2027 J.League Signings from Japanese Universities

University players in Japan usually agree their first professional contract a year or more before they graduate. This list covers the players joining J.League clubs for 2027, grouped by the league their university plays in, with the U-18 team each one came from. Every entry has been checked against the joining club’s own announcement.

96 players (as of 9 October 2026)From high school clubs: 63From club academies: 33Returning to their academy club: 12

Hokkaido (1)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
HOSAKA SenriDFSapporo UniversityVanraure Hachinohe2027Komazawa University Tomakomai High School
High school

Kanto Division 1 (40)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
HOMMA RinFWKokushikan UniversityKawasaki Frontale2027Kanto Daiichi High School
High school
HAYASHI RaiaDFKokushikan UniversityCerezo Osaka2027Kyoto Tachibana High School
High school
工藤珠凜DFKokushikan UniversityVegalta Sendai2027Nissho Gakuen High School
High school
GOTO HibikiMFKokushikan UniversityOita Trinita 🏠 back to his academy club2027Oita Trinita U-18
Club academy
KITAHAMA RyuseiFWChuo UniversityAvispa Fukuoka 🏠 back to his academy club2027Avispa Fukuoka U-18
Club academy
TSUNETO KanadeDFChuo UniversityKashiwa Reysol2027Kokoku High School
High school
OGAWA JoMFChuo UniversityVegalta Sendai2027/28 seasonKawasaki Frontale U-18
Club academy
大久保帆人MFNihon UniversityRoasso Kumamoto2027Maebashi Ikuei High School
High school
HIRAO HayatoFWNihon UniversityTokyo Verdy2027Yokkaichi Chuo Technical High School
High school
GOKITA KishinFWNihon UniversityMito Hollyhock2027Kawasaki Frontale U-18
Club academy
OGAWA RyoyaDFUniversity of TsukubaFagiano Okayama2027Kataller Toyama U-18
Club academy
KOBAYASHI ShuneiFWUniversity of TsukubaTegevajaro Miyazaki2027Ohzu High School
High school
MATSUYAMA HokutoMFNippon Sport Science UniversityVentforet Kofu2026/27 seasonTeikyo Nagaoka High School
High school
HARADA ManatoGKNippon Sport Science UniversityYokohama FC2028Nippon Sport Science University Kashiwa High School
High school
UMETSU RyunosukeDFHosei UniversityHokkaido Consadole Sapporo2027Kashima Antlers Youth
Club academy
KOIKE NaoyaMFHosei UniversityJubilo Iwata2027Maebashi Ikuei High School
High school
YASUDA NaruDFHosei UniversityShonan Bellmare2027Hannan University
High school
OGURA KoseiMFHosei UniversityFagiano OkayamaJanuary 2028Kashima Antlers Youth
Club academy
MATSUMURA KosukeMFHosei UniversityYokohama F. Marinos 🏠 back to his academy club2027Yokohama F. Marinos Youth
Club academy
KOMINATO TsunaFWHosei UniversityFC Tokyo2027Aomori Yamada High School
High school
根津元輝MFHosei UniversityFC Imabari2027Maebashi Ikuei High School
High school
TANAKA KeitoDFHosei UniversityS.C. Sagamihara2027Hosei University Daini Junior and Senior High School
High school
SAKURAI RyoDFHosei UniversityTochigi SCJanuary 2027Kashima Gakuen High School
High school
NAKAMURA RyuseiDFToyo UniversityYokohama FC 🏠 back to his academy club2027Yokohama FC Youth
Club academy
TAKAHASHI HikaruFWToyo UniversityYokohama F. Marinos2027Omiya Ardija U-18
Club academy
NWADIKE Uche Brian SeoFWToin University of YokohamaAaB (Denmark)Transferred (May 2026)Shutoku High School
High school
TAKUSHIMA YoshikiDFMeiji UniversityTokyo Verdy2027Aomori Yamada High School
High school
OZAWA HarukiDFMeiji UniversityGamba Osaka2027Omiya Ardija U-18
Club academy
MAEZAWA HirokiFWMeiji UniversityVentforet Kofu2027Omiya Ardija U-18
Club academy
WATANABE KotaFWKomazawa UniversityFujieda MYFC2027Tohoku Gakuin High School
High school
松橋啓太MFTokai UniversityJubilo Iwata2027Higashiyama High School
High school
NAKAYAMA RyunosukeMFTokai UniversityIwaki FC2026/27 seasonAomori Yamada High School
High school
TANAKA ReonDFTokai UniversityUrawa Red Diamonds2029Tokyo Jitsugyo High School
High school
IKEDA ShuntaDFUniversity of TsukubaKataller Toyama2027/28 seasonYokohama F. Marinos Youth
Club academy
SHINODA TsubasaMFUniversity of TsukubaFujieda MYFC2027Shohei High School
High school
TOKUNAGA RyoMFUniversity of TsukubaOita Trinita2026/27 seasonMaebashi Ikuei High School
High school
KAIMOTO KeitaroGKWaseda UniversityFujieda MYFC2027Omiya Ardija U-18
Club academy
INAGAKI AtsushiDFMeiji UniversityUrawa Red Diamonds 🏠 back to his academy club2027Urawa Red Diamonds Youth
Club academy
KUWAHARA RikutoMFMeiji UniversityFujieda MYFC2027Gamba Osaka Youth
Club academy
KAWAI HinataDFMeiji UniversityCerezo Osaka 🏠 back to his academy clubJanuary 2027Cerezo Osaka U-18
Club academy

Kanto Division 2 (12)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
NISHIKAWA FutoDFRyutsu Keizai UniversityFC Machida Zelvia2027Kokoku High School
High school
デューフエマニエル凛太朗GKRyutsu Keizai UniversityKyoto Sanga F.C.2027Ryutsu Keizai University Kashiwa High School
High school
FURUYA ShusukeFWTokyo International UniversityKashiwa Reysol2027Nippon Sport Science University Kashiwa High School
High school
上林真斗GKSenshu UniversityRoasso Kumamoto2027Shohei High School
High school
SATO YuzutaDFSenshu UniversityJEF United Chiba2027/28 seasonVentforet Kofu U-18
Club academy
TOYODA RyoDFMeiji Gakuin UniversityVentforet Kofu2027Toko Gakuen High School
High school
YAMAMOTO SotaMFKanagawa UniversityGainare Tottori2027Maebashi Ikuei High School
High school
MAEDA KokoroMFKanagawa UniversityAvispa Fukuoka2027Otemae Takamatsu High School
High school
HIGAKURE Nash TaishiMFSANNO UniversityRB Omiya ArdijaJanuary 2027Horikoshi High School
High school
WATANABE KentoDFSANNO UniversityMatsumoto Yamaga F.C.2026/27 seasonAsahikawa Jitsugyo High School
High school
KIMURA KazukiGKKanto Gakuin UniversityS.C. SagamiharaJanuary 2027Kashima Gakuen High School
High school
WADA RikiyaMFTakushoku UniversityFC Osaka2027/28 seasonSeibudai High School
High school

Kanto Division 3 (7)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
IRIE RyosukeDFJuntendo UniversityVissel Kobe2027Teikyo High School
High school
MATSUMOTO RukaMFJuntendo UniversityIwaki FC2027Teikyo High School
High school
松田和輝DFJuntendo UniversityJubilo Iwata 🏠 back to his academy club2027Jubilo Iwata U-18
Club academy
KIMURA ShotaDFAoyama Gakuin UniversityRoasso Kumamoto2027Yaita Chuo High School
High school
TSUJI YutoMFKokugakuin UniversityShimizu S-PulseJanuary 2028Teikyo Daisan High School
High school
鈴木善DFKokugakuin UniversityZweigen KanazawaJanuary 2027Tama University Meguro Junior and Senior High School
High school
HANDA ShomaMFTokyo Gakugei UniversityFC Gifu2027Shizuoka Gakuen High School
High school

Hokushinetsu (5)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
TATSUKAWA HarutoMFNiigata University of Health and WelfareKyoto Sanga F.C. 🏠 back to his academy clubJanuary 2029Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18
Club academy
MUKAI ShunkiMFNiigata University of Health and WelfareYokohama FC2027Sano Nihon University Senior High School
High school
SHIRAISHI RenDFNiigata University of Health and WelfareFC Imabari2027/28 seasonShoshi High School
High school
丸山嵩大DFNiigata University of ManagementKataller Toyama2027Albirex Niigata U-18
Club academy
NAKAGAWA GoFWKanazawa Gakuin UniversityZweigen Kanazawa 🏠 back to his academy clubJanuary 2027Zweigen Kanazawa U-18
Club academy

Tokai (7)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
UMEKI KaitoMFTokoha UniversityKagoshima United FC2027Tokai University Kofu Senior High School
High school
KAGAWA TaroMFTokai Gakuen UniversityKataller Toyama2027Fujieda Meisei High School
High school
OISO RyukiDFTokai Gakuen UniversityNagoya Grampus2027Chuogakuin High School
High school
SASAZAKI ShoyaGKTokai Gakuen UniversityTochigi SC2027Chuogakuin High School
High school
IMAMURA MotokiDFTokai Gakuen UniversityKagoshima United FCJanuary 2027Sagan Tosu U-18
Club academy
SATO TsubasaFWShizuoka Sangyo UniversityFukushima United FC2027/28 seasonOita High School
High school
IWAMOTO YuanMFChukyo UniversityVissel Kobe 🏠 back to his academy club2029/30 seasonVissel Kobe U-18
Club academy

Kansai (15)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
SUWA KotaFWKonan UniversityRenofa Yamaguchi FC2027Kiryu Daiichi High School
High school
Da Silva Igor YanMFKansai University of International StudiesFC Osaka2027/28 seasonRissho Shonan High School
High school
KUWABARA KotaDFKansai UniversityJubilo Iwata2027Teikyo Nagaoka High School
High school
TAKAHASHI TetsuyaDFKansai UniversityKawasaki Frontale2027Tokai University Osaka Gyosei High School
High school
SANADA RenjiMFKansai UniversityHokkaido Consadole SapporoJanuary 2027Higashiyama High School
High school
YAMAMOTO SotaDFKwansei Gakuin UniversityKyoto Sanga F.C.2027Sagan Tosu U-18
Club academy
YAMAMOTO ShoeiFWOsaka University of EconomicsEhime FC2027Tokai University Osaka Gyosei High School
High school
TAMURA YuriDFSt. Andrew's University (Momoyama Gakuin)Mito HollyhockJoined early (September 2026)Riseisha High School
High school
INOUE ShugoDFSt. Andrew's University (Momoyama Gakuin)Nara Club 🏠 back to his academy club2027Gamba Osaka Youth
Club academy
ONO NarumuDFKyoto Sangyo UniversityShimizu S-PulseJanuary 2027Ehime FC U-18
Club academy
ITO TsubasaMFKyoto Sangyo UniversityTokushima VortisNot announcedCerezo Osaka U-18
Club academy
TAKIGUCHI HarutoMFKyoto Sangyo UniversityFC Osaka2027/28 seasonSanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth
Club academy
SUETANI SeigoMFKyoto Sangyo UniversityMito HollyhockJanuary 2027Cerezo Osaka U-18
Club academy
IKEDO ShuDFOsaka University of Health and Sport SciencesFagiano Okayama2027/28 seasonKyoto Tachibana High School
High school
KIMURA SeinosukeDFRitsumeikan UniversityCerezo Osaka 🏠 back to his academy clubJanuary 2027Cerezo Osaka U-18
Club academy

Chugoku (3)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
MATSUOKA HibikiMFInternational Pacific UniversitySagan Tosu2027Sagan Tosu U-18
Club academy
LEE Jin YeongFWInternational Pacific UniversityKamatamare Sanuki2027Kamimura Gakuen High School
High school
TANAKA MakotoMFInternational Pacific UniversityBlaublitz Akita2027佐賀北高校
High school

Kyushu (6)

PlayerPosUniversityJoiningWhenU-18 team
IWANAGA SotaMFKyushu Sangyo UniversityKashiwa Reysol2027Avispa Fukuoka U-18
Club academy
NAKAYAMA TaiyoFWKyushu Sangyo UniversityRoasso Kumamoto2027Shimizu Higashi High School
High school
YOSHINO KaitoMFFukuoka UniversitySagan Tosu2027Iizuka High School
High school
GOTO HaruyaFWFukuoka UniversitySagan Tosu2027Wakaba High School
High school
SAKAI YuhiDFFukuoka UniversityAvispa Fukuoka2027Rissho Shonan High School
High school
MATSUSHITA TowaMFNational Institute of Fitness and Sports in KanoyaRenofa Yamaguchi FC2027Kamimura Gakuen High School
High school

Notes

“When” is January of the year shown unless stated. Most players join in January 2027 for the 2026/27 season, which runs on an autumn-to-spring calendar; some will join a year or two later, after graduating.

Where the JFA, the J.League or the club has not published an official English spelling, the player’s name is shown in Japanese. U-18 teams without an established English name are also shown in Japanese.

See also: Japanese university football: leagues and tables ・ players turning professional straight from high schools and academies ・ 日本語版.