Wikipedia - J.League Cup

The J.League Cup (Japanese: Jリーグカップ, Hepburn: Jē-rīgu Kappu), a.k.a. J.League YBC Levain Cup (Japanese: JリーグYBCルヴァンカップ, Hepburn: Jē-rīgu Waibīshī Ruvan Kappu) or YBC Levain Cup (Japanese: ルヴァンカップ、ルヴァン杯, Hepburn: Ruvan Kappu) a Japanese football knockout tournament organised by J.League, the men's association football league in Japan. It has been sponsored by Yamazaki Biscuits (YBC) of Yamazaki Baking (formerly Yamazaki Nabisco) since its inception in 1992. It was known as the J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup (Japanese: Jリーグヤマザキナビスコカップ, Hepburn: Jē-rīgu Yamazaki Nabisuko Kappu) or Nabisco Cup (Japanese: ナビスコカップ、ナビスコ杯, Hepburn: Nabisuko Kappu) until August 2016.

It is generally regarded as the Japanese equivalent to league cup competitions played in many countries, such as the Football League Cup in England, as complementary to the Emperor's Cup competed between clubs from all divisions of professional football in Japan. Before the J. League Cup was created, the old Japan Soccer League had its own Japan Soccer League Cup since the 1976 season.

The tournament format varies almost each year largely depending on the schedule of international matches such as the Olympic Games and World Cup games (see the Format section below).

From 2007 to 2023, the winners qualified for the J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship held in the following summer, where they played against the winners of the Copa Sudamericana. The tournament was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was not held for 2021 and 2022, before ultimately being cancelled in 2023.

The Japan J-League Cup, also known as the Emperor's Cup J.League YBC Levain Cup, is a prestigious knockout football competition in Japan featuring professional clubs from the J-League. Established to showcase the nation's top-tier talent, the tournament brings together the best teams from Japan's professional league system to compete for national glory. Known for its exciting matches and intense rivalries, the J-League Cup offers fans a thrilling showcase of Japanese football talent and tactical prowess. The competition typically runs throughout the Japanese football season, culminating in a final where the victorious team earns not only the cup but also significant prestige within Japanese football.