Azerbaijan to host World Judo Championship

The International Judo Federation (IJF) has chosen Azerbaijan as the venue for the 2026 World Judo Championship.

The World Championship will not only demonstrate the abilities of the world's best judokas, but also serve as a qualifying round for the 2028 Olympic Games. In addition to medals, the athletes will receive points for a trip to the Olympics.

Azerbaijan will host world judo stars for the second time in history. The tournament was previously held in Baku in 2018. Azerbaijan won 2 medals at that tournament, while Japan was the best team, winning 17 medals, including 8 gold. By the end of the tournament, Russian judokas won 4 medals, including 3 bronze and 1 silver.