[March, Foot Races, Dance] Energetic songs and the latest hits to liven up a sports day
When it comes to sports day music, many people might think of classical pieces like ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ (Infernal Galop from ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’).
However, in recent years, more schools have been using pop songs and anime tracks as background music in addition to the classic staples, making the selection more diverse.
In this article, we’ll introduce lively songs that perfectly match the sports day atmosphere—not only long-standing classics but also popular J-POP tunes among elementary and middle school students.
Use this as a reference for your playlist!
- [Sports Day] Songs for footraces: tracks that make kids want to run [classics & J-pop]
- Songs that hype up the athlete entrance at school sports festivals
- [Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM!
- [Dance Songs] Recommended for school sports days and athletic festivals! A curated selection of popular tracks that are fun to dance to
- From classics to fan favorites! A catalog of music and BGM to liven up your sports day
- Top Songs to Hype Up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals [2026]
- Carefully selected J-pop to liven up sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs.
- [March] Carefully selected popular songs recommended for entrance and exit at sports days and athletic festivals!
- Popular songs recommended for nursery school sports days! A roundup of classic crowd-pleasers and the latest hits
- Recommended exit songs for sports day: A collection of tracks that are perfect for a brisk, quick-march exit.
- Cheer songs to hype up the sports day! A collection of motivational tracks recommended for kids
- Get Fired Up! A Collection of Anime Songs to Hype Up Your Sports Day and Athletic Festival
- Perfect for sports day parachute routines! Recommended J-pop songs
[Marching, Races, and Dance] Energetic Songs & Latest Tracks to Liven Up Sports Day (211–220)
RED OUTYonezu Kenshi
Kenshi Yonezu’s songs are characterized by a futuristic sound rooted in electropop.
In this piece, the innovative sound design that makes extensive use of synthesizers is striking, gripping listeners and not letting go.
It has also been featured as a song for a Spotify brand campaign, underscoring its high level of attention.
Included on the album “LOST CORNER,” released in August 2024, it’s a track that fully showcases Yonezu’s spirit of musical exploration.
It’s also well-suited for school sports days and athletic festivals; the exhilarating, fast-paced sound is ideal for events like sprints and relays, and can be expected to boost participants’ motivation.
sparkleFuji Kaze
This is the eighth digital single by Fujii Kaze, a singer-songwriter from Okayama who’s drawing attention for his emotional vocals and lyrics that deftly weave in regional dialect.
Written specifically as the theme song for Honda’s VEZEL commercial, it’s a brisk dance-pop track with a satisfying blend of drive and weightlessness.
Its fresh, streamlined arrangement makes it a perfect fit for a car commercial and would bring a crisp, uplifting vibe to events like school sports day marches.
An ideal pick for events, it’s a song you’ll want to hear under a clear, sunny sky.
WE CAN!Adachi Kana
Many soccer chant songs are also perfect for sports days and athletic festivals.
Kana Adachi’s “WE CAN!” is an official cheer song that was used as a tie-in for Júbilo Iwata’s 2019 season.
It has an upbeat, uplifting vibe that makes you feel energized just by listening.
I’m sure lots of people would feel encouraged hearing it at sports days and athletic festivals as well.
strollHisaishi Joe
Composed as the opening theme for the Ghibli masterpiece My Neighbor Totoro, the song “Sanpo” is, as its title suggests, characterized by a breezy feel that’s perfect for marching.
It’s widely known across all ages, making it a great recommendation for any sports day—from elementary school events to community gatherings.
That said, watching little children march to this tune is irresistibly cute.
There also seem to be marching band arrangements available, so be sure to consult them when performing.
Heavy rotationAKB48
When it comes to AKB48, this is the iconic masterpiece: “Heavy Rotation.” You can just picture the members’ bright smiles, right? It hypes everyone up from the very intro, so the moment it starts playing, I bet everyone feels lifted.
Learning the choreography to show off your cuteness is a great recommendation for girls, too!
U.S.A.DA PUMP
“U.S.A.” is a dance track with pleasantly rich synthesizer sounds.
It was originally released by the Italian singer Joe Yellow, but the version covered by DA PUMP is now widely loved.
The sound is almost the same as when it was released in ’92, so it’s great for enjoying across generations.
And speaking of this song, the thumbs-up move in the choreography is also a hot topic.
It could be fun to work it into your own dance!
Everyone is free.Half time Old
This song, well known from the au commercials, is perfect for an opening at a sports day.
You have to follow the rules when you compete, but within the rules “everyone’s free.” It’s a classic that heightens that exciting, heart-pounding feeling that something fun—sports day, the school athletic festival—is about to begin.
Marching in at a brisk trot to its just-right medium-fast tempo feels great.
It’s bound to be fun.
The start is crucial for a sports festival, and if this song handles the opening, you can relax—it’ll be spot on.