Omiya Ardija Explained

is a Japanese professional association football club based in Ōmiya, Saitama Prefecture. Its "hometown" as designated by the league is the whole of Saitama city, which is shared with neighbours Urawa Red Diamonds. The team set to competes in the J2 League from 2025, the Japanese second tier of professional football. After promotion from 2024 in third tier.

Crest

Omiya Ardija's crest features a squirrel on the right, which is the animal of Omiya. On the left, there are 5 lines, which reference the historic roads that run through Omiya, including the famous Nakasendō, which runs to the Hikawa Shrine, right near Nack5 Stadium.

On 6 November 2024, Omiya Ardija announcement officially change crest and name to RB Omiya Ardija after acquiring Red Bull GmbH from 2025.^[1] Logo colour is Orange and Blue.

History

The team were founded in 1968 as NTT Saitama Soccer Selection in Urawa, Saitama and later known as the NTT Kantō Soccer Club in 1969. They were first promoted to the Japan Soccer League (JSL) Division 2 in 1987/88, and when the JSL folded, joined the former Japan Football League.^[2]

In 1998 it was separately incorporated as NTT Sport Community K.K. based in Ōmiya to participate in the J. League. The name "Ardija" is a transcription of the Spanish language ardilla (squirrel) which is the mascot of Ōmiya and the park in which their home stadium is located.^[3]

Their matches against Urawa Red Diamonds have been called the "Saitama derby".^[4]

In 2005–2007 most of Omiya's home matches were held at Saitama Stadium 2002 and Urawa Komaba Stadium due to expansion works at their home ground. In October 2007 the expansion was complete. On November 11, the re-opening match was held as a J. League season match between the Ardija and Ōita Trinita (1–2).^[5]

Omiya competed in the J1 League following an immediate promotion in 2015 after being relegated in 2014. Omiya was relegated again following the 2017 season. They competed in J1 2005 and continued to remain until 2014, following promotion from J2 in 2004 as the second placed team.

In 2023, Omiya were relegated to J3 League after six seasons stint in second division due to worst performance and will play third division football for the first time since 1993.

On 15 February 2024, before the start of the season, Sports Nippon reported that Austrian energy drink maker Red Bull may buy a J.League club, and that Omiya Ardija was the leading candidate.^[6] On July 26 of the same year, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that Red Bull had reached an agreement in principle to buy Omiya Ardija.^[7]

In August 2024, Omiya Ardija announced Red Bull as their new owner, after acquiring 100% of the club shares, formerly owned by NTT, becoming part of their multi-club ownership.^[8] This will be the first time that a foreign company has become the sole owner of a major Japanese professional sports team, including the J.League.^[9] Red Bull began by acquiring management rights to Austrian first division club Salzburg in 2005 and now owns six clubs: Leipzig in Bundesliga, New York Red Bulls in the United States MLS, Liefering in Admiral 2. Liga, Bragantino in Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A and Red Bull Brasil (now Red Bull Bragantino II) in the Sao Paulo State Championship. In the past, they also owned Red Bull Ghana in Africa and Omiya will be the eighth club they own.

NTT East will continue to support the company as a sponsor even after the transfer of shares.^[10]

On 13 October 2024, Omiya secure promotion to J2 League after defeat Fukushima United 3-2 and return to second tier after one year absence. Six days later, Omiya secure first title of J3 League after draw against FC Imabari 1-1 on matchweek 33.

Stadiums

Their home field is : Ōmiya Football Stadium by the naming rights with occasional games being played at the Kumagaya Athletic Stadium.

Mascots

Omiya Ardija has two squirrels as its mascots, named Ardi and Miya. Both wear the team kits. According to the club website, Miya is one size smaller than Ardi, being then, slightly shorter than him.^[11]

Record as a J. League member

bgcolor=gold

Champions

bgcolor=silver

Runners-up

Third place

bgcolor=palegreen

Promoted

bgcolor=pink

Relegated

League														Emperor's Cup
Season	Div.	Teams	Pos.	P	W (OTW)	D	L (OTL)	F	A	GD	Pts	Attendance/G
as Omiya Ardija
1999		10	6th	36	14 (4)	1	15 (2)	47	44	3	51	2,674	1st round	3rd round
2000		11	4th	40	21 (2)	1	14 (2)	55	49	6	68	3,477	1st round	3rd round
2001		12	5th	44	20 (6)	6	11(1)	73	43	30	78	3,864	1st round	1st round
2002		12	6th	44	14	17	13	52	42	10	59	5,266	Not eligible	4th round
2003		12	6th	44	18	7	19	52	61	9	61	5,058		3rd round
2004		12	2nd	44	26	9	9	63	38	25	87	6,108		5th round
2005		18	13th	34	12	5	17	39	50	11	41	9,980	Quarter final	Semi final
2006		18	12th	34	13	5	16	43	55	12	44	10,234	Group stage	5th round
2007		18	15th	34	8	11	15	24	40	16	35	11,465	Group stage	4th round
2008		18	12th	34	12	7	15	36	45	9	43	9,350	Group stage	5th round
2009		18	13th	34	9	12	13	40	47	7	39	13,707	Group stage	3rd round
2010		18	12th	34	11	9	14	39	45	6	42	11,064	Group stage	4th round
2011		18	13th	34	10	12	12	38	48	10	42	12,221	2nd round	2nd round
2012		18	13th	34	11	11	12	38	45	7	44	10,637	Group stage	4th round
2013		18	14th	34	14	3	17	45	48	3	45	11,138	Group stage	2nd round
2014		18	16th	34	9	8	17	44	60	16	35	10,811	Group stage	Quarter final
2015	J2	22	1st	42	26	8	8	72	37	35	86	9,490	Not eligible	3rd round
2016	J1	18	5th	34	15	11	8	41	36	5	56	11,814	Quarter final	Semi final
2017		18	18th	34	5	10	19	28	60	32	25	11,464	Group stage	Quarter final
2018	J2	22	5th	42	21	8	13	65	48	17	71	9,224	Not eligible	3rd round
2019		22	3rd	42	20	15	7	62	40	22	75	9,478		3rd round
2020 †		22	15th	42	14	11	17	43	52	9	53	2,515		Did not qualify
2021 †		22	16th	42	9	15	18	51	56	5	42	4,311		2nd round
2022		22	19th	42	10	13	19	48	64	-16	43	5,272		3rd round
2023		22	bgcolor=pink	21st	42	11	6	25	37	71	-49	39		6,862	3rd round
2024		20	bgcolor=gold	1st	38	25	10	3	72	32	40	85	7,472		2nd round
as RB Omiya Ardija
2025	J2	20	TBD	38

Honours

Honour !!scope=col

No. !	scope=col	Years
In chronological order-->	scope=row	Shakaijin Cup	1	1981
scope=row	Regional League promotion series	1	1986
scope=row	J2 League	1	2015
J3 League	1	2024

Players

^[12]

Out on loan

• Past (and present) players who are the subjects of Wikipedia articles can be found here

Omiya Ardija U-18

The main U-18 team of Omiya Ardija currently plays in the Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, the top-flight league for U-18 clubs in the country.^[13]

Coaching staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Tetsu Nagasawa
Assistant coach	Tetsuhiro Kina
First-team coach	Naomichi Wakamiya Yusuke Shimada
Goalkeeping coach	Norio Takahashi
Physical coach	Takuma Okumura
Technical staff	Yuki Fukuro
Chief manager	Yosuke Hakamada
Side manager	Yuichi Goto
Interpreter	Leonardo Uehara Minori Sato
Chief athletic trainer	Takafumi Kazama
Athletic trainer	Kenichi Sekido Natsuya Yashiro
Physiotherapist	Ryohei Ikuta

Managerial history

Manager	Nationality	Tenure <		--!colspan="5"	Managerial Record-->
		Start	Finish	P	W	D	L	W %-->
		1 January 1999	31 December 1999	-->
		1 February 2000	31 January 2002	-->
		22 December 2001	22 December 2002	-->
		1 February 2003	13 October 2003	-->
		10 October 2003	31 December 2003	-->
		1 February 2004	31 January 2007	-->
		1 January 2007	30 June 2007	-->
		1 July 2007	31. December 2007	-->
		1 February 2008	31 January 2009	-->
		1. February 2009	26 April 2010	-->
		24 April 2010	19 May 2012	-->
Takeyuki Okamoto (interim)		31 Mai 2012	10 June 2012	-->
		10 June 2012	11 August 2013	-->
Takeyuki Okamoto (interim)		11 August 2013	20 August 2013	-->
		20 August 2013	31 December 2013	-->
		1 February 2014	31 August 2014	-->
		31 August 2014	28 May 2017	-->
		29 Mai 2017	5 November 2017	-->
		6 November 2017	31 January 2019	-->
		1 February 2019	31 January 2021	-->
		1 February 2021	25 May 2021	-->
		26 May 2021	9 June 2021	-->
		10 June 2021	26 May 2022
Naoki Soma[14]		28 May 2022	19 May 2023	-->
Masato Harasaki[15]		19 May 2023	present	-->

External links

• Omiya Ardija Homepage
• Omiya Ardija Homepage

Notes and References

1. Web site: RB大宮株式会社 クラブプロパティ変更のお知らせ . 大宮アルディージャ . 2024-11-07 . 2024-11-06.
2. Web site: Omiya Ardija Club Profile. J. League. 24 April 2015. 6 June 2015.
3. Web site: Club Profile. Omiya Ardija. 6 June 2015.
4. Web site: The 13th Saitama derby in the football-mad region comes around this Saturday in Japan's J-League when Urawa Red Diamonds face Omiya Ardija. Goal.com. 11 June 2011. 6 June 2015.
5. Web site: オレンジの聖地一新 NACK5スタジアム大宮. ja. 47news. Saitama Shimbun. 23 October 2007.
6. Web site: レッドブルJリーグ参入へ J初の外国資本企業オーナー誕生も J3大宮が最有力候補. スポーツニッポン. 2024-02-15. 2024-08-08.
7. Web site: レッドブル、Jリーグ参入 J3大宮アルディージャを買収. 日本経済新聞. 2024-07-26. 2024-08-08.
8. Web site: Red Bull adds first Asian club to soccer portfolio with Omiya Ardija takeover. ja. sportspromedia.com. SportsPro. 8 August 2024. 9 August 2024.
9. Web site: レッドブルがJ3大宮アルディージャ買収発表 NTT東日本から、Jリーグに参入 . 日本経済新聞 . 2024-08-06 . 2024-08-07.
10. Web site: 大宮アルディージャの株式、レッドブルに譲渡 佐野社長「成功につなげる」 契約締結、譲渡は今年9月を予定 NTT東日本はスポンサー企業に クラブ名の存続などについても言及 . 埼玉新聞 . 2024-08-07 . 2024-08-07.
11. Web site: 大宮アルディージャ公式サイト . 2022-05-31 . www.ardija.co.jp.
12. Web site: TOPTEAM. Omiya Ardija. 4 February 2024.
13. Web site: ACADEMY. 6 April 2023. ja.
14. Web site: 相馬直樹 監督 就任のお知らせ. ja. 26 May 2022. 26 May 2022.
15. Web site: 監督交代のお知らせ. ja. 19 May 2023. 19 May 2023.