Pokemon J.League Partnership Confirmed, All 60 Clubs Get a Partner Pokemon

The J.League has confirmed a collaboration with Pokemon that will pair each of its 60 professional clubs with its own official partner Pokemon, with the full lineup set to be revealed on 6 July at 6:00 PM JST. The partnership spans all three professional divisions, with 20 clubs each across J1, J2 and J3, covering the entire breadth of professional football in Japan rather than just the top flight.

The league teased the announcement on its official X account with a silhouette of Pikachu and the caption “Oh!?”.

……おや！？ pic.twitter.com/qDLIDzVDnK

— Ｊリーグ（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (@J_League) July 5, 2026

Before confirming the collaboration with the slogan “The J.League is evolving.” The new season kicks off on 7 August 2026.

Ｊリーグは、進化する。

ポケモンとタイアップ決定✨

全国60クラブそれぞれのクラブパートナーポケモン、
明日7/6(月)18:00に発表❗️

8.7Ｊリーグ新開幕#ポケモンＪリーグ pic.twitter.com/Z9ZTNRuqOM

— Ｊリーグ（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (@J_League) July 5, 2026

All 60 Clubs Across J1, J2 and J3 Get a Partner Pokemon

The collaboration assigns a unique partner Pokemon to every professional club in Japan’s football pyramid, from the top-flight J1 sides down to the third-division J3 teams. With 20 clubs in each division, the initiative reaches all 60 professional clubs, making it one of the largest cross-brand collaborations the league has run with a gaming franchise.

The complete list of club and Pokemon pairings is scheduled to be revealed on 6 July at 6:00 PM JST, ahead of the 2026 season. The reveal will show exactly which Pokemon has been matched to each of the 60 clubs, a pairing process expected to spark debate across both fan bases in Japan over which club lands a marquee Pokemon and which is left with a less coveted one.

The 2014 Family Join Days Pikachu Card

This is not the first time the J.League and Pokemon have worked together. In 2014, the two collaborated during the Family Join Days campaign, handing young supporters who attended matches a promotional Pikachu trading card. The limited-edition card became a collector favourite, standing out as one of the few official crossovers between professional football and the Pokemon Trading Card Game, and remains sought after by crossover collectors today.

Pokemon’s Growing List of Real-World Sports Tie-Ins

The partnership continues Pokemon’s push into real-world sports collaborations. Ahead of the 2026 Pokemon World Championships, the San Francisco Giants unveiled a special Pokemon Worlds Night complete with an exclusive Pikachu jersey that sold out immediately. The J.League tie-in extends that pattern to Japanese football, pairing a national sporting institution with one of gaming’s largest franchises.

Attention now turns to the 6 July reveal at 6:00 PM JST, when supporters will discover which Pokemon has been assigned to each of the 60 clubs ahead of the season opener on 7 August.