3rd Cho Kwi-jae Cup 2025 to be held
Junior tournament in Sakyo Ward with a view to the world
The junior-age tournament “Cho Kwi-jae Cup 2025”, named after Kyoto Sanga F.C. head coach Cho Kwi-jae from the J1 League, will be held on 28 December 2025 at Takaragaike Ballgame Ground in Kyoto’s Sakyo Ward. Aimed at boys and girls playing for football clubs in Kyoto, the competition is now in its third edition and focuses not only on improving performance, but also on nurturing human growth.
| Tournament name | 3rd Cho Kwi-jae Cup 2025 |
|---|---|
| Date | 28 December 2025 |
| Venue | Takaragaike Ballgame Ground |
| Organizer | Kyoto Junior Soccer Federation – Sakyo Branch |
| Supporters | Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City / Kyoto Shimbun / KBS Kyoto |
The Cho Kwi-jae Cup is organized with the goal of developing the junior generation based in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. In addition to enhancing football skills and tactical understanding, the tournament places emphasis on cultivating respect, initiative, and the attitude to face difficulties through match experience. Coach Cho, whose name the competition bears, hopes that players who can one day spread their wings to the world will emerge from his home Sakyo Ward, and he has poured his thoughts into this event. Another key theme is for not only children, but also coaches, parents and the wider community to rediscover the value of football and help embed sport as part of local culture.
In junior-age tournaments, the value of “experience” outweighs wins and losses. Over multiple games, players think for themselves, take on challenges and adapt, gradually building up that process. Rooted in the local community of Sakyo Ward while keeping an eye on the future that lies beyond, this tournament becomes a meaningful opportunity for participating players to grow.
Several junior teams, mainly from within Kyoto Prefecture, will take part this time. Community clubs, school-based teams and squads with diverse backgrounds will all come together to compete and test what they have been working on in daily training.
Message from Cho Kwi-jae
Thank you very much for gladly taking part in the 3rd Cho Kwi-jae Cup despite how busy the year-end period can be.
My heartfelt thanks also go to everyone who continues to support this tournament – our sponsors, the organizations providing backing, and all those involved in running the event.
I started playing football at Ohara Elementary School, and as a boy I played matches here at Takaragaike with my teammates, getting covered in mud, crying tears of joy and crying tears of frustration…
These are precious memories that I still have never forgotten.
“Ichii-senshin” – wholehearted single-mindedness.
When you devote yourself to one thing without having your heart swayed, you will of course run into hardships and moments of doubt. But I believe that in doing so, opportunities will always come to have truly wonderful experiences and to encounter truly wonderful people.
The experiences and encounters I had here in Sakyo Ward are the starting point that allow me to work in football today. I am convinced that sincerely facing yourself, caring for your teammates, pushing each other to improve, enjoying football for the sake of your team and yourself, sometimes battling against difficulties, and throwing yourself wholeheartedly into your goals will become irreplaceable assets when the children step into society in the future.
“From Sakyo Ward to the world.”
My hope is that this tournament can help light a spark of that same single-minded focus in the children, and that it will become one of the steps toward a future in which each of them can spread their wings in their own field. With that wish, I would like to close my greeting.
Participating teams
- Kyoto Sanga F.C. SP
- Kyoto Aoi Football Club
- Kyoto Rakuhoku Junior Soccer Club
- Sakyo Ward Shugakuin No.2 Sports Boys Club
- Yoshida Football Club
- Kamitakano / Muromachi Soccer Boys Club
- Ranfans Soccer Sports Boys Club
- Shugakuin Football Sports Boys Club
- AC gloria U12
- Nishijin Chuo Soccer Boys Club
- Uzumasu Soccer Boys Club
- Minami Uzumasu Soccer Sports Boys Club
- Maizuru Minami Football Club
- CREAR FC
- MIO Biwako Shiga U-12
- Kyoto Murasaki Football Club
Preliminary league: Group A
| Match | Kick-off | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Kyoto Sanga F.C. SP vs AC gloria U12 | 8:40 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Kyoto Aoi Football Club vs Ranfans Soccer Sports Boys Club | 8:40 | Ballgame Ground B |
| AC gloria U12 vs Ranfans Soccer Sports Boys Club | 9:44 | Ballgame Ground B |
| Kyoto Sanga F.C. SP vs Kyoto Aoi Football Club | 9:44 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Kyoto Sanga F.C. SP vs Ranfans Soccer Sports Boys Club | 10:48 | Sports Ground |
| Kyoto Aoi Football Club vs AC gloria U12 | 11:20 | Sports Ground |
Preliminary league: Group B
| Match | Kick-off | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| MIO Biwako Shiga U-12 vs Kyoto Rakuhoku Junior Soccer Club | 9:12 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Maizuru Minami Football Club vs Yoshida Football Club | 9:12 | Ballgame Ground B |
| MIO Biwako Shiga U-12 vs Maizuru Minami Football Club | 10:16 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Kyoto Rakuhoku Junior Soccer Club vs Yoshida Football Club | 10:16 | Ballgame Ground B |
| MIO Biwako Shiga U-12 vs Yoshida Football Club | 11:52 | Sports Ground |
| Maizuru Minami Football Club vs Kyoto Rakuhoku Junior Soccer Club | 12:24 | Sports Ground |
Preliminary league: Group C
| Match | Kick-off | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| CREAR FC vs Minami Uzumasu Soccer Sports Boys Club | 8:40 | Sports Ground |
| Sakyo Ward Shugakuin No.2 Sports Boys Club vs Shugakuin Football Sports Boys Club | 9:12 | Sports Ground |
| CREAR FC vs Shugakuin Football Sports Boys Club | 10:48 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Sakyo Ward Shugakuin No.2 Sports Boys Club vs Minami Uzumasu Soccer Sports Boys Club | 10:48 | Ballgame Ground B |
| CREAR FC vs Sakyo Ward Shugakuin No.2 Sports Boys Club | 11:52 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Shugakuin Football Sports Boys Club vs Minami Uzumasu Soccer Sports Boys Club | 11:52 | Ballgame Ground B |
Preliminary league: Group D
| Match | Kick-off | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Uzumasu Soccer Boys Club vs Nishijin Chuo Soccer Boys Club | 9:44 | Sports Ground |
| Kamitakano / Muromachi Soccer Boys Club vs Kyoto Murasaki Football Club | 10:16 | Sports Ground |
| Uzumasu Soccer Boys Club vs Kyoto Murasaki Football Club | 11:20 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Kamitakano / Muromachi Soccer Boys Club vs Nishijin Chuo Soccer Boys Club | 11:20 | Ballgame Ground B |
| Uzumasu Soccer Boys Club vs Kamitakano / Muromachi Soccer Boys Club | 12:24 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Kyoto Murasaki Football Club vs Nishijin Chuo Soccer Boys Club | 12:24 | Ballgame Ground B |
Championship knockout stage (1st–4th)
| Round | Fixture | Kick-off | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-final 1 | 1st A vs 2nd D | 12:52 | Ballgame Ground A |
| Semi-final 2 | 1st C vs 2nd B | 12:52 | Ballgame Ground B |
| Final | Winners of semi-finals | 15:14 | Ballgame Ground A |
3rd-place league (9th–12th)
| Match | Fixture | Kick-off | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd-place league 1 | 3rd A vs 3rd D | 14:54 | Ballgame Ground A |
| 3rd-place league 2 | 3rd B vs 3rd C | 14:54 | Ballgame Ground B |
| Placement match | Fixture based on above results | 16:30 | Sports Ground |
4th-place league (13th–16th)
| Match | Fixture | Kick-off | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th-place league 1 | 4th A vs 4th D | 13:50 | Sports Ground |
| 4th-place league 2 | 4th B vs 4th C | 14:22 | Sports Ground |
| Placement match | Fixture based on above results | 15:58 | Ballgame Ground A |
