Marking the Company's First Entry into Akita Prefecture and Its Expansion to 46 Prefectures Nationwide
TOKYO, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LEIFRAS Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: LFS) (the "Company" or "Leifras"), a sports and social business company dedicated to youth sports and community engagement, today announced that on February 24, 2026, it entered into a school partner agreement (the "Agreement") with the non-profit organization Blaublitz Akita Sports Network ("Blaublitz Akita") to launch the "Blaublitz Akita × Liberta Soccer School" in Odate City, Akita Prefecture, beginning April 1, 2026. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company will acquire and operate the business of the Blaublitz Akita Soccer School Odate Branch currently run by Blaublitz Akita. This alliance marks the realization of the Company's strategic objective of entering Akita Prefecture and achieving nationwide expansion to 46 of Japan's 47 prefectures, while also bringing together the strengths of both parties to provide children in Akita with a high-quality sports environment.
Background of the Partnership: Overcoming the Barrier of Distance, Bringing the Joy of Sports to All Children in Akita
This partnership was established based on a shared philosophy between Blaublitz Akita and Leifras to provide children with the best possible sports environment. The Blaublitz Akita Soccer School Odate Branch is located in Odate City, approximately two and a half hours by car from Blaublitz Akita's home base in Akita City, creating a geographic challenge that makes it difficult for the professional club alone to sustain ongoing school operations and allocate sufficient resources. Leveraging its nationwide operational expertise, Leifras will take over the school's management infrastructure to resolve this challenge. Through this partnership, the Company aims to strengthen and expand sports opportunities for children in the northern part of the prefecture, enabling them to learn and play soccer while maintaining a close connection with a professional club.
Blaublitz Akita × Liberta Soccer School: Combining the Strengths of Both
This soccer school represents a new concept that combines the "aspiration" of professional clubs with Leifras' "educational methodology." Children will wear Liberta uniforms featuring the Blaublitz Akita emblem on their chests.
- A hybrid of "praise-based instruction" and "professional techniques": Leifras' greatest strength lies in its coaching methodology of "acknowledge, praise, encourage, and motivate," which focuses on cultivating children's non-cognitive skills. This approach is complemented by the professional expertise and training methods developed by Blaublitz Akita for aspiring professionals and those who love soccer.
- Exclusive experiences through professional club partnerships: School members are expected to receive special opportunities that nurture children's dreams and motivation for the sport, such as complimentary tickets to official J.League matches and technical instruction directly from professional players or specialized coaches offered several times a year.
Future Outlook: Accelerating Expansion Throughout Akita Prefecture
With its initial entry into Akita Prefecture, Leifras' sports school business network now spans 46 of Japan's 47 prefectures. Building on this partnership, the Company plans to accelerate its expansion within Akita Prefecture, progressively opening new schools in other municipalities across the prefecture. As a sports and social business company dedicated to addressing regional challenges through sports, Leifras remains committed to contributing to the healthy physical and mental development of children across Akita Prefecture and throughout Japan, as well as to the advancement of community sports.
Overview of the School and Collaborative Initiatives
Name: Blaublitz Akita × Liberta Soccer School (Odate School)
Start date: April 1, 2026
Target: Preschoolers to elementary school students (※Details regarding target age range are subject to school regulations)
Key details of the partnership:
- Grant of brand usage rights, including name and uniforms, from Blaublitz Akita at the Company's soccer school
- Invitation to official Blaublitz Akita matches, technical guidance by players, and event cooperation
- Full implementation of school operations and provision of know-how by Leifras
About LEIFRAS Co., Ltd.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Leifras is a sports and social business company dedicated to youth sports and community engagement. The Company primarily provides services related to the organization and operations of sports schools and sports events for children. As of December 31, 2024, Leifras was recognized as one of Japan's largest operators of children's sports schools in terms of both membership and facilities by Tokyo Shoko Research. The Company's approach to sports education emphasizes the development of non-cognitive skills, following the teaching principle "acknowledge, praise, encourage, and motivate." The holistic approach that integrates physical and mental development sets Leifras apart in the industry. Building upon deep experience and know-how in sports education, Leifras also operates a robust social business sector, dispatching sports coaches to meet various community needs with the aim to promote physical health, social inclusion, and community well-being across different demographics.
For more information, please visit the Company's website: https://ir.leifras.co.jp/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as "approximates," "believes," "hopes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "projects," "intends," "plans," "will," "would," "should," "could," "may," or other similar expressions in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks, including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions, and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the registration statement and other filings with the SEC. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov.
For more information, please contact:
LEIFRAS Co., Ltd.
Investor Relations Department
Email: IR@leifras.co.jp
Ascent Investor Relations LLC
Tina Xiao
Phone: +1-646-932-7242
Email: investors@ascent-ir.com
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LEIFRAS Co., Ltd. Announces Alliance with Blaublitz Akita to Launch "Blaublitz Akita × Liberta Soccer School"
