The final of the women's soccer competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics may be held at the new National Stadium in place of the men's final, which is likely to be moved to another venue, a source close to the matter said Monday.
Games organizers are considering staging the women's final at the main Olympic stadium on Aug. 7 or earlier, while the men's final, which had been scheduled there on Aug. 8, may be held possibly at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama or elsewhere, the source said.
The move is aimed at easing the concentration of events at the National Stadium, currently being constructed in central Tokyo, toward the end of the 17-day Summer Olympics through Aug. 9.
Under initial plans, the men's soccer final was scheduled at the stadium during the day on Aug. 8, with track and field events set for that night. On the last day of competitions, the venue is scheduled to be used for men's marathon in the morning before the closing ceremony in the evening.
Organizers have determined that staging the men's soccer final there was difficult considering the many setup changes that have to be implemented at a time when preparations and rehearsals for the closing ceremony must also be held, according to the source.
But the Japan Football Association wants a soccer game to be played at the national stadium, which is set to be used exclusively for team ball sports like soccer and rugby after the games are over.