European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Kata Euros 2026: The Voices Behind Day One Success

The opening day of the European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 delivered emotion, redemption and remarkable performances as six European titles were decided across Nage-no-Kata, Katame-no-Kata, Ju-no-Kata, Kime-no-Kata, Kodokan Goshin Jutsu and ENBU. With a record 452 participants from 28 nations, the largest edition to date, brought together established champions,…

European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dimitri Nemegaire: “The 'Kata Family' is where the heart of judo truly beats” 

In a sport built on centuries of tradition, Belgian kata official and IT manager Dimitri Nemegaire spends his days focused on the future. Nemegaire entered the discipline at just fifteen years old after earning his Dan grades early, quickly immersing himself in a community that would go on to shape…

European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Kata Euros 2026: Draw and Schedule

The official draw for the European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 has now been completed. The full schedule and line-up order can be found below. Watch the event live online via JudoTV. Day 1 – Saturday, 16 May Day 2 – Sunday, 17 May

European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Kristiina Pekkola: "For me, Kata is the alphabet."

In Sarajevo, between 16-17 May, the Kata European Judo Championships 2026 is signalling a shift in momentum that has been years in the making. Athletes from 28 nations have arrived in the Bosnian capital, bringing the highest participation figures in the history of the event. Accreditation desks were busy from…

La Nucia/Benidorm European Open 2026 - Benidorm, Spain

Senior and Junior Talent Collide on the Costa Blanca

The Costa Blanca region returns to the judo calendar this weekend as La Nucía/Benidorm host the next stop of the European Open Tour on 16–17 May, welcoming a field of 473 athletes from 40 nations across four continents. Spain leads the entry list with 84 athletes, underlining both the strength…

European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevo 2026: The Stars to Watch at the European Judo Kata Championships

The European Judo Kata Championships are no longer a niche corner of the sport.  In Sarajevo, the 2026 edition is set to become the biggest in championship history, with 452 competitors from 28 nations, up from 330 competitors and 21 countries just two years ago.  The growth reflects a wider…

Bielsko-Biala "Millennium Team" Cadet European Cup 2026 - Bielsko-Biala, Poland

Tomasz Jopek: “Belief Can Move Mountains”

Between 16-17 May, the spotlight of European cadet judo turns once again to Bielsko-Biała, where ambition, pressure and possibility will collide on the tatami. The Cadet “Millennium Team” European Cup Tour has grown into far more than another stop on the calendar; for many young athletes, it is the place…

Erasmus +

Young Voices Shaping Intergenerational Judo

During European Youth Week 2026, the JOY project [Judo Connecting Older and Younger Generations] launched the Young Judo Voices Campaign, a coordinated social media campaign highlighting the role of young people in intergenerational learning. The campaign brought together 40 young judoka from Türkiye, Spain, Romania, Slovenia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, creating…

European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Cesare Amorosi: “Training Kata Is Training the Mind”

When speaking about kata in Europe, it is impossible not to mention Italy. Year after year, generation after generation, the Italian team continues to raise the standard across almost every kata discipline, combining tradition, innovation and remarkable consistency on the European stage. Behind that success is a system built on…

Erasmus +

SAFE COMBAT Project Reaches Key Milestones Ahead of Gijón Meeting

The Erasmus+ SAFE COMBAT project, in which the European Judo Union plays a leading role as coordinator, continues to make significant progress in promoting safer, more ethical and inclusive environments across Combat Sports and Martial Arts (CS&MA). Ahead of the upcoming implementation partners meeting, set to take place in Gijón…

Astana Grand Slam 2026 - Astana, Kazakhstan

Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2026: Day Three European Highlights

The final day of the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2026 (8-10 May) saw four of the five gold medals go to judoka from the European continent, with several heavyweight performances delighting the judo-loving Kazakh crowd. In the men’s -90kg division, Serbia’s Boris Rutovic captured gold ahead of Brazil’s Guilherme Schimidt. The…

Gori Senior European Cup 2026 - Gori, Georgia

The World Champion Rediscovered the “Taste” of Gold at Home

The Gori edition of the Senior European Cup 2026 concluded today with medallists decided in the remaining seven weight categories: women’s -48 kg, -52 kg and -57 kg, alongside men’s -81 kg, -90 kg, -100 kg and +100 kg divisions. Gold medals were claimed by representatives of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Switzerland…

Tóth Krisztián Elected President of the Hungarian Judo Association

On Sunday, 10 May, the Hungarian Judo Association held its elective General Assembly at the Hungarian House of Sport, where Olympic bronze medallist Tóth Krisztián was elected President for the next term, exceptionally set at two and a half years. Rarely has an assembly of the Hungarian federation attracted such…

Astana Grand Slam 2026 - Astana, Kazakhstan

Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2026: Day Two European Highlights

Day two of the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2026 (8-10 May) delivered four more finals featuring Europeans, two gold medals, and a series of podium finishes for athletes from across Europe. The morning session began with a major upset in the women’s -63kg category, where reigning Dutch European champion Joanne van Lieshout…

Gori Senior European Cup 2026 - Gori, Georgia

Bagrat Niniashvili - Hero of the Home Crowd

The opening day of the Gori Senior European Cup 2026 came to an exciting conclusion, with medals decided across six weight categories. The men’s -60 kg, -66 kg and -73 kg divisions crowned their winners, alongside the women’s -63 kg, -70 kg and +78 kg categories. After day one, hosts…

Gori Senior European Cup 2026 - Gori, Georgia

Georgia Hosts Yet Another International Tournament

European judo is visiting Gori this time, a beautiful small city in Georgia, distinguished by its rich sporting traditions. Gori is the hometown of several Olympic and world champions, including Georgian judo legend Lasha Shavdatuashvili, who is himself an Olympic, World and European champion. Sport, and especially judo, is deeply…

Fighting Films Europe Partners with the European Judo Union

The Fighting Films Europe and the European Judo Union have officially entered a new partnership, marking the beginning of a collaboration focused on supporting the continued growth and development of judo across Europe. Already a respected and recognisable name within the global judo community, Fighting Films Europe has built a…

Astana Grand Slam 2026 - Astana, Kazakhstan

Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2026: Day One European Highlights

The Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2026 (8-10 May) got off to a golden start for Europe’s lightweight judoka, as the second stop of the Central Asian swing, following last week’s Dushanbe Grand Slam, opened in Astana on Friday (8 May). Europe swept all of the women’s gold medals on day one.…