Praised by Minami Takahashi and JOY! 'Congratche!' Wins Grand Prix at 'NEXT IDOL GRANDPRIX 2026', the Contest to Determine the Top Next-Break Idol

On Thursday, March 26, 2026, the NEXT IDOL GRANDPRIX Executive Committee held the final live performance judging and awards ceremony for "NEXT IDOL GRANDPRIX 2026" (NIG2026), a major idol contest with a total prize pool of 20 million yen, at Kanadevia Hall in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. The event was held in a hybrid format, with both in-person attendance and a live stream via RakutenTV, where fans sent enthusiastic support to the 16 finalists.

The prestigious Grand Prix was awarded to the seven-member idol group "Congratche!". The runner-up was "PHiZZ," followed by "Momonyan" in 3rd place, "Fruit Fruit" in 4th, and "Kasumin" in 5th. As a prize, these five groups will perform at "NIG FES 2026" on Friday, March 27, 2026, sharing the stage with their idol inspirations.

<About "NIG FES 2026">

An idol festival held at Kanadevia Hall on Friday, March 27, 2026. The event features 18 of Japan's leading idol groups, including NMB48, Nijicon, and Takane no Nadeshiko, as well as past NIG Grand Prix winners who have gone on to greater success, such as "Shumatsu no Anthem," "SAI²Rium," and "Peel the Apple." A total of 23 groups, including the five winners of "NEXT IDOL GRANDPRIX 2026," will perform to energize the venue.

■ About "NEXT IDOL GRANDPRIX 2026"

"NEXT IDOL GRANDPRIX" is an idol contest held since 2019, targeting female idols worldwide with the theme of "determining the top next-break idol."

For this seventh edition, 16 groups that passed the preliminary rounds advanced to the finals. The winner was determined through a rigorous evaluation process across 10 categories, including points earned on the live streaming and video app "MixChannel" (developed and operated by DONUTS Co., Ltd.) during the final period (February 27 to March 25, 2026), video likes, "MixChannel Yell" votes, an intermediate live performance judging held on March 7, 2026, at TwinBox AKIHABARA, and the final live performance and judge votes held today at Kanadevia Hall.

Official Website: https://nig.mixch.tv/