© AFP Played across two-legs, the J.League Championship Final between Urawa Reds and Kashima Antlers will not only determine Japan’s top club for 2016, but also the nation’s representative at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016. The Reds earned their berth by finishing top of the overall first-division standings, while Antlers won the first stage and ended the season in third place. The latter defeated second-place Kawasaki Frontale 1-0 in the semi-final play-off and will carry this momentum into the final’s first leg, where they will enjoy home advantage.
The J.League’s top tier will return to a single-stage tournament from 2017, so this year’s play-off will be the last J1 championship decided under this format. The league used this two-stage system between 1993 and 1995, 1997 and 2004, as well as for the last two seasons. Kashima have reached five of the previous 12 championship play-offs, and clinched three titles. Urawa reached the play-offs in 2015 after winning the first stage an..
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