The 2003 season was the 11th season since the establishment of the J.League. The league began on March 15 and ended on November 29.
General
Promotion and relegation
At the end of the 2002 Season, Oita Trinita and Cerezo Osaka were promoted to division 1. At the end of the 2002 Season, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Consadole Sapporo were relegated to division 2.
Changes in competition formats
Extra time was scratched for J.League Division 1. After regulation time, clubs now receives 3pts for a win, 1pt for a tie, and 0pts for a loss.
Changes in clubs
none
Honours
Clubs
Following sixteen clubs participated in J.League Division 1 during 2003 season. Of these clubs, Oita Trinita and Cerezo Osaka were newly promoted from Division 2.
Vegalta Sendai
Kashima Antlers
Urawa Red Diamonds
JEF United Ichihara
Kashiwa Reysol
FC Tokyo
Tokyo Verdy 1969
Yokohama F. Marinos
Shimizu S-Pulse
Jublio Iwata
Nagoya Grampus Eight
Kyoto Purple Sanga
Gamba Osaka
Cerezo Osaka
Vissel Kobe
Oita Trinita
Format
In the 2003 season, the league was conducted split-season format, 1st Stage and 2nd Stage. In each stage, sixteen clubs played in a single round-robin format, a total of 15 games per club (per stage). A club received 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss. The clubs were ranked by points, and tie breakers are, in the following order: Goal differential Goals scored Head-to-head results A draw would be conducted, if necessary. The club that finished at the top of the table is declared stage champion and qualifies for the Suntory Championship. The first stage winner, hosts the first leg in the championship series. If a single club wins both stages, the club is declared the season champions and championship series will not be held. Two bottom-placed clubs are relegated to J2.
Changes in Competition Format
Extra time was abandoned, now every regular season game ends after 90 minutes.
First stage
Table
Results
Second stage
Table
Results
Suntory Championship
In 2003, Suntory Championship was again not held because Yokohama F. Marinos had won both the first and the second stage and thus were automatically declared 2003 J.League Champions.
Overall table
Top scorers
Attendance figures
Awards
Individual
Best Eleven
{ | class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- !Position!!Footballer!!Club!!Nationality |- |GK||Seigo Narazaki (3)||Nagoya Grampus Eight|| |- |DF||Keisuke Tsuboi (1)||Urawa Red Diamonds|| |- |DF||Dutra (1)||Yokohama F. Marinos|| |- |DF||Yuji Nakazawa (2)||Yokohama F. Marinos|| |- |MF||Mitsuo Ogasawara (3)||Kashima Antlers|| |- |MF||Takashi Fukunishi (4)||Júbilo Iwata|| |- |MF||Daisuke Oku (2)||Yokohama F. Marinos|| |- |MF||Yasuhito Endō (1)||Gamba Osaka|| |- |FW||Emerson Sheik (2)||Urawa Red Diamonds|| |- |FW||Ueslei (1)||Nagoya Grampus Eight|| |- |FW |Tatsuhiko Kubo (1)||Yokohama F. Marinos||
* The number in brackets denotes the number of times that the footballer has appeared in the Best 11.