Organisers announce schedule for rearranged Tokyo Olympics in 2021

Competition will begin on July 21, two days before the Games officially open

Two spectators take a selfie with the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City in March. AP

A man wearing a Japanese flag-themed hat shows a towel with a Tokyo 2020 Olympics logo printed on while waiting in line to view the Olympic Flame in Fukushima City, Japan. AP

A worker operates an excavator near the Olympic rings at Tokyo's Odaiba district. AP

Workers stand at the bottom of the Olympic rings at Tokyo's Odaiba district. AP

People take pictures of the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City. AP

Spectators pray as they gather at a ceremony to view the Olympic Flame. AP

People gather to view the Olympic Flame in Fukushima City. AP

A woman poses for a photo with the Olympic Flame. AP

People take pictures with the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City, Japan. AP

The Olympic Flame burns during a ceremony in Fukushima City, Japan. AP

Spectators take pictures of the Olympic Flame. AP

The Olympic Flame burns as people wait in line. AP

The schedule for next year's Tokyo Olympics will be almost identical to the one planned for this year before the event was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers said on Friday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese government decided in March to postpone the Games until 2021 and organisers have been working to rearrange the event.

The new date for the opening ceremony at the newly-built National Stadium – July 23, 2021 – had already been announced but the full schedule was pending final approval until Friday when the Tokyo 2020 organising committee made a presentation to the IOC in Lausanne.

The Games had been set to begin on July 24 this year. The new schedule means women's softball will kick off competition at 9am local time in Fukushima on July 21, two days before the Games officially open, with all events taking place a day earlier than the 2020 schedule.

There have also been some minor changes to session times. The Games are set to be the biggest ever in terms of events, with a record 339 medals available, before the closing ceremony on August 8.

One of the biggest hurdles for organisers was securing the 42 venues needed for the Games as many had already been booked for 2021.

However, Tokyo 2020 executive director of operations Satoshi Yamashita said this week all venues had been “secured verbally”.

The marathon and race walking events will remain in the northern city of Sapporo after being controversially moved out of Tokyo because of the anticipated summer heat.