The international judo season starts with a background that goes beyond the immediate competition. With the start of 2026, the calendar marks the first full year of the Olympic cycle heading to Los Angeles 2028a period in which each combat begins to have strategic consequences. He Paris Grand Slamscheduled for February, will be the first major event of the year, preceded by the continental Opens in Casablanca and Sofia, the first stages where judokas will be able to begin to build their position in the world ranking.
The start of the course coincides with a key moment for athletes and federations: the progressive activation of the Olympic classification system. Although the decisive phase will not begin until mid-year, the initial distribution of points already conditions calendars, tournament selections and sports planning. Understand how the ranking system works International Judo Federation It is, from now on, an essential part of performance. A system that will probably reward perseverance, excellence in big events and the ability to sustain performance over timemore than specific talent or isolated success.
Where are the points that lead to the Games earned?
Although Paris will open the year with one of the most emblematic tournaments on the circuit, the real turning point will come in June, with the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slamat which point the classification process is formally activated for Los Angeles 2028. Since then, each result will count directly for access to Olympic places, raising the strategic value of each competition.
The world ranking is built from results obtained in competitions recognized by the IJF. Judokas can add points in continental Opens, Grand Prix, Grand Slams, Masters, continental championships, world championships and in the Olympic Games themselves, with a different weight depending on the category of the event.
This range allows for multiple paths of progression, but also requires precise planning. Not all competitions offer the same return in points, and the system is designed to reflect the actual competitive level of the moment, not just the athlete’s accumulated history.
Expiring points: the constant pressure of performance
One of the pillars of the system is the expiration of points. For 12 months after a competition, points remain intact. From that moment on, their value is reduced by half and, after 24 months, they completely disappear from the calculation. The time reference is not arbitrary: the calculation is carried out by official weeks of the IJF calendar, with Monday as the start. This means that a result can immediately lose value at the start of the equivalent week the following year, forcing athletes to sustain their performance if they want to maintain their position.
Nevertheless, the system contemplates specific adjustments to ensure equitable treatment between continents. Continental championships, for example, are considered as if they were all held in the same week, regardless of their actual date. In this way, the reduction and expiration of points is applied uniformly, avoiding advantages derived from the calendar. These rules are included in the sporting and organizational regulations of the IJF and are part of a model that seeks to balance opportunities in a truly global circuit.
When two or more judokas tie in total points, the ranking applies a clear hierarchy. The sum of points obtained in world championships is prioritized first, followed by the results in Grand Prix, Grand Slams and Masters. If the tie persists, the best individual results are compared, one by one. In situations that directly affect Olympic qualification and where a technical tiebreaker is not achieved, the final decision rests with the IJF Executive Committee.
