Former Olympic venue to fall in preparation for 2020 Games.
Tokyo’s National Stadium, the centerpiece of the 1964 Olympic Games, will be completely demolished by September and construction on a new facility for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is to begin in October, according to details published on Thursday.
The new 80,000-seat stadium is slated to be completed in time to host the opening match and the final of Rugby World Cup 2019, which will be hosted by Japan.
The existing facility’s demolition was supposed to have begun last July, but was delayed after irregularities in the original bid process and missteps by the Japan Sports Council, which manages the stadium, required a new bid process.
