World Championship Sumo Event Brings The Dohyo To The Westchester County Center

WHITE PLAINS, NY — The International Sumo League has announced that the first-ever World Championship Sumo Event will be held right here in Westchester County.

The eyes of the world will be on the Westchester County Center on Jan. 10. Organizers say the competition will mark a new chapter in global sumo competition, bringing together elite athletes as the sport gains a global following, while celebrating sumo wrestling's roots in ancient tradition.

"This is more than a match — it's a cultural moment," International Sumo League CEO Noah Goldman said. "We're honored to partner with Abema and QSO to bring the power, ritual, and spectacle of sumo to a global stage. Westchester County will host history — and we're thrilled to bring World Championship Sumo back to the tri-state area, where our journey began."

Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, via the International Sumo League website and Ticketmaster.

The competition will feature 12 of the world's top professional sumo wrestlers competing in 30-40 plus matches to crown an event champion.

The championship is presented in partnership with a Japanese consortium, including Abema, Japan’s leading fast channel and streaming service, and QSO, a promoter of sports and music events. The event will be available as a pay-per-view broadcast on Abema, expanding sumo's reach to global audiences.

"Sumo is Japan's soul sport, and we're excited to help share it with the world," QSO CEO Akira Sakata explained. "This partnership reflects our commitment to honoring tradition while embracing American innovation and passion for sport."

Founded by Noah Goldman and recently joined by media veterans Stuart Snyder (a former president of WWE and Cartoon Network) and Toper Taylor, ISL is the first organized professional sumo wrestling league outside of Japan. The league has previously hosted sumo events at both Madison Square Garden Theatre and The Prudential Center, with this event being its third major event in the New York area within the past 24 months.

"Sumo is the perfect sport for today's media-savvy global audience — each match lasts less than one minute, the rules are simple and easy to understand, and every person on this planet can tell you what a sumo wrestler looks like," Goldman said. "There are over 85 countries in the world with sumo wrestling leagues, and ISL is thrilled to become the first professional sumo wrestling league built for scaling globally."

While sumo wrestling coming to Westchester feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the sport might just be the wave of the future on the cusp of something big.

"World Championship Sumo is the most exciting globally recognized family-friendly sport in the market today. Our Sumo is BIG," Snyder explained. "Big in TV ratings, ticket sales, consumer products, and shareholder value."

Additional information on sumo athletes competing, weigh-in details and more, will be announced as the event nears. Find out more information, here.