![[March, Foot Races, Dance] Energetic songs and the latest hits to liven up a sports day](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/pOu0mb64bL0/maxresdefault.webp)
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, Racing, and Dancing] Energetic Songs and the Newest Tracks to Hype Up Sports Day (1–10)
I’ll be your HERODa-iCE
This is a Da-iCE track that captured the hearts of many young people as a cheer song full of hope and courage for the future.
It also became a hot topic as the set piece for the High School Dance Video Festival 2025 on Nippon TV’s “DayDay.” The lyrics, infused with a strong desire to become someone’s hero, are brilliantly fused with the dance performance.
If you perform it at a school sports festival, its energetic rhythm and powerful choreography will surely bring the whole venue together.
Pour your passion into it and make it a fantastic performance.
CharacterRyokushokushakai
It’s an exhilarating message song that proudly celebrates the importance of living true to yourself.
Created by the pop band Ryokuoushoku Shakai, known for hits like “Mela!,” it’s included on their third album, Actor, released in 2022.
It’s a piece whose upbeat style, melody, and rhythm are so fun that your body might start moving on its own when you listen.
If you want to bring a festive vibe to a sports day, definitely give it a try! Play it during the march and it might naturally bring out some smiles.
Heart, on the dancing side.meiyo
This song carries the message of making choices that make your heart dance, and it’s perfect for school sports days.
Sung by meiyo, it has a bright, uplifting vibe that energizes you just by listening.
Released on January 1, 2023, it was also used as a CM song for the au Santaro series.
Use it for entrance and exit marches or as background music for events, and the whole venue is sure to be filled with smiles! It’s a lively track that teachers and parents can enjoy together, too.
Que sera, seraMrs. GREEN APPLE
This song delivers a powerful message that resonates in the heart: “Let’s live brightly and face forward.” Released by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE in 2023, it was written as the theme song for the TV drama “At Least on Sunday Night…”.
Garnering numerous awards—including the Best Video Award at MTV VMAJ 2023 in November and the Grand Prix at the 65th Japan Record Awards—this track is also perfect as BGM for sports days or as a dance number! It not only brings out children’s energy, but also warms the hearts of parents and teachers watching over them.
dance hallMrs. GREEN APPLE
An uplifting anthem whose light rhythm and bouncy melody remind you of the joy of living! Comparing the world to a dance hall, this Mrs.
GREEN APPLE track sends a positive message to enjoy life more.
Released on the July 2022 album “Unity,” it was also selected as the theme song for Fuji TV’s “Mezamashi 8.” It appears in the film “The White Lounge in CINEMA,” where its on-screen performance helped boost the song’s success.
Its dance-inducing vibe and happy mood make it perfect as background music for races or marches in sports day scenes.
Brimming with positive energy, this song is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.
lilacMrs. GREEN APPLE
A heartwarming cheer song by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE that gently embraces the youthful days where hope and anxiety coexist.
While softly accepting the loneliness and inner struggles we carry as time goes by, it conveys the message: “Cherish yourself just as you are.” Released in April 2024 as the opening theme for the anime “Oblivion Battery,” it won the Grand Prize at the 66th Japan Record Awards.
Singing of unforgettable memories and bonds with loved ones, this song is also perfect for sports day dances.
It fosters a sense of unity with friends and helps create precious, lasting moments.
StaRtMrs. GREEN APPLE
This is a song by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE that captured many hearts with its exhilarating pop-rock sound and positive message.
Included on their major-label debut mini-album “Variety,” released in July 2015, it was also used in a Kao Merit commercial in 2017.
Riding an up-tempo rhythm, the song celebrates the small joys hidden in everyday life and the courage to take on new challenges.
Brimming with youthful performance and a pleasantly positive energy, it’s a perfect track for school sports days or dance routines.