Sumo wrestling could return to the Royal Albert Hall before the end of the decade as negotiations between London and Tokyo move closer to a formal agreement.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan met with the Japan Sumo Association during a visit to Tokyo this week, building on the success of last year’s five-day Basho held at the iconic Kensington venue.
The 2025 tournament marked the first time grand tournament sumo had left Japan since the early 1990s, drawing enormous crowds to the 5,200-capacity auditorium.
The wrestlers themselves became a cultural sensation, going viral across social media as they explored London as tourists between bouts.
City AM understands that talks are now progressing well, with discussions at a stage where the tournament could potentially return to the capital even earlier than 2030.
Khan met Hakkaku Rijicho, the chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, who received the Freedom of the City of London in April, as part of a broader trip across Asia.
During the visit, Khan said: “Hosting the Grand Sumo Tournament in our city last year was an incredibly proud moment for London.”
He added: “The sport, and the wrestlers themselves, captured the imagination of our city and proved once again that London is truly the sporting and cultural capital of the world.”
Khan also stated: “London has hosted global events that every other major city would envy and, following last year’s fantastic tournament, we want to give this famous Japanese sport a home away from home, in London.”
The Mayor concluded: “I look forward to working with the chair of the Japan Sumo Association in the future, as we build a more prosperous city for everyone.”
Last year’s tournament proved an outstanding commercial success, with five consecutive sold-out evenings at the Royal Albert Hall drawing fans eager to witness a sport that so rarely ventures beyond Japan.
The appetite for a return fixture appears strong on both sides, with London keen to cement its reputation as a destination for internationally significant sporting events that rarely leave their home nations.