On June 25, the J League officially announced modifications to its concussion substitution rule. The new regulation will take effect from the first matchday after August 3, aligning with the updated guidelines introduced by the International Football Advisory Board for the new season. The revised provisions are as follows.
Under the latest concussion substitution rule, each team in a J League match can make one concussion substitution, and if the opposing team utilizes their concussion substitute, the other team may also make an additional substitution. Previously, concussion substitution rules applied only to the club with an injured player. This new implementation ensures that no team gains an unfair advantage through an unconfirmed concussion leading to an extra substitution.
Notably, following the introduction of this rule, each team could theoretically replace up to seven players in a single match – five regular substitutions and one concussion replacement for each side. However, within the J League context, concussion substitutions are counted separately from regular substitutions. If a team makes a concussion substitution during its regular substitution window, it will count towards the regular allowance. Coaches must inform the referee team of the type of substitution beforehand to avoid confusion.
