[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!
- Top Songs to Hype Up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals [2026]
- 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 songs and recommended tracks for parody versions [2026] (111–120)
Soul RevolutionSuperfly
This is a Superfly single known for its powerful melody right from the start.
Its unusually powerful melody for a female vocalist can lift your spirits and help you face forward again, even if you’re feeling a bit down, so I think it’s perfect for sports events, not just school sports days or athletic festivals.
If you use it at a sports day or athletic festival, it will be especially motivating when played during competitions that determine winners and losers rather than for dances.
Youthful AmigoShūji to Akira
A truly luxurious track performed by Kazuya Kamenashi and Tomohisa Yamashita under their drama character names.
The duo of these two stars sparked a huge boom, and many people from the generation that watched the show might even know the dance.
Its appeal lies in the distinctive choreography and lyrics that sing about youthful friendship in harmony with the drama.
HappinessAI
Released in 2011, AI’s “Happiness” was also featured in a Coca-Cola commercial.
The Coca-Cola CM image is really strong, isn’t it? But if you listen closely, the lyrics are great and it’s a very uplifting, encouraging song.
Perfect for uniting everyone at a sports day! How about using it as a cheer song?
Begin Againsanari
Rapper Sanari, who’s also active as an actor thanks to his cool looks, is attracting attention with lyrics that capture the true-to-life feelings unique to teens.
Among his songs, the perfect track for a sports day is “Begin Again.” Released in 2022, it was created based on feedback collected from listeners on social media.
The sound has a dreamy atmosphere, and his clear vocals resonate beautifully.
It’s a heartwarming song that makes you want to cherish your “authentic self.” If you’re thinking, “I can’t find a song to cheer on the athletes at the sports festival,” be sure to give it a listen.
Effeminate; overly sentimental; being clingy/whiny (context-dependent)Gōruden Bonbā
Familiar from TV and the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, this song captures a heartbroken man’s feelings with a light, upbeat melody.
Its message—lingering attachment to an ex, regret, and the wish to be together again—has resonated with many people.
Released in October 2009, the song has had new “buzzword” versions made almost every year, reflecting the spirit of the times.
In fiscal 2013, it won the JASRAC Gold Award, a remarkable achievement for an indie release.
It was also used in House Foods’ “Mega Shaki” commercial, making it popular across a wide audience.
It’s perfect for pumping up sports days and dance events, and has gained attention as a track that kids and adults alike can enjoy dancing to.
It’s also ideal for cheer-style parody lyrics!
Bridge of Gloryyuzu
When it comes to songs that cheer on every student who worked hard for the sports festival, “Eikou no Kakehashi” comes to mind.
Released in 2004 by the folk duo Yuzu, it’s beloved across generations as one of their signature tracks.
Its lyrics, which portray people who keep striving even when they feel like they might lose or give up, will give courage to the athletes.
It’s an uplifting song whose strings and acoustic guitar—enveloping their emotional vocals—also bring comfort.
Be sure to check out this classic that perfectly matches every event at a sports festival.
ImaginationSPYAIR
Released in 2014, Imagination was the theme song for the TV anime Haikyu!!.
Since it was the theme for a sports anime, I think the lyrics also fit well as a cheer song for a school sports day.
It’s got a great groove!