What's happened
The Grand Sumo Tournament will take place at the Royal Albert Hall from October 15-19, 2025, marking the first elite sumo event in the UK since 1991. This historic occasion celebrates the Japan Sumo Association's centenary and aims to showcase Japanese culture alongside the sport.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Japan Times highlights the traditional setup of the event, emphasizing the cultural experience attendees will have. The Independent notes the excitement surrounding the tournament, recalling the enthusiasm from the 1991 event. The Guardian underscores the significance of hosting sumo again in London, reflecting on the historical context and the challenges faced in organizing the event. According to the New York Times, the tournament's return is seen as a celebration of Japan's national sport and heritage, with expectations for a strong audience turnout.
How we got here
The last professional sumo tournament outside Japan occurred in 1991 at the Royal Albert Hall. Various factors, including scandals and the COVID-19 pandemic, delayed the sport's return to London. Recent interest in sumo, fueled by media exposure, has revived enthusiasm for the event.
More on these topics
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The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the United Kingdom's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity. It can seat 5,272.
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Sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a rikishi attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet.
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Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
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The Japan Sumo Association is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
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The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.