On Sunday night, New Japan announced the following participants and first-round matches for the 2018 New Japan Cup tournament, beginning on March 9 and concluding with the Finals on March 21.
3/9 at Koruaken Hall in Tokyo
* Michael Elgin vs. Tomohiro Ishii
* Juice Robinson vs. Yujiro Takahashi
3/10 in Aichi
* Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Taichi
* Bad Luck Fale vs. Lance Archer
3/11 in Hyogo
* Kota Ibushi vs. YOSHI-HASHI
* Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
3/12 in Kagawa
* Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Toru Yano
* IWGP Tag Team Champion SANADA vs. Chuckie T.
3/14 in Shizuoka
* Elgin/Ishii winner vs. Juice/Yujiro winner
* Tanahashi/Taichi winner vs. Fale/Archer winner
3/15 at Koruaken Hall in Tokyo
* Ibushi/Yoshi winner vs. Naito/ZSJ winner
* Smith Jr./Yano winner vs. SANADA/Chuckie T. winner
3/21 in Niigata
* Semi-Finals and Finals of the tournament
The winner of the New Japan Cup receives an IWGP Title shot of his choice at the Sakuru Genesis iPPV on April 1 at Sumo Hall in Tokyo.