Judo tournament guide

Weight categories (IJF SOR)

Judo competitions are divided by weight category. The IJF Sport and Organisation Rules define separate categories for Cadet, Junior and Senior age groups. Junior and Senior share the same categories.

Cadet categories have ±200 g tolerance. National federations may add combined or open-weight categories at local events — always confirm with your federation before publishing the event bulletin.

Athletes U15 and younger compete under modified rules that vary significantly between countries: shorter match time, different restrictions on arm and choke locks, and often different weight categories. For U9–U13, many federations use floating weight classes — groups formed after weigh-in based on actual weight rather than predetermined categories. Adult beginner classes also commonly use floating weights and may have belt-grade restrictions. These formats are covered in the youth and beginner judo guide.

Weigh-in is typically held the evening before competition or on the morning of the event. Competitors must make weight within the declared category. At local events, organisers sometimes allow a small tolerance or offer a single category change if the adjacent category is also running. Define this policy clearly in the event bulletin.

IJF competition systems

The IJF defines specific competition systems based on entry numbers per weight category. Rather than running a standard single-elimination bracket for every entry count, judo uses tailored systems that ensure fairness and an appropriate number of matches when entries are low.

The key principle is that the system is determined by how many competitors enter a given weight category, not how many enter the event overall. A tournament with 60 competitors may run a large bracket in one category and a small 3-person pool in another.

These are the standard formats at club and district level. At higher levels, the repechage system for 8+ entries differs: Grand Slam, Worlds and Olympics use QF repechage (IJF 2.5.2); Continental Championships and Continental Cups use double repechage (IJF 2.5.3). Always confirm which system applies with your federation before publishing the schedule.

Repechage in judo

The IJF Sport and Organisation Rules define three repechage systems for bracket competitions. Which system is used depends on the event level:

• —QF repechage (IJF 2.5.2): Athletes who lost in the quarter-final round get a second chance at bronze. Used at Grand Slam, World Championships and Olympics.
• —Double repechage (IJF 2.5.3): Athletes who lost to any of the four semi-finalists get a second chance. Used at Continental Championships and Continental Cups.
• —Direct repechage (IJF 2.5.4): All first-round losers get a second match, regardless of how their opponent performs later. Used at club and district events. Guarantees every athlete at least two matches.

All three systems produce two bronze medals — one from each side of the bracket. The match count difference for a 16-person bracket is significant: 19 matches with QF repechage, 23 with double, and 27 with direct repechage, compared to 15 for single elimination with no repechage.

Confirm which system applies before publishing your schedule — the repechage phase is the part most often underestimated in time planning.

How long does a judo tournament take?

Duration depends on the number of weight categories, entries per category, the competition system in use, match length, and how many mats are running simultaneously. A typical club or regional judo tournament runs as follows:

Senior IJF match length is 4 minutes of golden score — effectively unlimited time after the regular period, but most matches end within the first 4 minutes. Cadet and junior matches are typically shorter at 3–4 minutes depending on the age group and federation rules.

When estimating your schedule, allow 6–8 minutes per match slot including mat changeover, bowing-in, and any brief delay between bouts. On a mat running continuously, this gives roughly 7–10 matches per hour. Two mats running in parallel can handle a category of 16 competitors with full repechage in approximately 90 minutes.

Mat requirements

IJF competition requires a tatami area of at least 8×8 metres for the contest area, surrounded by a safety area of at least 3 metres on each side, giving a minimum overall mat size of 14×14 metres per mat. At international level this increases to a 10×10 contest area within a 16×16 total area.

At local club events, these dimensions are sometimes reduced with the agreement of the organising federation. Check your national federation's minimum requirements for the event category you are running.

The number of active mats directly determines event duration. Running one mat at a small club tournament is normal. Regional events with 100+ competitors typically need 2–4 mats to complete in a single day. Adding a mat roughly halves the remaining schedule time.

The draw

The draw assigns competitors to their positions in the bracket. In judo, seeding is based on current ranking where available. Seeds are placed in the bracket to ensure they cannot meet until the later rounds: the top seed and second seed are placed in opposite halves, and seeded competitors from the same club or country are typically separated where possible.

At local events without formal rankings, the draw is often random with only club separation applied. Competitors from the same club should not meet in the first round if it can be avoided.

The draw should be completed and published before competition begins — ideally the evening before, so coaches and competitors can see their first opponents. Changing the draw after publication causes confusion and should only be done to accommodate verified late withdrawals.

Officials and staffing

Each active mat requires a referee and two mat judges at IJF level, though local events often run with a single referee per mat. A table official handles the scoreboard and timer per mat. A chief table coordinator manages the overall match call order and communicates with the competition manager.

At minimum, a local club event needs: one referee per mat, one table official per mat, one person managing the bracket and match callsheet, and at least one person handling weigh-in and registration. These roles can overlap, but having a single person responsible for calling matches and updating results prevents the most common source of schedule delays.

Checklist for judo tournament organisers

1. 1Confirm which IJF or national federation rules apply, including competition system and repechage type
2. 2Define weight categories and age groups; publish them in the event bulletin
3. 3Set and communicate the weigh-in time and tolerance policy
4. 4Calculate expected match count and total duration using the estimator before committing to a schedule
5. 5Confirm venue mat size meets the minimum requirements for your event level
6. 6Decide number of active mats; this determines your running time
7. 7Set a registration deadline; finalise entries before the draw
8. 8Complete the draw and publish it, separating same-club competitors in early rounds
9. 9Brief all officials on the specific rules and systems in use
10. 10Prepare a match callsheet that clearly shows which pool or bracket stage follows which
11. 11Build buffer time into the schedule for overruns and the repechage phase