Wikipedia - Iwaki FC
Iwaki FC (いわきFC, Iwaki Efushi) is a football (soccer) club based in Iwaki, a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The club competes in the J2 League, the second tier of Japanese football league system.
History
Founder Club
Iwaki FC was founded in 2012, before getting official recognition in 2013 with the creation of their homonymous corporation. The club name got more attention when Under Armour decided to join the club and support it to climb the Japanese football pyramid from the bottom. There had been a big vision behind the club, with the will of "making Iwaki the central football-city in Tohoku". In fact, a new training field opened in November 2016 and the club-house was just launched in May 2017: two central structures to rise to the top of Japanese football.
Fukushima Prefectural Football League (2013–2017)
Plus, results are pushing Iwaki FC, which has won several categories in Fukushima Prefectural Football League, coming to first division: the next target is Tohoku Soccer League, while the club has even achieved their first win at National Club Team Football Championship Tournament (winning the final 9–0). Iwaki FC also debuted at Emperor's Cup in 2017 edition. After defeating Norbritz Hokkaido in the first round, they surprisingly overcame Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo for 5–2 after extra-time. They lost against Shimizu S-Pulse in the third round, but it was still a surprising run.
Tohoku Soccer League (2018–2019)
In the 2019 season, Iwaki FC earned promotion to the following year's JFL for the first time in history after two seasons in Tohoku Soccer League competition, with the club winning the All Japan Regional Promotion Series and as a result Iwaki was crowned champions.
Japan Football League (JFL) (2020–2021)
In the 2021 season, Iwaki FC earned promotion to the following year's J3 League for the first time in history after two seasons in JFL competition, after finishing in first position, the team were crowned champions for their first title of fourth tier in Japan Football League.
J. League (2022–)
In the 2022 season, Iwaki FC earned promotion to the following year's J2 League for the first time in history after a single season in J3 League, after get a J2 license on 28 October 2022. On 6 November at same year, they were crowned J3 League champions for the first time in their history. They secured the league title on the 32nd round, following their 3–0 win against Kagoshima United and defeats from the 2nd and 3rd-placed teams at the round, being them Fujieda MYFC and Matsumoto Yamaga, respectively. 14 days later, Iwaki FC finished as league champions, ending their 2022 season with 78 points from 34 matches, staying 11 points clear off 2nd-placed Fujieda MYFC, who also ended up being promoted for the J2. On 26 September 2023, Iwaki FC was declared to have met the requirements to obtain a license up to J1 League level.
Iwaki SC je relatívne nový klub, no rýchlo sa stal jedným z najsľubnejších tímov v Japonsku. Klub vyhral v roku 2021 Japan Football League a postúpil do J3 League. Vo svojej prvej sezóne v J3 League skončil Iwaki SC na 6. mieste.
Iwaki SC je známy svojim útočným štýlom hry a má niekoľko talentovaných hráčov, vrátane útočníka Kazuho Hiramatsu a stredopoliara Hayato Asada. Klub vedie tréner Toshiyuki Kosugi, ktorý má skúsenosti s trénovaním niekoľkých japonských klubov.
Iwaki SC je ambiciózny klub, ktorý dúfa, že v budúcnosti postúpi do J1 League, prvej najvyššej úrovni japonského futbalu. Klub má silnú podporu zo strany miestnej komunity a dúfa, že sa stane jedným z najlepších futbalových klubov v Japonsku.