On February 26, the long-anticipated official eSports tournament, the "eJ League eFootball™ 2026 Season," was launched. Jointly organized by the Japan Professional Football League (J.League) and Konami Digital Entertainment, this tournament opens up an exciting opportunity for all fans of the popular game "eFootball™". This year's competition invites participants to compete in a thrilling showdown between 40 clubs from the J1 and J2 leagues.
This marks the sixth edition of the eJ League tournament, where everyone who enjoys playing "eFootball™" can take part. Last season witnessed a memorable victory from FC Machida Zelvia, who claimed their first championship title. This year, the format pays homage to the regulations of the Meiji Yasuda J.League's centennial vision, ensuring that both mobile and gaming console representatives from qualifying clubs will advance to the regional league rounds.
Participants will be placed into four groups split across eastern and western Japan. The top two representatives from each group will progress to the final playoff, which is scheduled to take place offline in May. Clubs and players will vie for a total prize pool of 20 million yen, distributed according to their performance in the finals.
An additional highlight for this season is that the champion will earn a coveted entry into the "Regional FINALS", competing for a spot in the "eFootball™ Championship 2026 World Finals", which identifies the best player globally.
To celebrate the commencement of this event, all participants logging into "eFootball™" will receive a selection contract allowing them to choose one player from a pool of top 40 players picked from J1 and J2 clubs to bolster their dream teams. This offer is valid from February 26 to March 12.
Moreover, everyone is encouraged to participate in the "eJ Takaraiyōze" campaign, where over 1,000 lucky winners will be drawn to receive tickets for J.League matches, signature merchandise, and other exclusive club goodies. Entry into this campaign is open to anyone interested and runs from February 26 to March 16.
With the chance to earn the title of “strongest in the J.League” and strive for the “world's number one player” title within reach, gamers and J.League fans alike are urged to participate in this thrilling tournament and celebrate their favorite teams! For full details, please check the official website of the "eJ League eFootball™ 2026 Season"
here.
"eFootball™" is a rebranded name that emerged from the renowned "Winning Eleven" series, which first debuted on July 21, 1995. It has amassed an impressive 950 million downloads worldwide and enjoyed tremendous popularity among soccer fans globally, recently commemorating its 30th anniversary in July of last year.
Offering free-to-play options on various platforms including home consoles, PC, and mobile devices, players can experience realistic soccer action featuring real clubs and national teams. The game's dynamics also reflect weekly updates based on actual player transfers and performance in matches.
Additional features such as "Dream Team", allowing players to create and showcase their unique teams, and cooperative gameplay modes for up to 3 players make "eFootball™" accessible for both novice and seasoned gamers alike. Experience all these new features by checking the official site of "eFootball™"
here or their official Twitter account @we_konami.