara
36 FW Japan JPN Rei Yonezawa (vice-captain)
38 FW Japan JPN Ryo Arita (on loan from Montedio Yamagata)
39 FW Japan JPN Shuntaro Kawabe
46 FW Japan JPN Seiya Take
92 FW Japan JPN Charles Nduka

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
29 DF Japan JPN Rinshiro Kojima (at FC Osaka)
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Japan JPN Takahiro Horie (at Atletico Suzuka)

Coaching staff

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KUFC Coaching staff for 2024 [3]

Position Name
Manager Tetsuya Asano
Coaches Naotsugu Obata
Daisuke Asahi
Naoaki Morinaga
Goalkeeper coach Masataka Sasaki
Physical coach Yuki Shimizu
Chief trainer Tomoaki Mikiya
Trainer Ryuki Takee
Sota Watanabe
Interpreter & Chief manager Tsuyoshi Tame
General manager Sena Abematsu
Suguru Shibahara

Managerial history

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Manager Nationality Tenure
Start Finish
Takeshi Okubo  Japan 1 February 2014 31 January 2015
Tetsuya Asano  Japan 1 January 2015 31 December 2016
Yasutoshi Miura  Japan 1 January 2017 31 January 2019
Kim Jong-song  North Korea 1 February 2019 31 January 2021
Arthur Papas  Australia 1 February 2021 28 May 2021
Yasuaki Ōshima  Japan 28 May 2021 3 July 2021
Nobuhiro Ueno  Japan 4 July 2021 31 January 2022
Naoto Otake  Japan 1 February 2022 22 August 2023
Yasuaki Oshima  Japan 23 August 2023 26 May 2024
Tetsuya Asano  Japan 28 May 2024 present

Crest and colours

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The club crest has the illustrations of Sakurajima and Kagoshima Bay, both symbolize Kagoshima Prefecture, on its background design, with red colour, which represents Volca, and light blue colour, represents FC Kagoshima.

Kit evolution

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Kagoshima United's club colours are white and navy.

Home kit – 1st
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 -
Away kit – 2nd
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024–

References

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  1. ^ "Kagoshima United to join J3". J.League. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  2. ^ "選手・スタッフ". Kagoshima United FC. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  3. ^ "KUFC Coaching staff for 2024". kufc.co.jp. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
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Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kagoshima_United_FC
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