NJPW Announces Return of Young Lion Cup Tournament for 2026

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that they will be holding a new Young Lion Cup tournament this year that will be taking place from January 19th to February 1st as part of their Road to New Beginning 2026 tour in Japan.

This will be the first time that NJPW will be holding a Young Lion Cup tournament since 2019.

The full list of competitors, bracket, and schedule for this upcoming tournament was also announced.

Full list of competitors for 2026 Young Lion Cup tournament:

• Katsuya Murashima
• Shoma Kato
• Daiki Nagai
• Zane Jay
• Masatora Yasuda
• Tatsuya Matsumoto

Full bracket matches schedule:

• January 19 – First Round match – Daiki Nagai vs. Zane Jay
• January 19 – First Round match – Masatora Yasuda vs. Tatsuya Matsumoto
• January 20 – Semfinal Round match – Katsuya Murashima vs. winner of Daiki Nagai/Zane Jay
• January 20 – Semifinal Round match – Shoma Kato vs. winner of Masatora Yasuda/Tatsuya Matsumoto
• February 1 – Finals match – TBD vs. TBD

NJPW’s official website:

Young Lion Cup to return on Road to New Beginning!

Tournament revival for 2026

Along with the announcement of initial cards on the Road to New Beginning series, and after strong requests from the Young Lions themselves, the Young Lion Cup will officially return for 2026.

Tournaments and leagues spotlighting the future of New Japan Pro-Wrestling date all the way back to 1974 and the Karl Gotch cup, won by tatsumi Fujinami, who certanly went on to make an immense mark as champion, icon and even New Japan President. Young Lion tournaments have taken several forms and names over the years, both in Japan, and in the US as well, with Lion’s Break Crown in 2020 won by Clark Connors. Yet the Young Lion Cup itself has been a recurring tradition since 1985, with former winners including future legends like Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima, as well as Hirooki Goto, who as recently as 2025 was IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

The last Young Lion Cup was held in 2019 amid a heated rivalry between the Noge and LA Dojos, with the trophy going to Karl Fredericks by tournament end. That tournament would prove critical in the careers of Shota Umino and Ren Narita as well, both going on respective excursions int he aftermath of the tournament.

In 2026, six Young Lions will participate in a single elimination variation of the tournament format. Across three nights in Korakuen Hall, Masatora Yasuda will first meet Hirooki Goto’s Revolutionary Army private Tatsuya Mastumoto, while Daiki Nagai of the recently incorporated Unbound Co. will take on Zane Jay, who carries his own LA pride from the NJPW Academy.

Then, January 21 will see the senior Young Lions in Katsuya Murashima and Shoma Kato the recipient of first round byes, and looking to exercise that seniority over the first round winners. The finals will take place on February 1; who will be certified as the cream of the Young Lion crop?