21 May 2021
The Emperor s Cup JFA 101st Japan Football Championship will kick-off on Saturday 22 May, as a total of 26 first round fixtures will take place on Saturday and Sunday at various locations nationwide.
This year’s tournament will be held with the slogan, “New era.” Last year, the tournament was forced to make major regulation changes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but managed to complete the commemorative 100th edition of the Emperor s Cup. This year will be a new start for the prestigious tournament.
The competition will be played in a knockout format, but similar to last year, the schedule will be slightly altered, as all J1 and J2 clubs will entered the tournament by the second round which will take place on Wednesday 9 and Wednesday 16 June. The third round is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 7 July, followed by the Round of 16 on Wednesday 18 August, and a drawing will be held to determine the final bracket for the quarterfinals and beyond.