The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters will be holding tryouts to form the Fighters Junior team that will participate in the "NPB Junior Tournament KONAMI CUP 2026".
Director Yuki Yoshida
Coach Hideki Sunaga
Coach Yuya Taniguchi
This tournament was established through a collaboration between the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB) and professional baseball teams with the aim of "making the dream of playing professional baseball more accessible to children," and this year marks its 22nd edition.
The "Fighters Junior" team has been formed for 5th and 6th graders who play in youth baseball teams throughout Hokkaido. Fighters alumnus Yuki Yoshida, who is also an academy coach, will serve as manager, and the team aims for its second championship title since the 2011 tournament.
This year's event is scheduled to be held from December 26th (Sat) to 29th (Tue) at Meiji Jingu Stadium and other locations (tentative).
We will be making selections based on the videos you submit for the "NPB Junior Tournament KONAMI CUP 2026 Digital Challenge".
Videos showcasing the results of your daily practice will be available for submission starting June 1st (Monday) via the application form below.
[Process from entry to payment]
① Submit your selection video using the entry form below.
② After submitting the video, complete the payment process via the URL specified in the entry completion notification.
③ Your entry will be complete once the payment process is finished.
| Application period | From June 1st (Monday) to June 21st (Sunday/Holiday) |
|---|---|
| Entry fee | 1,000円（税込） |
| Eligibility | ① Boys and girls in the 5th and 6th grades of elementary school residing in Hokkaido ② Must be able to participate in the main tournament held at the end of December. ③ Players who can participate in activities every Saturday and Sunday (including public holidays) for approximately four months from the time the team is formed until the end of the tournament at the end of December. * Excluding unavoidable circumstances such as school events, weddings and funerals, or illness. |
| How to apply | Photographs taken with video cameras, digital cameras, smartphones, etc. ·batting ·pitching Fielding Please upload your video using the application form below to enter. * All rights to the submitted videos belong to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. |
| Video content |
【pitcher】 Pitching: Approximately 50 seconds Fielding: Approximately 10 seconds ・Batting: Approximately 30 seconds Total: 90 seconds 【fielder】 Fielding: Approximately 50 seconds ・Batting: Approximately 40 seconds Total: 90 seconds 【catcher】 ・Batting: Approximately 40 seconds Second throw: Approximately 50 seconds Total: 90 seconds * Videos can be uploaded up to a total of 90 seconds in length. The video length distribution is only a guideline. |
The results of the Digital Challenge selection process will be communicated via email by Wednesday, July 1st.
Enter the Digital Challenge here
We will conduct a practical skills selection process for those who have passed the Digital Challenge.
| Date and time | July 10th (Friday) ① 16:30 - 18:00 (tentative) ② 18:30-20:00 (tentative) Saturday, July 11th ③ 13:00-14:30 (scheduled) ④ 15:30 - 17:00 (scheduled) * Participation is limited to one day from the above dates ① to ④. * The date of your participation will be determined by the organizing committee. * Times may be subject to change. |
|---|---|
| Location | Fighters Indoor Practice Field 〒060-0905 3-1, Kita 5-jo Higashi 8-chome, Higashi-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido |
| Participation fee | 2,000円（税込） |
| Implementation details (planned) | - playing catch ·knock ・Batting, etc. |
[Second Selection Results]
We plan to send it via email by Monday, July 13th.
We will conduct a practical skills assessment for those who passed the second selection round.
| Date and time | July 19th (Sunday) ① 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (tentative) ② 14:00-16:00 (tentative) * Please participate in either date ① or ② above. * The time slot for your participation will be determined by the organizing committee. * The time may be subject to change. Reserve date: July 20th (Monday, public holiday) |
|---|---|
| Location | Fighters Academy exclusive stadium 2-3 Kamichitose, Chitose City, Hokkaido 066-0077 [In case of rain] It will be held on July 20th (Monday, public holiday). [Location in case of rain on July 20th] Fighters Indoor Practice Field 3-1, Kita 5-jo Higashi 8-chome, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0905 |
| Implementation details | • Elbow examination - Practice matches, etc. |
[Third Selection Results]
We plan to send it via email by Tuesday, July 21st.
We will conduct a practical skills assessment for those who passed the third selection round.
| Date and time | July 25th (Saturday), time TBD Reserve date: July 26th (Sunday) |
|---|---|
| Location | Fighters Academy exclusive stadium 2-3 Kamichitose, Chitose City, Hokkaido 066-0077 [In case of rain] It will be held on Sunday, July 26th. [Location in case of rain on July 26th] Fighters Indoor Practice Field 3-1, Kita 5-jo Higashi 8-chome, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0905 |
| Implementation details | Practice match format, etc. |
[Regarding the results of the final selection]
The selection results will be sent via email by Wednesday, July 29th.
Academy coaches will observe FBC (FIGHTERS BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP U-12 POWERED by HONDA), baseball camps (Fighters Baseball Academy), and various tournaments held within Hokkaido, and select 20 to 30 players who show particularly noteworthy abilities, along with other candidates for the main tournament.
[Regarding the players participating in this tournament]
The 20-30 prospective players for the main tournament will participate in a three-day activity (August 9th, 15th, and 16th), and the 16 players who will compete in the main tournament will be selected around the end of August.
Click here for the Fighters Junior page.
