Japan's 105th High School Soccer Championship: regional qualifiers underway
What happened
The 105th All Japan High School Soccer Championship (全国高等学校サッカー選手権大会) is in its regional qualifying stage. According to a Koukou Soccer.com headline, last year's participant Waseda Jitsugyo was eliminated in the Tokyo qualifiers, while Teikyo, Horikoshi and Kokushikan advanced past the third round.
When it started
Qualifiers were held on October 24, 2026, with matches in 36 districts. According to the same source, Akita and Yamagata had already decided their representative schools that day. The Tokyo result is dated October 18 in the source link.
How it spread
Schools compete in prefectural and regional qualifiers, and winners earn places in the national tournament. TVer lists the 105th tournament as a special broadcast page. The source does not give full bracket or broadcast details.
Why it matters
The qualifiers determine which high schools reach the national finals, a major event in Japanese high school sports. Interest is driven by results from well-known schools, including the defeat of last year's participant Waseda Jitsugyo.