Goodbye to ties in soccer: a revolutionary change to the rules, Ted Lasso style

In its centenary year, the J-League has approved the elimination of draws, introducing a penalty shootout that will award two points to the winner and one to the loser. The measure was endorsed by Japan’s top flight in a bid to introduce a new twist to its tiebreak system.

J-League to align calendar and transfer windows with Europe

If a J-League game ends level after 90 minutes, it will go straight to a penalty shootout to determine a winner. The rule will apply only in the event of a tied score and will remain in place during the transitional 2026 season.

Ted Lasso would love it.

It will be scrapped once the calendar overhaul is complete. The rest of the scoring system will remain unchanged, with three points awarded for a win in regulation time and none for a loss.

After the summer, the J-League will shift to a European-style calendar so that its competition schedule and transfer windows coincide with those in Europe. The season will begin in August and conclude in May or June, while the transfer window will run from July through September and again in January.

Rule debuts in Kyoto Sanga vs Vissel Kobe clash

The new format was used for the first time in the game between Kyoto Sanga and Vissel Kobe. The match finished 1-1 after regulation before going to penalties, where the Kobe side prevailed.

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