Khaberni - Japanese league organizers announced the adoption of an exceptional system during the 2026 season, in an unprecedented step, abolishing the draw result and resorting to penalty shootouts to settle any match that ends in a tie in regular time, celebrating 100 years since the competition's inception.
French newspaper L'Equipe reported that according to the new decision, the team winning the penalty shootouts will gain two points, while the losing team will get one point, in a format aiming to increase excitement and motivate clubs to seek victory until the last moments. This amendment is part of a special transitional season, lasting only four months, which will see a number of new systems being evaluated.
It was pointed out that those responsible for the Japanese League see that the idea might give the championship a more competitive nature and reduce matches that end with tactical caution in search of a draw point. It could also create a different dynamic in the standings, where every match has a final decision that directly reflects on the title race and the positions qualifying for continental tournaments.
The organizing bodies confirmed that the system will be applied temporarily during the 2026 season, with the experiment to be reviewed after its conclusion. If it proves successful technically and popularly, it might be officially adopted in subsequent seasons, potentially opening the door to a radical change in the philosophy of point calculation in Japanese soccer.
