Winter Cup 2026 Field Set on Nov. 3 in Yamanashi, Fukuoka, Tokushima, Tottori

On Nov. 3, 2026, the prefectural qualifiers for the SoftBank Winter Cup 2026 (National High School Basketball Championship) determined the teams from each prefecture. In Yamanashi, Yamanashi Gakuin and Japan Airlines qualified in the men's division, and Japan Airlines and Kofu Showa qualified in the women's division. In Fukuoka, Fukuoka University Wakaba qualified in the women's division. In Tokushima, Tomioka Higashi and Kaifu qualified in the women's division. In Tottori, Tottori Johoku and Kurayoshi Kita qualified in the women's division. In Aichi, Ohka Gakuen and Meikei University Takakura each earned tickets to the national tournament in the women's division.

The Yamanashi women's qualifier was held in a final round-robin format in which Fuji Hokuryo and Nirasaki faced off, at the Fuji Hokuroku Park Gymnasium. In the Yamanashi men's qualifier, Hikawa and Shizen Gakuen competed in the final round-robin. Japan Airlines qualified in both the men's and women's divisions in Yamanashi, which is a notable feature of this year, as the same school earned spots in both divisions.

The Fukuoka women's qualifier was held in a final round-robin in which Chikushi Jogakuen and Fukuoka University Wakaba faced off, at the Iizuka City Gymnasium. In Tokushima, Naruto and Jonan competed in the women's final round-robin at the YGK Dome. In Tottori, Tottori Johoku and Kurayoshi Kita met head-to-head in the final round-robin at the Yodoe Gymnasium. In Aichi, Ohka Gakuen and Seijo faced off in the women's final round-robin at the Chikusa Sports Center on Nov. 3.

The Winter Cup is the common name for the National High School Basketball Championship and is the national winter tournament for high school basketball. It is organized by the Japan Basketball Association (JBA) and co-sponsored by the National High School Athletic Federation. It is held in Tokyo in late December every year, and 60 teams each in the men's and women's divisions took part in 2025.

Schools that win their prefectural qualifiers advance to the national tournament, and the number of schools that can advance varies by prefecture. The decisions this year were the result of each prefecture deciding its representatives in final round-robin qualifiers. Because the number of spots differs by prefecture, the schools advancing from the same prefecture can differ between the men's and women's divisions.

With the teams set, preparations for the national tournament by each school are now in full swing. The results this year show that in several regions, strong local schools competed for multiple spots within the same prefecture. Details of the national tournament's draw and schedule will be confirmed through announcements from the tournament organizers.

The lineup of teams this year offers a clue to the regional balance of power in high school basketball in both the men's and women's divisions. Japan Airlines qualifying in both divisions in Yamanashi is one of the notable points of this tournament. How the teams that competed in the final round-robins perform on the national stage will be the focus going forward.

Basketball Press view

The prefectural qualifiers for the Winter Cup are a milestone in which the path to the national tournament is set in each prefecture. The results from Yamanashi, Fukuoka, Tokushima, Tottori and Aichi show the teams that will represent each prefecture in the men's and women's divisions, offering a clue to the regional balance of power in high school basketball. Confirming the teams signals that players and coaches are gearing up in earnest for the national tournament.

This article was written by the Basketball Press editors based on the cited reports. Please check the source for full details and exact figures.