The most recognised football league in Asia the J-League, aka the J1 League, featuring 18 of Japan’s best teams, all battling it for the chance to become champions and win places in the AFC Champions League.
The 2023 J-League season will kick off on February 18th, and conclude on the 12th of November. As for new additions, two teams were promoted from last season’s J2 League, Albirex Niigata, who returns after a five-year absence, and Yokohama FC, who returns to J1 after just one season of playing in J2.
The Yokohama F. Marinos, coached by former Australian Association football player Kevin Muscat, are the current title holders, having won their fifth J1 title, but they are expected to be pushed by a variety of improved clubs and you won’t have to miss the available action when using the information provided in this guide.
J-League fixtures on Australian TV in 2023
If you love to watch football then these live J-League fixtures will certainly offer you first-class entertainment, and a chance to watch one of the fastest growing fan league’s in the world. Check out the TV rights for the J-League.
| Streaming service | Live J-League Matches |
|---|---|
| Optus Sport | Four J-League 2023 matches LIVE each weekend with English commentary, as well as on-demand replays and a mid-week highlights show. |
| Stan Sport/Paramount+ | The 2023 J-League season is not available on either Stan Sport or Paramount+ in Australia |
| Free to Air TV | The 2023 J-League season is not available on free to air TV in Australia |
How to watch the J League Live in Australia
Optus Sport is the exclusive broadcaster for J-League football in Australia, and will be delivering four matches every weekend live and on-demand during the 2023 season. The Optus Sport J-League coverage includes English commentary, as well as a mid-week highlights show every Wednesday. The current broadcast agreement extends through the end of the 2023 season.
Optus Sport is also the exclusive provider of the English Premier League (all matches available live and on-demand), English Women’s Super League (up to 50 matches live), and Spanish La Liga (all matches available live and on-demand), providing you with wall-to-wall football during the current season.
Stream the J-League with Optus Sport
All the available sport on Optus is easy to follow from anywhere in the world with the Optus Sport app, which is supported by both Android TV and Apple TV. Plus, Optus Sport offers excellent coverage, as well as in-depth analysis, and you do not need to be an Optus mobile customer to enjoy their amazing sports streaming services.
Existing Optus customers can watch the J-League live on Optus Sport for no extra cost if they have an eligible phone or internet plan. The majority of post-paid Optus plans include access to Optus Sports, but you will need to check with the provider to confirm that your existing plan is supported.
If you are not a current Optus mobile or broadband customer, fear not. You can watch everything that Optus Sport has to offer, from the EPL to La Liga, with a monthly contract that you can cancel, or pause, at anytime. Likewise, the plans are very reasonable for the amount of content: The monthly plan comes in at $24.99, while an annual plan can be had for just $199.00. Currently, there is no Optus Sport free trial, but if one were to be made available we would update this page immediately.
Where to watch J League highlights
Optus Sport has created a comprehensive range of sports streaming replay options so that J-League fans stay up to date with all the action around the clock. No matter how much time you have available, you will find a replay that works for you with Optus Sport app and on demand game options.
First of all, there is the full match replay, the whole 90 minutes of select games available after the live broadcast. What’s more, many replays stay online for weeks, meaning you can go back and visit memorable games as and when you please.
Streaming device options for watching Optus Sport
Here are the best live stream TV devices to check out Optus Sport whether you’re at home or on the move.
Devices supported on Optus Sport
Streaming Devices
- Apple TV (4th generation and above)
- Fetch TV (Mini, 2nd Gen, Mighty)
- Android TV (Android 7 and above)
- Fire TV (1st & 2nd generation)
- Hubbl
Smart TV
- LG Smart TV (2017 models or newer)
- Samsung Smart TVs (2017 models or newer)
Mobile devices
- iPhone (iOS 10.0 and above)
- iPad (iOS 10.0 and above)
- Android (versions 5.0 and above)
Casting
- AirPlay (Apple TV Gen 1-3)
- Chromecast (2nd generation and above)
Gaming consoles
- Xbox One
- Xbox One S
- Xbox One X
Japan J League – how the season works
The 2023 J League competition, aka the J1 League, sees 18 teams play each other twice (once home and once away) from February through to November. The team that finishes top of the J League ladder at the end of the season automatically qualifies for the AFC Champions League group stages. The teams that finish second and third enter the AFC Champions League qualification phase.
At the other end of the ladder, the bottom two teams are relegated to the J2 League. The team that finishes in 16th place play against the J2 League’s playoff winners to stay in the top flight.
National teams are represented throughout the J-League, with a whole host of players who play at the highest level for Japan, Korea and Australia. Socceroos National team players like Thomas Deng (Albirex Niigata) and Mitchell Langerak (Nagoya Grampus) all ply their trade in the J League.
Other football to watch after the J League
Looking for more football to watch? Here are a few other leagues that may be of interest until the next J-League round comes along, all available to watch live with a TV streaming subscriptions and streaming services in Australia.
