This archive report was first published on 1 December 2019.
On December 1, 2019, Tokyo's National Stadium was officially finished and handed over to the Japan Sport Council, its owner and operator.
The stadium, which can accommodate 60,000 spectators, was completed at a cost of over $1.25 billion and will host the athletics and soccer events during the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Construction on the stadium began in December 2016, about 14 months later than planned, after the original design was scrapped due to public outcry over spiraling costs.
The delay meant the stadium could not host matches of the Rugby World Cup, as originally planned.
According to Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto, the completion of the stadium marks a significant milestone for the Games, with the Emperor's Cup soccer final being the first sporting event to be held there on New Year's Day.
"We are very pleased that construction of the stadium – a key symbol of the Tokyo 2020 Games – has now been completed; it makes us realize just how close we are getting to the start of the Games," Muto said in a statement.
After several post-Games renovations due to end late in 2022, the stadium will host sporting and cultural events for years to come.
