(NOAH) The Green Guide to "Global Tag League 2018"

ABOUT
"Global Tag League" is a recurring event each year in Noah which normally takes place in the early spring. Similar to "Global League" (which usually takes place nearer to the end of the year but is for singles wrestlers) tag teams will enter a tournament to determine the number one contender for the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Titles. Like "Global League", the tournament is only for heavyweight wrestlers.

Each team will compete in a league table over a series of matches, and the team with the most points will face the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. All matches are for thirty minutes. The tournament is done over a period of dates, and is done round robin style (a tournament in which each competitor plays in turn against every other).

History
"Global Tag League" has was inaugurated in 2008. The very first winners were Akitoshi Saito and Bison Smith. Akitoshi Saito is still with Noah, sadly Bison Smith passed away in 2011 of heart issues.

Grading system 
2 points for a win
1 for a time limit draw
0 for loss, count out, disqualification

2018 Teams

Takashi Sugiura & Kenoh
Naomichi Marufuji & Atsushi Kotoge
Mohammed Yone & Quiet Storm ("50 Funky Powers") ~ current GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Champions
Katsuhiko Nakajima & Masa Kitamiya ("The Aggression")
Go Shiozaki & Kaito Kiyomiya ("GoKai")
Maybach Taniguchi & Mitsuya Nagai
Akitoshi Saito & Masao Inoue
Cody Hall & KAZMA SAKAMOTO

FAQ

Is there a similar tournament for the junior wrestlers?
Yes, Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League (originally Nippon TV Cup Junior Heavyweight Tag League or  NTV G+ Cup Junior Heavyweight Tag League), which is usually held in July but can be held as late as October.

The two days being held in Sapporo in April to determine the GHC Junior Champions are not this.

How long does the league last for?
This year it will run from 18th March to April 11th with the final night at Korakuen Hall.
Click here for full tour dates (in English)

When will the winners face the tag team champions?
Most likely at "Great Voyage 2018" in Niigata.

Can the GHC Heavyweight tag team champions enter? What about any other champions?
Yes, there is nothing barring them from entry, although obviously they cannot chose their challengers. The GHC Heavyweight Tag Champions get no special treatment and compete like the other teams.

What happens if the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Champions win?
Either they will face whoever came in second place after them or the two highest scoring teams will have a match to confirm the number one contender.

Is this being televised? If so, where can I watch it?
The first night (18th March 2018) will be televised on Samurai on 24th March. If you are outside of Japan then you can watch this through FujiTV. Please note that while you do get a free trial, this will expire whether you use it or not after you register. If you do subscribe, then I suggest purchasing a Amazon FireStick to watch through your television.

The FujiTV app is available on iPhone, but please be aware that the app will not stop playing when you close it and will eat into your data allowance.

I am afraid I do not have any information about when the last night (or any other nights) will be televised. Sadly, Noah have not as yet regained their weekly television show.

I can't watch it through FujiTV, is there a streaming service?
Noah do not at the current time have a streaming service. I would suggest that after the 24th March you check Puroresu Dream for the upload. If you don't like to download, you can watch it through the site.
I would also suggest that you follow @realheroarchives on Twitter for updates.

If you have any further questions I would be happy to answer, either post in the comments below, or ask me at @Hi5ame on Twitter.