European Kudo Junior Cup 2026

The European Kudo Junior Committee is pleased to announce the European Kudo Junior Cup 2026, which will take place in Malta on 21 November 2026 under the supervision of the Committee's General Secretary, Alexander Zhuravlev. The competition is open to athletes in the U10, U12, U14 and U16 divisions. Each participating team is strongly encouraged to provide at least one referee aged 16 or older. Individual referees are also welcome, even if they are not accompanying a team, to gain refereeing experience. The competition will be conducted in accordance with the current KIF Junior Competition Rules, together with the event-specific provisions set out in this document.

Age Divisions

For the purposes of this competition, each athlete’s age is determined as of 31 December, 2026. The applicable age divisions and years of birth are:

U10 — 8–9 years old (born in 2017–2018)

U12 — 10–11 years old (born in 2015–2016)

U14 — 12–13 years old (born in 2013–2014)

U16 — 14–15 years old (born in 2011–2012)

Weight Categories

The same weight categories apply to boys and girls. Boys and girls compete in separate divisions.

U10: –21 kg, –24 kg, –27 kg, –30 kg, –33 kg, –36 kg, –39 kg, –42 kg, –45 kg, 45+ kg.

U12: –24 kg, –27 kg, –30 kg, –33 kg, –36 kg, –39 kg, –42 kg, –45 kg, –48 kg, 48+ kg.

U14: –30 kg, –34 kg, –38 kg, –42 kg, –46 kg, –50 kg, –54 kg, –58 kg, –62 kg, 62+ kg.

U16: –40 kg, –45 kg, –50 kg, –55 kg, –60 kg, –65 kg, –70 kg, –75 kg, –80 kg, 80+ kg.

Merging of Weight Categories

Adjacent weight categories may be merged at the discretion of the Chief Referee. Under normal circumstances, the actual weight difference between athletes should not exceed 4 kg for U10, 4 kg for U12, 5 kg for U14, and 6 kg for U16. In exceptional cases, these limits may be exceeded, but the actual weight difference must never exceed two weight-class steps: 6 kg for U10, 6 kg for U12, 8 kg for U14, and 10 kg for U16. Any such exceptional merging requires the approval of the Chief Referee and Medical Officer, as well as the coaches and parents or legal guardians of both athletes. The same rules and weight-difference limits apply to the highest (“+”) weight categories.

Merging of Age Divisions

Athletes from different age divisions may be merged only when they are born in consecutive calendar years and are on opposite sides of the boundary between two adjacent age groups. Any merging of age divisions requires the approval of the Chief Referee and Medical Officer, as well as the coaches and parents or legal guardians of both athletes. The athletes’ actual weight, physical development, and competition experience must be taken into consideration. When athletes from different age divisions are merged, the bout shall be conducted under the rules applicable to the younger age division.