FC Imabari (FC今治, Efu Shī Imabari) is a Japanese football club based in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture. They currently play in the J2 League after promotion from J3 League in 2024, Japan's second tier of professional football.

History

The club was founded in 1976 and were promoted to the Shikoku Football League in 2001.

From 2009 to 2011, they were owned by Ehime FC as their reserve team, Ehime FC Shimanami. In 2014, the majority of FC Imabari was bought by former Japan national team coach Takeshi Okada.

In February 2016, the club made another step forward towards the J. League, as JFA recognised J.League Hundred Year Vision clubs. In November, they won the Regional Promotion Series and were promoted to the Japan Football League. During their debut season on the JFL, they opened their new stadium and acquired a J3 League license from the 2018 season.

In 2019, after finishing on third place at the JFL, FC Imabari were promoted to Japan's professional league system, becoming a professional club, as they were promoted to the J3 for the first time in their history.

FC Imabari acquired a J2 license in 2021, meaning that the club can be promoted to the J2 League once they are able to finish the season in the promotion zone.

On 10 November 2024, FC Imabari secured promotion to the J2 League for the first time in their history, ending a five year stint in the third tier.

On 25 September 2025, FC Imabari announced that it had been granted a J1 League license, making the club eligible for promotion to the J1 League should they finish the season in a promotion position.

Stadium

Arigato Service Dream Stadium (2017–2022)

FC Imabari played their J3 League matches on the Arigato Service Dream Stadium from 2017 to 2022. They played their final league match there (as their home stadium) at the club's last home match of the 2022 season. Imabari played this match against Nagano Parceiro on 13 November 2022, at the 33rd Matchweek, with the match ending tied by 3–3.

ASICS Satoyama Stadium (2023–)

From 2023, Imabari decided to change its home stadium to their newly built ASICS Satoyama Stadium. The opening ceremony was decided to be held on 29 January 2023. Satoyama Stadium was opened to the public on 29 January 2023, with a charity match contested between an XI of J-League Legends against FC Imabari U-18 and Ladies, respectively. On 5 March of the same year, FC Imabari played their first match of the season at their new stadium against Fukushima United in the J3 League, which ended in a 1–0 win for Imabari.

League and cup records

ChampionsRunners-upThird placePromotedRelegated
LeagueJ. League CupEmperor's CupShakaijin Cup
SeasonDivisionTierPosPWDLFAGDPtsAttendance/G
2011Shikoku Soccer League41st1413105244834Not eligible1st round3rd place
20121st141121441034343rd round1st round
20131st14131072765402nd round1st round
201453rd141112781662341st roundDid not play
20151st14121158553371st round2nd round
20161st14130154747391st round2nd round
2017JFL46th3012126543618482,1822nd roundNot eligible
20185th301479633231493,0812nd round
20193rd3013125412615513,101Did not qualify
2020 J337th3415109392712551,355
2021 11th28791234331301,6602nd round
20225th3418610554015602,3201st round
20234th38161111544212593,7112nd round
20242nd382279623824733,7862nd round1st round
2025J2211th3813141146460534,8002nd round1st round
2026TBD18N/A
2026-27TBD38TBDTBD

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:

Honours

FC Imabari Honours
HonourNo.Years
Ehime Prefectural Football Championship (and Emperor's Cup Ehime Prefectural Qualifiers)112009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021
Shikoku Soccer League52011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
Regional League Promotion Series12016

Players

Current squad

As of 10 February 2026. 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.NationPlayer
No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK JPN Kotaro Tachikawa 2 DF JPN Rei Umeki 3 DF KOR Taiga Son 4 DF JPN Ryota Ichihara 5 MF JPN Hikaru Arai 6 MF JPN Yuki Kajiura (on loan from FC Tokyo) 7 MF JPN Takafumi Yamada 8 MF JPN Yoshiaki Komai (on loan from Yokohama FC) 9 MF JPN Takatora Kondo 10 FW BRA Edigar Junio 11 FW BRA Wesley Tanque 14 MF JPN Kota Mori 15 DF BRA Gabriel Gomes 16 GK JPN Toi Yamamoto 17 MF JPN Kyota Mochii 18 GK JPN Genta ItoNo. Pos. Nation Player 19 FW JPN Kengo Furuyama (on loan from Cerezo Osaka) 20 DF BRA Rodrigo Souza 21 GK JPN Yosuke Yamada 23 DF KOR Lee Young-jun 24 DF JPN Yuri Takeuchi 25 MF JPN Riki Sato 29 DF JPN Yamato Maruyama 30 MF JPN Hayato Shibano 33 MF JPN Shuta Sasa 34 FW JPN Kiseki Kikuchi 36 MF JPN Keito Kubo 38 MF JPN Hikaru Umakoshi 44 FW JPN Masamichi Hayashi (on loan from JEF United Chiba) 71 GK JPN Toru Takagiwa 77 MF JPN Junya Kato
1GKJPNKotaro Tachikawa
2DFJPNRei Umeki
3DFKORTaiga Son
4DFJPNRyota Ichihara
5MFJPNHikaru Arai
6MFJPNYuki Kajiura (on loan from FC Tokyo)
7MFJPNTakafumi Yamada
8MFJPNYoshiaki Komai (on loan from Yokohama FC)
9MFJPNTakatora Kondo
10FWBRAEdigar Junio
11FWBRAWesley Tanque
14MFJPNKota Mori
15DFBRAGabriel Gomes
16GKJPNToi Yamamoto
17MFJPNKyota Mochii
18GKJPNGenta Ito
No.Pos.NationPlayer
19FWJPNKengo Furuyama (on loan from Cerezo Osaka)
20DFBRARodrigo Souza
21GKJPNYosuke Yamada
23DFKORLee Young-jun
24DFJPNYuri Takeuchi
25MFJPNRiki Sato
29DFJPNYamato Maruyama
30MFJPNHayato Shibano
33MFJPNShuta Sasa
34FWJPNKiseki Kikuchi
36MFJPNKeito Kubo
38MFJPNHikaru Umakoshi
44FWJPNMasamichi Hayashi (on loan from JEF United Chiba)
71GKJPNToru Takagiwa
77MFJPNJunya Kato

Coaching staff

PositionName
Sports directorJapan Shogo Kobara
ManagerJapan Keiji Kuraishi
Assistant managerJapan Yoshikiyo Kuboyama
First-team coachJapan Takamasa Watanabe
Goalkeeper coachJapan Yuichi Mizutani
AnalysisJapan Kohei Nomoto
Physical coachJapan Daiki Makino
Chief trainerJapan Takuya Kishimoto
TrainerJapan Ryosuke Konishi Japan Suguru Sakai
CompetentJapan Satsuki Sinohara
Side affairsJapan Ryo Tanaka
InterpreterSouth Korea Daichi Lee Kashiwagi
General managerJapan Tetsuji Koyama
Strengthening scoutJapan Naoto Kudo
Strengthening commissionerJapan Kei Nakano
Physical advisorJapan Masaya Sakihana
NutritionistJapan Kokoro Kawanami
Team advisorBrazil Ruy Ramos
DoctorJapan Takahisa Mori Japan Yoji Nagano Japan Yuko Fujii Japan Hiroya Imaoka

Managerial history

ManagerNationalityTenure
StartFinish
Takahiro KimuraJapanFebruary 1, 2012January 31, 2016
Hirofumi YoshitakeJapanFebruary 1, 2016June 27, 2018
Naoto KudoJapanJune 27, 2018January 31, 2019
Takeshi OnoJapanFebruary 1, 2019January 31, 2020
Lluís PlanagumàSpainFebruary 1, 2020May 19, 2021
Kazuaki HashikawaJapanMay 19, 2021May 23, 2021
Keiichiro NunoJapanMay 24, 202129 September 2021
Kazuaki HashikawaJapanSeptember 29, 2021January 31, 2023
Riki TakagiJapanFebruary 1, 2023August 16, 2023
Naoto KudoJapanAugust 16, 2023January 31, 2024
Toshihiro HattoriJapanFebruary 1, 2024January 31, 2025
Keiji KuraishiJapanFebruary 1, 2025present

Kit evolution

Home kit - 1st
20152016 - 20182019 - 202020212022 - 2023
2024 -
Away kit - 2nd
20152016 - 20182019 - 202020212022 - 2023
2024 -

External links