The 2010 Japan Football League (Japanese: 第12回日本フットボールリーグ, Hepburn: Dai Jūni-kai Nihon Futtobōru Rīgu) was the twelfth season of the Japan Football League, the third tier of the Japanese football league system.
Before the season corporate TDK SC were renamed to Blaublitz Akita and started operations as an independent football club. Hitachi Tochigi Uva S.C. has dropped the company prefix and changed its name to simply Tochigi Uva F.C.
Matsumoto Yamaga were approved as J. League associate members at the annual meeting in February. Zweigen Kanazawa applied for the membership later in April but the application was not accepted because of incomplete documentation.
Updated to match(es) played on November 28, 2010. Source: Japan Football League Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^ abcOccupied one of the top 3 places at the end of the first half of the season (17th week) and were seeded for 2010 Emperor's Cup. These clubs were automatically qualified for the tournament, while each of other JFL clubs had to go through the prefectural qualifier.
^Must hold J. League Associate Membership, pass a final inspection by J. League and finish no less than in fourth place to be promoted. Machida Zelvia have announced that their stadium is not meeting the J. League standards so they are not eligible for the promotion till 2012 season.[1] Later the announcement of the same kind was made by V-Varen Nagasaki, although their eligibility date is as far as 2013 season.[2]
^ abPlay-off series' and direct relegation occurrence is dependent on the number of places available after promotions to J2.
Updated to games played on November 28, 2010 Source: First round, Second round Notes: † Team played previous season in Regional Leagues. ‡ Some Honda Lock games were played without spectators because of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Miyazaki Prefecture.
Promotion and relegation
Due to Gainare Tottori being promoted to J2, the Regional League promotion series champions and runners-up, Kamatamare Sanuki and Nagano Parceiro, were promoted automatically. The third-placed Sanyo Electric Sumoto S.C. faced Arte Takasaki in the promotion and relegation series.