Sumo just went international again: London 2025, Paris 2026
2025 marked 100 years since the Japan Sumo Association's founding in 1925. To mark it, sumo returned to London's Royal Albert Hall in October 2025 - the first time in 34 years, since 1991 - and a Paris exhibition is planned for 2026, the first time sumo has toured France in decades.
This article reflects the Japan Sumo Association's announced 2025-2026 overseas schedule as of September 2026. Confirm current dates directly with the Association before planning travel around an overseas event. Japan Sumo Association ↗
What you are seeing
- The London 2025 exhibition featured top-division wrestlers performing bouts and ceremonial rituals for an overseas audience, outside the official honbasho ranking system.
- These overseas events are exhibitions (jungyo-style), not honbasho - wins and losses there don't count toward a wrestler's tournament record or ranking.
- The Japan Sumo Association marked its 100th anniversary throughout 2025 with a museum exhibition at Ryogoku Kokugikan and a revived ceremonial event not performed in 30 years.
What to watch next
- If you're planning a trip around an overseas sumo event, confirm whether it's an exhibition or an official honbasho - only the six annual honbasho (including Tokyo's Aki Basho) count toward rankings.
- Overseas exhibitions typically feature a smaller roster than a full honbasho, so don't expect every top-ranked wrestler to appear.
- Watch for whether this becomes a regular pattern - after 34 years between London visits, a Paris date only one year later suggests the Japan Sumo Association may be expanding overseas appearances going forward.
A common first-timer mistake
Confusing an overseas exhibition with a full tournament. If you want to see a real honbasho with rankings on the line, that still only happens in Japan - Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, or Fukuoka.
Words you may hear
- Jungyo
- a regional or overseas exhibition tour, separate from official ranked tournaments
- Honbasho
- an official, ranked Grand Sumo Tournament
Sources and review
Created and photographed in Ryogoku by a Tokyo-based spectator. Facts reviewed against Japan Sumo Association materials on 25 August 2026.