The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said its "friendship and solidarity competition" will take place at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium on November 8.

It is set to be one of the first international sports events held in the Olympic and Paralympic Games host country since the pandemic hit.

Organisers are also likely to use the competition, to be staged under a series of strict COVID-19 protocols, as a test for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Spectators will be allowed into the venue but capacity will be restricted to 2,000.

Athletes will have to undergo "several" tests for coronavirus, both before arriving in Tokyo and during their stay in the Japanese capital.

Apparatus in training halls and on the field of play will be cleaned and disinfected at the end of each session.

"This is a competition of hope," said FIG President Morinari Watanabe.

"Friendship and solidarity will lead us towards better days.

"Gymnastics will once again light up the Olympic Games in Japan next year. 

"After a challenging period, we are delighted to bring gymnastics back to the Japanese public by welcoming many of our stars to Tokyo and giving them the chance for an innovative competition on a global stage."

The two teams – one named team friendship and the other named team solidarity – will include eight male and eight female gymnasts.

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Kōhei Uchimura of Japan and reigning world all-around champion Nikita Nagornyy of Russia are among the athletes to have entered the competition.

The FIG said gymnasts at the event will "either come from China, Russia, the United States and Japan, or are training in Japan".