[Sports Day Cheer Songs] A roundup of classic cheer anthems and recommended parody-song picks [2026]
Cheer songs and background music are essential for sports days and athletic festivals! Classic staples that make you want to start running the moment you hear them are a given, but it’s also long been common to rewrite the lyrics of popular J-pop songs and sing them as parodies.
In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of Japanese songs that are perfect for cheering at school sports events! Of course, we’ve also picked out songs that will hype up the crowd even if you sing them as-is.
Be sure to read through to the end!
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- [Youth Songs] Songs that liven up sports days and athletic festivals. Music that adds color to the event.
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- Before a match or when you feel like giving up! Cheer songs to keep you going in club activities
- Let's send our teammates a powerful cheer! A roundup of cheer calls for sports day.
[Sports Day Cheer Songs] A roundup of classic cheer anthems and recommended parody songs [2026] (61–70)
cherry (sweet cherry; cherry fruit)Otsuka Ai
Ever since it was released in 2003 as Ai Otsuka’s second single, it’s felt like it has never stopped selling—a truly timeless hit.
First as her own smash hit, then as the background music for the comedy group Nyanko Star’s skit, and more recently as a popular track on TikTok—Ai Otsuka’s voice resonates with every generation.
It’s honestly amazing! If you make this song your cheer anthem, it won’t just fire up your team—the entire sports day will come alive.
For the final line of the chorus, you can turn the “I am a cherry”–style lyric into an impromptu cheer song by swapping in phrases like “Class 2-B is number one!” or “Go, [Name]!”
Cry BabyOfisharu Higedan Dism
If you’re looking for a passionate cheer song that can completely change the atmosphere of the venue, we recommend “Cry Baby.” Released in 2021 by Official HIGE DANDism, a four-piece band that has led the J-pop scene since the late 2010s, it was featured in the anime Tokyo Revengers.
While they excel at jazzy tunes, the exhilarating groove of this track even evokes elements of classical and hard rock.
With “battle” as its theme, it’s sure to instantly raise the voltage at a sports day event.
The Zero Sense10-FEET
You can’t take your ears off the powerful guitar sound! It’s a track by 10-FEET, a three-piece band from Kyoto.
It’s included on their ninth album, Collins, released in December 2022.
The song was used as the ending theme for the film THE FIRST SLAM DUNK.
The lyrics, which symbolize the journey of taking on dreams and achieving self-realization, are particularly striking.
With its up-tempo feel, it would also fit well with a scene of a quick, running exit.
Listening to this track will make you feel like it lights a fire in your heart! It’s also recommended for those looking for popular artists’ songs to use as cheer-style parody lyrics at school sports days.
room for growthCreepy Nuts
The members of Creepy Nuts are in such high demand not only on music shows but also on variety programs, where things like improvised rap are their specialty.
Lines like “Our talent is about to be exposed to the world,” the official song for the R-1 Grand Prix, are praised as cool, and on other tracks, people on social media go wild saying “Their singing style is so distinctive!”—their every move becomes a hot topic.
Their song Nobishiro is also perfect as a pep tune for school sports festivals filled with students whose futures are wide open.
There are tons of parody ideas too, like swapping the repeated “We’ve got nothing but room to grow” style refrain for a class name or the name of the student you’re cheering for.
Use this upbeat, fast-tempo track to give your team some momentum!
Zankyo SankaAimer
For marquee events like relays and tug-of-war, exhilarating rock is a must! ‘Zankyosanka’ was released by singer Aimer in 2022 and was chosen as the opening theme for the anime Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc.
It’s an upbeat tune featuring the bright tones of a brass band.
Her powerful yet delicate husky voice is soothing.
The fiery, dynamic band sound perfectly matches the excitement of a sports day! Give it a listen when you’re cheering on the athletes with all-out gestures.
rainbowAqua Timez
It was released in 2008 as Aqua Timez’s sixth single.
The song was used as the theme for the NTV drama Gokusen: Season 3 and reached No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
The lyrics carry the message that joy will surely await after overcoming hardship, making it a song that inspires effort when played at sports days and athletic festivals.
Kitearashi
It’s a message song that makes hope for the future well up inside you.
It’s a track by the national idol group Arashi, released in 2020 as their 58th single.
The lyrics and composition were handled by singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu.
Its grand yet somehow nostalgic tone is distinctive.
Strangely enough, it makes you want to cherish where you are right now and feel grateful to the people around you.
If you were to make a parody version, you could swap out the title word “Kite” for a team name or a person’s name.
