[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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- Cheer songs to hype up the sports day! A collection of motivational tracks recommended for kids
- Songs that hype up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals: Japanese Music / J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026]
- Recommended cheer songs for elementary school students: popular tracks to listen to when you want a boost
- [2026] Curated J-POP to Energize Sports Days and Athletic Festivals! Also Great as Entrance Music
- [Dance Tracks] Perfect for School Sports Days! A Curated Selection of Fun, Popular Songs to Dance To [2026]
- Sports Day/Athletics Festival: Crowd-Pleasing Cheer Battle Ideas and Performances
- Get hyped! A collection of Vocaloid songs to energize your sports day and athletic festival
- [Youth Songs] Songs that liven up sports days and athletic festivals. Music that adds color to the event.
- Recommended cheer-up songs for middle schoolers: Classic Japanese hits that will empower student life
- [To All Athletes] Inspirational Sports Anthems & Empowering Theme Songs
- 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-song picks [2026] (71–80)
to youMONGOL800
MONGOL800’s signature song “Anata ni” (To You), released in 2001, expresses heartfelt feelings toward someone important.
Its band sound fits perfectly with sports day scenes, and hearing it at a sports day will likely bring to mind the faces of the teammates you’ve worked hard with.
How about using it for cooperative events like the giant ball roll or the three-legged race? If you’re making a parody version, you might replace the title phrase with the word “nakama” (teammates).
You could also write entirely new lyrics with a sports day theme.
StaRtMrs. GREEN APPLE
If you’re looking for a song to hype up the opening of a heated sports day, “StaRt” is highly recommended.
It was included on the 2015 album “Variety” by the rock band Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, known for delivering a wide range of upbeat tracks to listeners.
The classical melodies woven into the high-velocity band sound are truly stirring.
This positively charged rock number is a perfect match for hopeful students! Why not play it to kick off your once-a-year tournament?
Sora-buneTOKIO
It’s a song that makes you want to trust your own strength and push forward, even recklessly—a number that radiates a powerful will.
It’s one of TOKIO’s signature tracks; the group is known for many popular songs like “AMBITIOUS JAPAN!” This was released in 2006 as their 35th single and was used as the theme song for the drama “My Boss My Hero.” The powerful melodic line pairs perfectly with vocalist Nagase’s manly voice—it really fires you up to face tomorrow.
A parody version that weaves in lots of people’s names might be fun, too.
migratory bird[Alexandros]
![migratory bird[Alexandros]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/O_DLtVuiqhI/sddefault.jpg)
A signature song that brought [Alexandros] into the spotlight, now thriving with theme songs for films, dramas, and commercials.
Its refreshing, upbeat melody makes you want to jump, while the lyrics—filled with a strong resolve that mirrors their own journey—give listeners a motivational push.
Blue HabitatKitanitatsuya
“Ao no Sumika” is a song known as the opening theme for the anime Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death.
It was released by Tatsuya Kitani in 2023.
The lyrics are a bit bittersweet, but the song evokes the characters’ youth, making it a perfect choice for a school sports festival.
Its driving sound also makes it great for sprints and relays.
If you plan to use a parody version, you could replace the key word “blue” with your class color and create new lyrics.
Ojamajo Carnival!!MAHO dō
When it comes to bright and cute songs, “Ojamajo Carnival!!” is the one.
You probably know it as the opening theme of the anime Ojamajo Doremi.
The anime isn’t airing now, but the song is still popular, and “I tried dancing” videos are frequently uploaded.
It’s a perfect track for scenes like beanbag tosses and races, so definitely consider picking it.
If you want to use it as a parody song, how about changing the chorus lyrics to words related to a sports day?
Again and againHinatazaka46
The song that will cheer on a sports day that heats up both heart and body in a refreshing way is “Nando demo Nando demo.” It’s included on “Tteka,” released in 2021 by the female idol group Hinatazaka46, whose strikingly fresh school-uniform look stands out, and it was chosen as the support song for the 41st High School Quiz.
A dynamic melody that evokes ‘youth’ resounds throughout.
You can also feel the strength within their cute vocals.
It’s a cheer song that further amps up an intense sports day, from relays to tug-of-war.