Thespa Gunma

Thespa Gunma (ザスパ群馬, Zasupa Gunma), formerly Thespakusatsu Gunma (ザスパクサツ群馬, Zasupakusatsu Gunma) is a professional football (soccer) club based in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club currently play in the J3 League after relegation from J2 in 2024, Japanese third tier of professional football.

Thespa Gunma
ザスパ群馬

Nickname(s)	Thespa (ザスパ, Zasupa)
Founded	1995; 30 years ago (1995) (as Liaison Kusatsu)
Ground	Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma Maebashi, Gunma
Capacity	15,253
Owner	Kusatsu Onsen Football Club
Chairman	Tomohiko Nara
Manager	Masaru Okita
League	J3 League
2024	J2 League, 20th of 20 (relegated)
Website	thespa.co.jp
Home colours Away colours
Current season

History

The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu, one of the most well-known spa resorts in Japan, as Liaison Kusatsu Football Club.^[1] The players were students of the specialized training college Higashi Nihon Soccer Academy. When the school closed in 1999 due to financial difficulties, the players decided to stay in Kusatsu and keep the club alive. In 2002, the club was incorporated as K.K. Kusatsu Onsen Football Club with a future promotion to the J. League in mind and adopted the new team name Thespa Kusatsu (ザスパ草津, zasupa kusatsu), meaning "The Spa, Kusatsu".^[1]

Because of J. League restrictions on stadiums, they play at Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma (Shikishima Athletics Stadium) in nearby Maebashi, the prefectural capital since the club were promoted to J. League Division 2 in the 2005 season.^[2]

From 1 February 2013, the club adopted the new name "Thespakusatsu Gunma", to give the impression of the club as a representative of the entire Gunma Prefecture, while still leaving the name "Kusatsu" in it, as well as the logo of the club as it is.^[3][4]

After 12 years spent in the J2 League, Thespakusatsu Gunma were relegated to the J3 League for the first time in their history, having finished in last place in the 2017 J2 League. Gunma returned to the J2 League ahead of the 2020 season after being promoted back to J2 after two years spent in J3.

On 5 October 2023, Thespakusatsu Gunma announced officially, a change of name and logo to Thespa Gunma commencing from the 2024 season, dropping the "Kusatsu" which was included in the name since 2005. ^[5]

On 29 September 2024, Thespa Gunma were officially relegated to J3 for the second time in their history, for the 2025 season after a defeat by Roasso Kumamoto 2-3 at home, which ended four years in second tier with five games remaining.

Stadium and training ground

The home stadium is Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma, Maebashi, Gunma. The capacity of the stadium is 15,253. The training ground is GCC The Park in Maebashi.

Record as J. League member

Champions

Runners-up

Third place

Promoted

Relegated

League													J. League Cup	Emperor's Cup
Season	Div.	Teams	Pos.	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts	Attendance/G
As Thespa Kusatsu
2005	J2	12	12th	44	5	8	31	26	82	-56	23	3,959	Not eligible	4th round
2006		13	12th	48	9	15	24	54	86	-32	42	3,736		4th round
2007		13	11th	48	7	21	20	42	71	-29	42	3,808		4th round
2008		15	9th	42	13	14	15	45	52	-7	53	4,215		3rd round
2009		18	10th	51	18	11	22	64	76	-12	65	4,330		3rd round
2010		19	12th	36	14	6	16	36	48	-12	48	4,424		2nd round
2011		20	9th	38	16	9	13	51	51	0	57	3,211		2nd round
2012		22	17th	42	12	11	19	31	15	-14	47	3,341		2nd round
As Thespakusatsu Gunma
2013	J2	22	20th	42	9	13	20	43	61	-18	40	3,571	Not eligible	2nd round
2014		22	18th	42	14	7	21	45	54	-9	49	3,689		4th round
2015		22	18th	42	13	9	20	34	56	-22	48	4,099		1st round
2016		22	17th	42	11	12	19	52	66	-14	45	4,744		2nd round
2017		22	22nd	42	5	5	32	32	88	-56	20	3,832		3rd round
2018	J3	17	5th	32	15	7	10	37	35	2	52	3,346		2nd round
2019		18	2nd	34	18	9	7	59	34	25	63	3,594		2nd round
2020 †	J2	22	20th	42	15	4	23	40	62	-22	49	1,709		Did not qualify
2021 †		22	18th	42	9	14	19	35	56	-21	41	2,082		4th round
2022		22	20th	42	11	9	22	36	57	-21	42	3,076		Round of 16
2023		22	11th	42	14	15	13	44	44	0	57	4,116		2nd round
As Thespa Gunma
2024	J2	20	20th	38	3	9	26	24	62	-38	18	3,988	2nd round	2nd round
2025	J3	20	TBD	38

Key

• Pos. = Position in league; P = Games played; W = Games won; D = Games drawn; L = Games lost; F = Goals scored; A = Goals conceded; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points gained
• Attendance/G = Average home league attendance
• † 2020 & 2021 seasons attendances reduced by COVID-19 worldwide pandemic
• Source: J. League Data Site

Honours

Thespa Gunma honours

Honour	No.	Years	Notes
Gunma Prefecture Division 4	1	1995	as Liaison Kusatsu
Gunma Prefecture Division 3	1	1996
Gunma Prefecture 2nd Division A	1	1997
Gunma Prefecture Division 2 B	1	2001
Gunma Prefecture Division 1	1	2002	as Thespa Kusatsu
Kantō Division 2	1	2003
Gunma Prefectural Football Association President's Cup Soccer Tournament	3	2003, 2018, 2019

Current squad

As of 13 August 2024.^[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 3 DF  JPN Ryuya Ohata 4 DF  JPN Yuma Funabashi 5 MF  JPN Chie Edoojon Kawakami 6 MF  JPN Tatsuya Uchida 7 MF  JPN Masashi Wada 8 FW  JPN Yuya Takazawa 9 FW  JPN Shuto Kitagawa 10 MF  JPN Ryo Sato 11 FW  JPN Ryuji Sugimoto 13 GK  JPN Issei Kondo 14 FW  JPN Riyo Kawamoto (on loan from Shimizu S-Pulse) 15 MF  JPN Koki Kazama 17 MF  JPN Atsuki Yamanaka 18 FW  JPN Luna Iwamoto 19 FW  JPN Sena Saito (on loan from Shimizu S-Pulse) 21 GK  JPN Masatoshi Kushibiki 22 DF  JPN Yuriya Takahashi

No. Pos. Nation Player 23 FW  JPN Shu Hiramatsu 24 DF  JPN Shuichi Sakai 25 DF  JPN Rikiru Nakano 27 MF  JPN Ren Fujimura 28 MF  JPN Ryonosuke Kabayama (on loan from Sagan Tosu) 29 DF  JPN Ryota Tagashira 30 FW  JPN Toranosuke Onoseki 32 FW  JPN Atsushi Kawata 33 MF  JPN Hajime Hosogai 35 MF  JPN Taishi Tamashiro 36 DF  JPN Daiki Nakashio 37 MF  JPN Gijo Sehata (on loan from V-Varen Nagasaki) 39 GK  JPN Kohei Maki 40 FW  JPN Kosuke Sagawa (on loan from Tokyo Verdy) 42 GK  JPN Ryo Ishii 44 MF  JPN Taishi Semba (on loan from Sanfrecce Hiroshima) 50 DF  JPN Kenta Kikuchi

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  JPN Yudai Nakata (on loan at Tiamo Hirakata)

Coaching staff

Coaching staff for 2025.

Position	Name
Manager	Masaru Okita
Coach	Kentaro Yoshida
Assistant coach	Ryo Ishibashi
Goalkeeping coach	Hidetoyo Watanabe
Analyst	Yota Sakuma
Physical coach	Yutaka Aoki
Physiotherapist	Koki Katakai
Trainer	Ryo Murakami Ryoji Sejino
Chief secretary	Ryo Suzuki
Team secretary	Ryota Osawa
Kitman	Riku Takahashi

Managerial history

Manager	Nationality	Tenure
		Start	Finish
Ratko Stevović	Montenegro	1995	1997
Naoki Kimura	Japan	1998	1999
Ratko Stevović	Montenegro	2000	2001
Ryōsuke Okuno	Japan	1 February 2002	31 January 2004
Satoshi Tezuka	Japan	1 January 2005	31 December 2005
Shigeharu Ueki	Japan	1 February 2006	31 January 2009
Tōru Sano	Japan	1 February 2009	31 January 2010
Hiroshi Soejima	Japan	1 February 2010	31 January 2013
Tadahiro Akiba	Japan	1 February 2013	31 January 2015
Hiroki Hattori	Japan	1 January 2015	31 December 2016
Hitoshi Morishita	Japan	1 February 2017	31 January 2018
Keiichirō Nuno	Japan	1 February 2018	31 January 2020
Ryōsuke Okuno	Japan	1 February 2020	4 July 2021
Kiyokazu Kudō	Japan	5 July 2021	31 January 2022
Tsuyoshi Otsuki	Japan	1 February 2022	8 May 2024
Akira Muto	Japan	9 May 2024 [7]	31 January 2025
Masaru Okita	Japan	1 February 2025 [8]	present

Kit evolution

Home kits - 1st
2003 - 2004	2005	2006 - 2007	2008	2009
2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
2025 -

Away kits - 2nd
2003 - 2004	2005	2006 - 2007	2008	2009
2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
2025 -