UAE ambassador to Japan to attend Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games opening ceremony

The Emirates will have a five-member squad at the Tokyo Olympics

Flag bearer Yousuf Almatrooshi of the United Arab Emirates leads his contingent during the athletes' parade at the opening ceremony.

Flag bearer Yousuf Almatrooshi of Team United Arab Emirates leads the team out during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Members of the United Arab Emirates Team are seen during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Flag bearer Yousuf Almatrooshi of Team United Arab Emirates during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Flag bearers Hannah Mills and Mohamed Sbihi of Team Great Britain lead their team out during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Italy's delegation parade during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Flag bearers Harmanpreet Singh and Mary Kom Hmangte of India lead their contingent in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony.

Flag bearers Hedaya Wahba and Alaaeldin Abouelkassem of Team Egypt during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Flag bearers Cate Campbell and Patty Mills of Team Australia lead their team during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Flag bearers Anna Korakaki and Eleftherios Petrounias of Team Greece lead their team in during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Flag bearers Yusra Mardini and Tachlowini Gabriyesos of the Refugee Olympic Team lead their team out during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Performers are seen during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach and Japan's Emperor Naruhito wave during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Japanese flag is raised as the national anthem is sung during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Performers are seen during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Performers in action during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Performers dance during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

A performer is seen acting during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Fireworks explode during the opening ceremony.

Fireworks illuminate over the National Stadium during the opening ceremony of 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Fireworks illuminate over the National Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Members of staff hold signage inside the stadium before the opening ceremony.

Kabuki actor Nakamura Kankuro lights an Olympic cauldron during the arrival ceremony for the Olympic torch in Tokyo, Japan.

An Olympic flame torch.

The Blue Impulse Japan Air Self-Defence Force aerobatic display team fly over the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building during the arrival ceremony for the Olympic torch.

People watch a performance by Blue Impulse.

People take photos of the Japan air force aerobatic squadron Blue Impulse.

A general view outside the stadium as fireworks are let off during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Shehab Ahmed Al Faheem, the UAE ambassador to Japan, will attend the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Tokyo Olympics got under way on Wednesday with softball and football, but the 32nd Summer Olympics Games will be officially launched with the opening ceremony today.

Build-up for the gala event begins at 1pm UAE time on Friday, while the ceremony itself, which is expected to last more than three hours, will start at 3pm.

Japan's Emperor Naruhito will be chief among the VIPs, along with some world leaders and other senior figures, including Jill Biden, wife of US President Joe Biden, and President Emmanuel Macron of France.

The UAE ambassador to Japan will be joined by Azza bint Suleiman, assistant secretary general of the National Olympic Committee for Administrative and Financial Affairs.

The UAE will have a five-member squad at the Tokyo Olympics, its 10th Olympics since the Emirates' first participation at Los Angeles 1984.

Saif bin Futtais (shooting), Victor Scvortov (judo), Ivan Remarenco (judo), Yousuf Al Matrooshi (swimming) and Hassan Al Noubi (track and field) will carry the UAE’s hopes of medal success at the Games.

Bin Futtais will compete in the skeet shooting on July 25 and 26, while Scvortov will compete in the under-73kg judo competition on July 26.

Swimmer Al Matrooshi will compete in the 100-metre freestyle competition on July 27 while Remarenco will participate in the over-100kg judo competition on July 30.

Sprinter Al Noubi competes in the 100-metre race on July 31.

The Tokyo Olympics will be broadcast on beIN Sports in the UAE.