[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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[Sports Day Cheer Songs] A roundup of classic cheer anthems and recommended parody-song picks [2026] (21–30)
100% CourageNYC
Yuki 100%, famous as the opening theme of the TV anime Nintama Rantaro, was originally a song by Hikaru Genji.
It’s a classic that has been passed down by Johnny’s idols like Hey! Say! JUMP and NYC.
The lyrics—saying that even if you cry or fall down, you just have to be brave and do your best—make it a perfect song for a sports day cheer.
It works great as-is, but you could also try swapping “courage” (yūki) with “championship” (yūshō) or “victory” (shōri).
By all means, turn it into a parody version and have everyone sing your original cheer song!
Blue and SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE
A signature song by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, chosen as the theme for the youth film Aonatsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-nichi starring Yuto Sano and Wakana Aoi.
Its 100% pure, unforgettable, youth-filled chorus is sure to hype up any sports day or athletics festival.
The powerful chorus lines—“There was a signal that summer had begun; the drama isn’t only in the movies; we’re the main characters”—could even be adapted into a cheer song to motivate your team.
Since there are many lyrics, it’s best to have people who can read sheet music take the lead in crafting good lines.
Also recommended as BGM for relays and cavalry battles!
[Sports Day Cheering Songs] A roundup of classic cheer songs and recommended parody songs [2026] (31–40)
FateOfisharu Higedan Dism
All of you students have spent days preparing for the sports festival, right? The song that celebrates those days is “Shukumei.” It was released in 2019 by the four-piece band Official HIGE DANDism and was chosen as the 2019 ABC Summer High School Baseball support song.
It features a groovy yet tight band sound, and Satoshi Fujihara’s soulful vocals will resonate in your heart.
It’s a warm track that will remind you of the days you worked hard together with your classmates.
How about playing it as background music when you’re cheering on your teammates as they take the big stage?
AgainWANIMA
How about some melodic hardcore that fills you with motivation and energy as you listen? This is a track by WANIMA, a three-piece band from Kumamoto Prefecture.
It’s included on their 2019 single “Good Job!!”.
The passionate, heart-stirring lyrics ignite the spirits of those dedicated to their sport.
Let’s all put our arms around each other and sing together.
Love will winKAN
Known as one of KAN’s most popular songs, “Ai wa Katsu” (“Love Will Win”) is also included on the album “I Wanted to Be a Baseball Player.” The lyrics, which say that memories of being loved give you strength and help you in any situation, are truly empowering to hear.
Although it was released in 1990, it still comes up in conversation often, so there are likely people in younger generations who know it.
If you want to make a parody version, try replacing the word “love” with your class or team name and sing it that way.
I am the strongest.Ado
A standout song from 2022 written and composed by Motoki Omori of Mrs.
GREEN APPLE.
And of course, it’s sung by the still-enigmatic artist Ado.
Since it was performed as an in-film song in the anime movie ONE PIECE FILM RED, everyone already knows it, right? With lyrics like “Let’s charge toward a new era—if we all unite, there’s nothing to fear,” it’s perfect for sports days and athletic festivals where teams band together to aim for victory.
You could even spice things up by parodying the final line of the chorus, “I am the strongest,” into “We are the strongest” or “Class 3-B is the strongest” to get the crowd going!
NIPPONShiina Ringo
An emotional cheer song that inspires the drive to win at a sports day.
It’s a track by singer-songwriter Ringo Sheena—who also fronts the band Tokyo Jihen—released in 2014.
The song was written as a theme for an NHK soccer program.
The lyrics evoke a distinctly Japanese, traditional atmosphere that pairs perfectly with the high-energy composition, naturally lifting your spirits as you listen.
The word “blue” appears in the song, so you can make that your team color.