Governing Bodies
OLYMPIC FLAME ARRIVE TOKYO BY AIR ON MARCH 20
A special aircraft will transport the Olympic Flame to Tokyo next year, with an arrival ceremony due to be held on March 20.
The Olympic Flame will be lit at Ancient Olympia on March 12, with a week-long Torch Relay then held in Greece.
The Flame will be handed over to Tokyo 2020 with a ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on March 19.
Tokyo 2020 has now announced a special aircraft bearing the name “Tokyo 2020 Go” will transport the Olympic Flame to Japan.
The aircraft will land at the JASDF Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture on March 20.
Japanese Olympic stars Tadahiro Nomura and Saori Yoshida have been given the honour of delivering the Flame.
Nomura is the only judoka to have won three straight Olympic gold medals, in the men’s under 60-kilogram event at Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004.
Yoshida clinched three consecutive gold medals in wrestling, before winning a silver at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
The now retired wrestler also carried the Olympic Flag back from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo
“When I brought back the Olympic flag from Rio de Janeiro as captain of the Japanese Olympic delegation, my heart swelled with pride knowing that Tokyo’s turn was coming,” Yoshida said.
“I retired from wrestling afterwards, and it is now such an honour for me to fulfil this important role in bringing back the Olympic Flame from Greece.
“I will be readying myself for it.
“The Olympic Flame, a symbol of the Olympics, will traverse Japan, carrying with it the hopes and dreams of not only the Tokyo 2020 Olympians but those of all the people.
“I think it’s a fitting tribute that the Olympic flame brought back from Greece will commence its journey through Japan at Fukushima.
“I hope to run with the flame at some stage, and look forward to witnessing the moment the Olympic cauldron is lit in the Olympic Stadium.”
The two athletes will be joined by representatives of Tokyo 2020 at the handover ceremony in Athens.
Local children from Ishinomaki city, Higashi-matsushima city and Onagawa-cho in Miyagi Prefecture will welcome the Olympic Flame at the arrival ceremony.
They will escort the Flame onto the stage where a celebration cauldron will be lit, followed by speeches from Tokyo 2020 officials and guests.
A model of the aircraft commissioned to transport the Flame to Japan will also be unveiled.
Tokyo 2020 say the artwork on the side of the plane reflects the Olympic Torch concept “Hope Lights Our Way” and depicts the journey of the Olympic Torch Relay.
The artwork will feature a torchbearer pictogram on the front of the aircraft, followed by an ochre-coloured emblem along the side of the plane to the Olympic Torch relay emblem on the tail.
The name of the aircraft—TOKYO 2020 Go—incorporates the Japanese word “号”, the suffix used for the numbering of trains, buses and aircraft.
This also has a similar pronunciation to the English “Go!”, implying the start of a journey.
The overall name is intended to reflect the plane’s mission to deliver the Flame to the Olympic Games.
The Torch Relay will visit some of the areas worst affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
After the arrival of the Olympic Flame, the Torch Relay will begin with visits to the Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima Prefectures.
The Flame will visit all 47 prefectures of Japan in the build-up to the Opening Ceremony on July 24.
The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.
In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.
Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.
The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.
“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.
“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”
The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
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