【Roaring Cheers from Approx. 2,800 Elementary School Students Fuel Victory! Astonishing 80% Win Rate】Júbilo Iwata Home Game Mass Viewing by Elementary School Students
Approximately 2,800 elementary school students attended a Júbilo Iwata home game, boosting the team to victory against FC Gifu. This initiative, supported by the entire community, boasts a high win rate and aims to foster local children's attachment to their hometown team.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 03:06
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 18:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 18:58 (27 min after Collected)
Iwata City (Shizuoka) is one of the cities and towns that form the hometown of "Júbilo Iwata," a professional soccer team belonging to the Meiji Yasuda J2 League.
On Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Yamaha Stadium, the 12th round of the Meiji Yasuda J2/J3 Centennial Goal League, Júbilo Iwata vs. FC Gifu, saw the "Júbilo Iwata Home Game Mass Viewing Project," which has continued since 2011, take place. Approximately 2,800 fifth and sixth-grade elementary school students from the city attended. Júbilo Iwata won the match, extending their win rate in this project to an astonishing 80% and their winning streak to seven consecutive victories.
## Collaborative Events Supporting This Project
This initiative was realized not only through the collaboration of Júbilo Iwata, the city, and schools, but also with the cooperation of many others, including local businesses, club supporters, parents, and citizens.
## Provision of Viewing Caps and Towel Scarves
Júbilo Iwata's official partner, Sala Group, donated 3,750 viewing caps. They have continued to provide these since 2019 as part of their regional contribution activities.
Additionally, Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage Co., Ltd., with whom Iwata City has a "Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement," provided 2,900 cheering towel scarves. They have continued to provide these since 2013.
## Pre-Match Cheering Instruction by Júbilo Iwata Supporters and Provision of Júbilo Iwata Cheering School Lunch
The Júbilo Iwata supporters' group "Progresso" visited schools in the city that requested it, providing cheering instruction. This has been conducted voluntarily since the 2016 academic year, with the wish that "elementary school students would experience a sense of unity and joy through cheering, and enjoy the game even more."
Furthermore, approximately 14,000 servings of "Júbilo Iwata Cheering School Lunch" were provided for school lunches.
The menu items, wishing for victory, included "Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet)," "Spinach Curry" for plenty of vegetables and power charge, and "Blue Fruit Cocktail" inspired by Júbilo's blue team color.
## Welcome by Júbilo Iwata President, CRO Yamada, and PR by Júbilo Iwata OB Shun Morishita
On the day of the event, Júbilo Iwata's Representative Director and President, Kenshi Otomo, CRO Hiroki Yamada, and Iwata City Mayor Hiroaki Kusachi, among others, welcomed the elementary school students as they entered.
Shun Morishita, a former Júbilo Iwata player who is active as a regional revitalization cooperant for Iwata City, also rushed to the venue on the day to promote "Iwata, a City of Sports."
## Supervision by Parent Volunteers
Although the children participated as part of their school activities on the day, 186 parents and others also served as volunteers, providing supervision and guidance.
## Events for Adults Also Planned
On this day, in conjunction with the mass viewing, Júbilo Iwata also planned events that adults could enjoy. 23 "Memory Notebooks" were prepared, allowing visitors to freely record memories from their elementary schools. These notebooks contained nostalgic episodes from the elementary school days of visitors and players who experienced the mass viewing and are now active in Júbilo Iwata.
Two players currently belonging to Júbilo Iwata (Keitaro Nakajima and Kensuke Fujiwara) have experienced the mass viewing. Goalkeeper Nakajima experienced the mass viewing during his elementary school days. In a pre-mass viewing player visit, he had a goalkeeper showdown with Akihiko Takekane, then a Júbilo Iwata goalkeeper. Nakajima, then an elementary school student, asked Takekane questions.
## Powerful Cheering
During player entrance, children participated as escort kids. Flag attractions were also held, energizing the venue.
As the match began, the stands were dyed in Júbilo Iwata's team color, saxophone blue, by the children wearing matching caps and towel scarves. The children demonstrated the results of their practice, eagerly shouting "Júbilo Iwata!"
In the 35th minute of the first half, when midfielder Gustavo Silva scored a goal, he was seen running towards the children. Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima protected the goal until the end, presenting a 1-0 victory to the children.
After the match, the sight of players, fans, and elementary school students singing Júbilo Iwata's cheering song "Shōri wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomademo" together was impressive.
## Iwata, a City of Sports
## What is the Júbilo Iwata Home Game Mass Viewing Project?
This project aims to provide an opportunity for children living in the hometown to develop an interest in various sports by watching matches of the local professional sports team, Júbilo Iwata. It also seeks to foster affection for the local team, pride in Iwata City as their hometown, and a lifelong love for Iwata City. It has been implemented since 2011, marking its 15th year this year.
With the loud cheers from the children, the overall record is a significant winning margin of 12 wins and 3 losses.
(Canceled in Reiwa 2 due to COVID-19. Only 6th graders participated in Reiwa 3)
On Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Yamaha Stadium, the 12th round of the Meiji Yasuda J2/J3 Centennial Goal League, Júbilo Iwata vs. FC Gifu, saw the "Júbilo Iwata Home Game Mass Viewing Project," which has continued since 2011, take place. Approximately 2,800 fifth and sixth-grade elementary school students from the city attended. Júbilo Iwata won the match, extending their win rate in this project to an astonishing 80% and their winning streak to seven consecutive victories.
## Collaborative Events Supporting This Project
This initiative was realized not only through the collaboration of Júbilo Iwata, the city, and schools, but also with the cooperation of many others, including local businesses, club supporters, parents, and citizens.
## Provision of Viewing Caps and Towel Scarves
Júbilo Iwata's official partner, Sala Group, donated 3,750 viewing caps. They have continued to provide these since 2019 as part of their regional contribution activities.
Additionally, Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage Co., Ltd., with whom Iwata City has a "Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement," provided 2,900 cheering towel scarves. They have continued to provide these since 2013.
## Pre-Match Cheering Instruction by Júbilo Iwata Supporters and Provision of Júbilo Iwata Cheering School Lunch
The Júbilo Iwata supporters' group "Progresso" visited schools in the city that requested it, providing cheering instruction. This has been conducted voluntarily since the 2016 academic year, with the wish that "elementary school students would experience a sense of unity and joy through cheering, and enjoy the game even more."
Furthermore, approximately 14,000 servings of "Júbilo Iwata Cheering School Lunch" were provided for school lunches.
The menu items, wishing for victory, included "Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet)," "Spinach Curry" for plenty of vegetables and power charge, and "Blue Fruit Cocktail" inspired by Júbilo's blue team color.
## Welcome by Júbilo Iwata President, CRO Yamada, and PR by Júbilo Iwata OB Shun Morishita
On the day of the event, Júbilo Iwata's Representative Director and President, Kenshi Otomo, CRO Hiroki Yamada, and Iwata City Mayor Hiroaki Kusachi, among others, welcomed the elementary school students as they entered.
Shun Morishita, a former Júbilo Iwata player who is active as a regional revitalization cooperant for Iwata City, also rushed to the venue on the day to promote "Iwata, a City of Sports."
## Supervision by Parent Volunteers
Although the children participated as part of their school activities on the day, 186 parents and others also served as volunteers, providing supervision and guidance.
## Events for Adults Also Planned
On this day, in conjunction with the mass viewing, Júbilo Iwata also planned events that adults could enjoy. 23 "Memory Notebooks" were prepared, allowing visitors to freely record memories from their elementary schools. These notebooks contained nostalgic episodes from the elementary school days of visitors and players who experienced the mass viewing and are now active in Júbilo Iwata.
Two players currently belonging to Júbilo Iwata (Keitaro Nakajima and Kensuke Fujiwara) have experienced the mass viewing. Goalkeeper Nakajima experienced the mass viewing during his elementary school days. In a pre-mass viewing player visit, he had a goalkeeper showdown with Akihiko Takekane, then a Júbilo Iwata goalkeeper. Nakajima, then an elementary school student, asked Takekane questions.
## Powerful Cheering
During player entrance, children participated as escort kids. Flag attractions were also held, energizing the venue.
As the match began, the stands were dyed in Júbilo Iwata's team color, saxophone blue, by the children wearing matching caps and towel scarves. The children demonstrated the results of their practice, eagerly shouting "Júbilo Iwata!"
In the 35th minute of the first half, when midfielder Gustavo Silva scored a goal, he was seen running towards the children. Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima protected the goal until the end, presenting a 1-0 victory to the children.
After the match, the sight of players, fans, and elementary school students singing Júbilo Iwata's cheering song "Shōri wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomademo" together was impressive.
## Iwata, a City of Sports
## What is the Júbilo Iwata Home Game Mass Viewing Project?
This project aims to provide an opportunity for children living in the hometown to develop an interest in various sports by watching matches of the local professional sports team, Júbilo Iwata. It also seeks to foster affection for the local team, pride in Iwata City as their hometown, and a lifelong love for Iwata City. It has been implemented since 2011, marking its 15th year this year.
With the loud cheers from the children, the overall record is a significant winning margin of 12 wins and 3 losses.
(Canceled in Reiwa 2 due to COVID-19. Only 6th graders participated in Reiwa 3)