The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee has announced the Paralympic competition schedule, following the Games’ postponement to 2021.

Featuring 539 events across 22 sports contested at 21 venues, the Paralympic Games will take place in the Japanese capital city from 24 August – 5 September.

Goalball will be the first International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) sport to get underway on 25 August with preliminary games at Makuhari Messe Hall C.

There will then be games every day until 3 September, when the medal matches take place. The knock-out stages begin on 31 August with the quarter-finals followed by the semis on 2 September.

Both men’s and women’s titles are on offer in goalball with 20 teams going for gold.

Judo will run from 27-29 August with medals up for grabs on every day. Competition will be held at the legendary Nippon Budokan which will see 140 athletes take to the tatami.

Football-5-a-side (blind football) starts at the Aomi Urban Sports Park on 29 August.

Three days of preliminary matches will be followed by a rest day on 1 September. Both semi-finals will be contested on 2 September as well as matches to decide fifth-eighth place.

The finalists and bronze medal contenders will play for the decide the top three on 4 September.

The world’s best athletes with visual impairments will also compete in sports such as cycling, triathlon, athletics and swimming.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons said: “The announcement of the competition schedule is always a key milestone for all Paralympic Games.  

“With just over one year to go, Para athletes can now see when they will be competing, and spectators can start to plan which events they either want to attend in person or view on television.”

Of the total 300 sessions, 109 will include medal events. Overall, events have been scheduled at family-friendly times that will allow as many people as possible to experience them. The latest sessions in 18 out of the 22 sports are scheduled to finish before or at 10 p.m. local time.

Parsons added: “We are pleased that this schedule has been finalised so quickly following March’s postponement and that it again follows timings that are suitable for a family audience to engage with the Games.”

‘Golden Sunday’

Falling mid-way through the Games on 29 August, an exciting 63 medal events will be held, the most of any day during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

This will include 20 final events in athletics, four in triathlon, four in rowing, 13 in swimming, and five in judo.