is a
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese J. League Division 1 association football team. Despite the club's relative youth, only joining the J. League in 1999, Albirex are one of Japan's best supported teams. In
2003The 2003 season was the 11th season since the establishment of the J. League. The league began on March 15 and ended on November 29.-Promotion and relegation:* At the end of the 2002 Season, Oita Trinita and Cerezo Osaka were promoted to division 1....
, while still playing in the second tier of Japanese football (J2), Albirex attracted the best average crowd in the country of over 30000. Since promotion to J1 in
2004The 2004 J. League Division 1 season was the 12th season of the J1 League. The league fixture began on March 13, 2004 and ended on December 11, 2004. The Suntory Championship 2004 took place on December 5 and December 11, 2004. The first ever J...
they have recorded an average crowd of over 38000, and in
2005The 2005 season was the 13th season since the establishment of J. League. It began on March 5 and ended on December 3, followed by promotion/relegation series matches on December 7 and 10.-Promotion and relegation:...
Albirex were the first ever club in Japan to record an average gate of over 40,000.
History
For many years it had been a local autonomous amateur club,
Niigata 11, that could never hope to see the light of day in an old
Japan Soccer League, or JSL, was the top flight soccer league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J. League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional Japanese Baseball League that was founded in 1936...
dominated almost entirely by company teams. The creation of the J. League spurred the club to rise, and in the 1990s it began climbing fast through the divisions.
Joining the J. League in 1999, its home towns are
Niigata, Niigatais the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....
and
Seiro, Niigatais a town located in Kitakanbara District, Niigata, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 13,474 and a density of 354.67 persons per km². The total area is 37.99 km².-External links:*...
. Until 2003, it used Niigata Perfectural Sport Ground as the home ground but since 2004, the team began using Niigata Stadium Big Swan as well and now plays most of its games there. In 2003, it set a record for highest attendance in the J. League with the cumulative total of around 660,000. Its practice grounds are Albirex's training facilities in
Seiro Albillageis a sport facilit of the Seiro, Niigata. Alias Albillage.-Outline:Integrated sports facilities that receive subsidy of "Sports environment maintenance model business that centers on soccer" of subsidy from Niigata Prefecture, Niigata City, and Seiro, Niigata and Albirex Niigata Ltd...
and the in
Shibatais a city located in Niigata, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 103,101 and the density of 194 persons per km². The total area is 532.82 km².The city was founded on January 1, 1947....
.
In 1998, Albirex Niigata joined the
Japan Football LeagueThe former was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J...
, and was merged into the J2 league after its creation in 1999. The team gradually became competitive and on 2001 and 2002 it came close to getting promoted to J1 and in 2003, it became the champion of J2 and finally joined the top flight.
The team name is made from combining the star
AlbireoAlbireo is the fifth brightest star in the constellation Cygnus. Although it has the Bayer designation beta, it is fainter than Gamma Cygni, Delta Cygni, and Epsilon Cygni. Albireo appears to the naked eye to be a single star of magnitude 3 but through a telescope, even low magnification views...
of the constellation
CygnusCygnus is a northern constellation lying on the plane of the Milky Way. Its name is the Latinized Hellenic word for swan. One of the most recognizable constellations of the northern summer and autumn, it features a prominent asterism known as the Northern Cross...
(the Swan) and the
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word
Rex meaning 'king'. In 1997, due to copyright issues, the team name was changed from
Albireo Niigata to the current
Albirex Niigata.
In 2007, the uniform color will change. Until 2006, the color was orange - blue - orange, but from 2007 the color will be orange - orange - orange. This coordinate has not been adopted since 1996 when the team professionalized.
Since 2004, Albirex Niigata has selected a number of players for its satellite team in the
S.LeagueThe S.League is the top men's professional association football league in Singapore. The league was launched in 1996 and currently involves 12 clubs.-History:...
in Singapore, called
Albirex Niigata SingaporeAlbirex Niigata Singapore FC is a football club which plays in Singapore's S.League. The club is a satellite team of Albirex Niigata of Japan, and its players come from Japan.-History:...
. Albirex also has a women's team and joined L2 league (an equivalent of J2) in 2004. Albirex Ladies won the L2 title in 2006, and is going to join L1 in 2007.
The success in Albirex Niigata gave a big impact to the entire Japanese sporting world including the professional baseball. It is because commercial correctness of structure of professional sports, and a regional sticking (effectiveness in Japan) was proven also in the local mainstay city. Moreover, it came for clarifying the possession of energy that it was farther larger than the expectation of the sports market in the local city without the population of the metropolitan area in the past, and local city citizens' localism feelings are very bigger to influence other a lot of sports and municipality.
Team Name Transition
- Niigata Eleven SC (Soccer Club) (1955)
- Albireo Niigata FC (1995)
- Albirex Niigata (1997)
Stadium
The club plays its home games in the Niigata Stadium "
Big Swan", which is currently called the Tohoku Denryoku Big Swan Stadium through a sponsorship deal. The stadium was opened in 2001, and has a capacity of 42,300. Prior to this the club had played its matches in the
Niigata City Athletic Stadiumis Niigata Chuo Ward in a park Hakusan Stadium.It is Also used to play ball games.-History:Niigata is the early Showa era of cross-strait Shinanogawa held as part of the landfill development, Hakusan park adjacent to the south side of the landfill development as a sports park and the athletics...
constructed in 1938 with a capacity of 18,000.
The stadium was the site of two first round matches and one Round of 16 match in the past
2002 FIFA World CupThe 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
. It was also the venue for the 2009
National Sports Festivalis the national premier sports event of Japan. The abbreviated name is Kokutai . The 65th National Sports Festival of Japan was held in October 2010 in Chiba Prefecture.- Emperor's Cup and Empress Cup Champions :...
.
Current Squad
As of September 5, 2011
Out on loan
International Players
| Keiji Kaimoto is a former Japanese football player who was a defender.After graduating from Tōkai University, he joined Japan Football League side Vissel Kobe in 1995. He was transferred to Nagoya Grampus Eight in 2001, then to Albirex Niigata in 2005....
Katsuo KandaKatsuo Kanda is a former Japanese football player. He has played for Japan national team.Kanda finished his playing career with Albirex Niigata in the J...
Naoya Kikuchiis a professional Japanese footballer currently playing for Albirex Niigata.- Career :Kikuchi played for the Shimizu S-Pulse junior youth team and Shimizu Commercial High School, which has a strong soccer tradition with players such as Shinji Ono among its alumni. After graduating the school, he...
Hisashi KurosakiHisashi Kurosaki is a former Japanese football player. He has played for Japan national team.On December 19, 2009, he become the manager of Albirex Niigata....
|
Gotoku Sakai is an American born German-Japanese football player currently playing for Albirex Niigata.-Club career:Sakai was born in New York, United States, to a Japanese father and a German mother. The family moved to Japan when he was 2-years old. He grew up in Sanjō, Niigata prefecture. Sakai started...
Motohiro Yamaguchi Kisho Yanois a Japanese footballer who plays as a striker for Bundesliga side SC Freiburg.-Career:Yano was chosen as one of the Designated Players for Development by J. League and JFA in 2002 when he was a student of Hamana High School. Because of this status, Yano was able to register as a Júbilo Iwata...
|
An Yong-Hak Cho Young-Cheol Cho Young-Cheol is a South Korean football player who currently plays for Albirex Niigata in Japan's professional J. League.-International career:...
Issey Nakajima-Farran |
Award winners
Marcus (2002, 2003
J. League Division 2The or is the second division of and is the second-tier professional association football league in Japan. Currently, J. League Division 2 is the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The first tier is represented by J...
top scorer)
Marcio RichardesMarcio Richardes de Andrade, also known as Márcio Richardes , is a Brazilian midfielder who plays for Urawa Red Diamonds in the J. League Division 1.-Career:...
(2010 J. League Best XI)
Honours
- J. League Division 2
The or is the second division of and is the second-tier professional association football league in Japan. Currently, J. League Division 2 is the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The first tier is represented by J...
- Champions (1) : 2003
The 2003 J. League Division 2 season is the 32nd season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 5th season since the establishment of J2 League....
- Hokushin'etsu League
Japanese Regional Leagues are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organized on the regional basis...
- Champions (3) : 1986, 1996, 1997
- Runners-up (1) : 1992
- Shakaijin Cup
The All Japan Senior Football Championship is a football cup competition in Japan. It is run by the Japan Football Association. As it only involves non-league teams The All Japan Senior Football Championship (Zenkoku Shakaijin Sakkā Senshuken Taikai, 全国社会人サッカー選手権大会) is a football (soccer) cup...
Domestic Results
| Domestic Results since 1986 |
| Season |
League |
| |
|
|
|
|
Attendance/G |
J. League CupJ. League Cup is a Japanese football competition organized by J. League. It is also known as Yamazaki Nabisco Cup or Nabisco Cup because confectionery/bakery company Yamazaki Nabisco have sponsored the competition since its inception in 1992.It is generally regarded as the Japanese equivalent to...
|
Emperor's Cup, commonly known as or , is a Japanese association football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J. League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, Japan Soccer League...
|
Manager |
| 1986 |
Hokushin'etsu Japanese Regional Leagues are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organized on the regional basis...
|
1 (10) |
9 |
17 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
|
| 1987 |
3 (10) |
9 |
10 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
– |
– |
1st Round |
|
| 1988 |
4 (10) |
9 |
10 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
|
| 1989 |
8 (10) |
9 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
|
| 1990 |
3 (10) |
9 |
10 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
|
| 1991 |
3 (10) |
9 |
13 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
|
| 1992 |
2 (10) |
9 |
14 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
|
| 1993 |
4 (10) |
9 |
9 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
|
| 1994 |
4 (10) |
9 |
9 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
 Netherlands Franz Van Balcom |
| 1995 |
3 (10) |
9 |
22 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
– |
– |
Did not qualify |
| 1996 |
1 (10) |
9 |
25 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
– |
– |
1st Round |
| 1997 |
1 (10) |
9 |
27 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
– |
– |
2nd Round |
| 1998 |
JFL |
11 (16) |
30 |
34 |
12 |
0 |
18 |
2,696 |
– |
3rd Round |
 Japan Yoshikazu NagaiYoshikazu Nagai is a former Japanese football player. He holds the record for most appearances in Japan Soccer League First Division. His son Shunta is also a footballer....
|
| 1999 -Final table:...
|
J. League
Division 2The or is the second division of and is the second-tier professional association football league in Japan. Currently, J. League Division 2 is the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The first tier is represented by J...
|
4 (10) |
36 |
58 |
22 |
2 |
14 |
4,211 |
1st Round |
3rd Round |
| 2000 -Final table:...
|
7 (11) |
45 |
46 |
15 |
5 |
20 |
4,007 |
1st Round |
3rd Round |
| 2001 -Overview:It was contested by 12 teams, and Kyoto Purple Sanga won the championship.-Final table:...
|
4 (12) |
44 |
78 |
26 |
4 |
14 |
16,659 |
1st Round |
4th Round |
Japan Yasuharu Sorimachi |
| 2002 The 2002 J. League Division 2 season is the 31st season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 4th season since the establishment of J2 League....
|
3 (12) |
44 |
82 |
23 |
13 |
8 |
21,478 |
– |
3rd Round |
| 2003 The 2003 J. League Division 2 season is the 32nd season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 5th season since the establishment of J2 League....
|
1 (12) |
44 |
88 |
27 |
7 |
10 |
30,339 |
– |
4th Round |
| 2004 |
J. League
Division 1 |
10 (16) |
30 |
37 |
10 |
7 |
13 |
37,689 |
Group Stage |
4th Round |
| 2005 |
12 (18) |
34 |
42 |
11 |
9 |
14 |
40,114 |
Group Stage |
5th Round |
| 2006 |
14 (18) |
34 |
42 |
12 |
6 |
16 |
38,709 |
Group Stage |
5th Round |
Japan Jun Suzuki Jun Suzuki is a former Japanese football player currently coaching Japanese club Omiya Ardija.Suziki has previously coached Montedio Yamagata and Albirex Niigata. He took over from Jang Woe-Ryeong as coach of Omiya in April 2010.-References:...
|
| 2007 |
6 (18) |
34 |
51 |
15 |
6 |
13 |
38,276 |
Group Stage |
4th Round |
| 2008 |
13 (18) |
34 |
42 |
11 |
9 |
14 |
34,490 |
Group Stage |
5th Round |
| 2009 |
8 (18) |
34 |
50 |
13 |
11 |
10 |
33,446 |
Group Stage |
Quarter-final |
| 2010 The 2010 J. League Division 1 season was the 46th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 18th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season began on March 6 and ended on December 4....
|
9 (18) |
34 |
49 |
12 |
13 |
9 |
30,542 |
Group Stage |
4th Round |
Japan Hisashi Kurosaki Hisashi Kurosaki is a former Japanese football player. He has played for Japan national team.On December 19, 2009, he become the manager of Albirex Niigata....
|
International match and friendly match
- July 27, 2004 - The world challenge match 2004: Club Atlético Boca Juniors（） Niigata Stadium 2-1
- August 1, 2004 - The world challenge match 2004: Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
（） Niigata Stadium 5-2
- July 28, 2005 - Niigata City international friendship match: Dalian Shide（） Niigata Stadium 2-2
- August 4, 2006 - The world challenge match Sevilla FC JAPAN TOUR 2006: Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
（） Niigata City Athletic Stadiumis Niigata Chuo Ward in a park Hakusan Stadium.It is Also used to play ball games.-History:Niigata is the early Showa era of cross-strait Shinanogawa held as part of the landfill development, Hakusan park adjacent to the south side of the landfill development as a sports park and the athletics...
0-6
Affiliated clubs
The following clubs are affiliated with Albirex Niigata:
Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore)Albirex Niigata Singapore FC is a football club which plays in Singapore's S.League. The club is a satellite team of Albirex Niigata of Japan, and its players come from Japan.-History:...
Japan Soccer College (
Hokushin'etsu LeagueJapanese Regional Leagues are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organized on the regional basis...
) Albirex Niigata Ladies (
L. LeagueThe L. League is the top flight of women's association football in Japan. It is the women's equivalent of the J. League, but not professional. However, some individual players are professional.The league conssists of two divisions: division 1 has the nickname and division 2...
)
In addition to the J-1 Albirex Niigata football team, there is an
Niigata Albirex basketball club, formally Niigata Albirex Basketball, is a Japanese basketball club. It is based in Niigata City and plays its games chiefly in the Niigata City gym and Toki Messe.- Outline :...
in the
bj leagueThe bj league is a professional basketball league in Japan that began on November 5, 2005. The ten team league is divided into two conferences, the Eastern Conference, and the Western Conference. It had its inaugural All-Star game in 2006. One of its major sponsors is Spalding.The bj league...
, as well as a ski, snowboard, baseball, and track and field team. Though the teams share the same name, management and finances are completely separate for each team.
External links