[Sports Day Cheer Songs] A roundup of classic cheer songs and recommended tracks for parody versions
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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- [Dance Songs] Recommended for school sports days and athletic festivals! A curated selection of popular tracks that are fun to dance to
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- [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
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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 tunes and recommended songs for parody versions (111–120)
I can only face forwardAKB48
When it comes to songs that further energize a student-centered sports day, AKB48’s 2014 release “Mae Shika Mukanee” stands out.
With a driving, high-speed band sound, it belts out positive emotions.
Showcasing the group’s rich choral work and choreography, it’s also a great pick if you’re looking for a song that can be adapted into a cheer or parody by a large group.
It’s a rock number that paints a picture of a fiery heart, giving you the push to keep looking forward when you feel like giving up or losing heart.
[Sports Day Cheer Songs] Summary of classic cheer songs and recommended tracks for parody versions (121–130)
CampioneORANGE RANGE
This song was selected as the theme for NHK’s coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup and became known across Japan as a cheer anthem.
It’s a track by ORANGE RANGE, a mixture rock band from Okinawa, released in 2006 as their 13th single.
Bursting with energy from the opening chant, it’s perfect for boosting your competitive spirit.
The consistently upbeat lyrics are uplifting, too.
The further you listen, the more fun it gets—a positive number sure to fire up the crowd!
lightly; nimbly; flutteringlyGReeeeN
It’s a cheer song filled with a runner’s spirit! It’s a track by GReeeeN, released in November 2023 as the official theme song of the All Japan Collegiate Ekiden.
It sings of facing challenges by overcoming loneliness and anxiety, carried by a light yet powerful melody.
You can feel a strong will to spread one’s wings toward the wide sky, even while bearing emotional scars.
It also conveys the desire to become someone’s special person, which is truly moving.
It’s perfect for cheering together at sports days and school festivals.
It’s also great for parody versions and for scenes where children dash out energetically at the end.
Helloyama × bocchiboromaru
A heartwarming collaborative piece by yama and Bocchi Boromaru, brimming with positive energy as a rousing anthem.
It carries a message that awakens hope for the future and a spirit of adventure, with a simple yet powerful melody that resonates deeply.
The song is approachable for a wide audience and was chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Pokémon starting in October 2023.
In December 2023, it was released on CD in two formats: a standard edition and a limited-time production edition.
As a positive track that makes you want to sing along with someone, it’s perfect for cheering at sports days and athletic festivals.
Raise your voices together with friends under the blue sky, and it will surely become a wonderful memory.
strollInoue Azumi
It’s important to approach events like tamaire (ball toss) and group gymnastics calmly, isn’t it? A perfect song for background music in such events is “Sanpo.” It was released in 1988 by female singer Azumi Inoue and was used as the opening theme for the animated film My Neighbor Totoro.
The song is memorable for its exciting, fun rhythm and melody.
Listening to its marching band-like arrangement makes you want to start marching! If you’re looking for BGM for a kindergarten or elementary school sports day, be sure to give it a listen.
Et cetera related to the seashorePUFFY
The lyrics have nothing to do with a sports day, but maybe it’s a generational thing… Personally, when I think of school sports festivals, PUFFY comes to mind really strongly.
Their songs are uplifting and suit the still-slightly-warm autumn sky.
They make you want to get moving, so I recommend them!
PLAYERSYOASOBI
YOASOBI released a song in March 2025 that stands out with energetic chants and a catchy sound.
An ambitious attempt to depict memories of games and players through music, the track was born from a project celebrating the 30th anniversary of PlayStation® and delivers a positive message centered on challenge and growth.
It unfolds a heartwarming story in which the protagonists met in game worlds inspire us in real life and expand our hopes for the future, and it was also featured in a special commercial for the PlayStation® 30th anniversary.
Together with a star-studded cast including Nanase Nishino, Usada Pekora, and Kiyo, the piece showcases the appeal of games.
It’s the perfect song to boost motivation during the practice period for sports days and athletic festivals—and great for parody lyrics, too.