The Italian judo team is heading to the 2026 World Championships in Baku with a full contingent of 18 athletes, including five competitors confirmed as seeded entries for the tournament. The event, scheduled to take place from October 4 to October 11 at the National Gymnastics Arena in Azerbaijan, serves as a significant milestone in the qualification cycle for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with up to 1,000 ranking points available to participants.
Italian Seeding Positions for the Baku World Championships
The Italian delegation is entering the tournament with five athletes holding protected positions in the draw, a status secured through their current positions on the World Ranking List. Gennaro Pirelli leads the Italian seeding contingent in the -100 kg category, entering the competition as the world number one. In the -52 kg division, Odette Giuffrida has been confirmed as a top seed, benefiting from the absence of Kosovo’s Distria Krasniqi.
The remaining seeded athletes represent a cross-section of Italy’s competitive weight classes. Giovanni Esposito enters the -73 kg draw as the seventh seed, while Giorgia Stangherlin holds the eighth seed in the -70 kg category. Asya Tavano, competing in the +78 kg division, rounds out the group of confirmed seeds, entering the tournament ranked fifth in her weight class. For other members of the Italian squad, favorable draw positions remain contingent on potential last-minute withdrawals from other international competitors before the official draw takes place on October 3.
Full Squad Roster and Tournament Objectives
Beyond the five seeded athletes, the Italian team has finalized a full roster of 18 competitors, consisting of nine men and nine women. The women’s roster includes Assunta Scutto (48 kg), Giulia Carnà (57 kg), Veronica Toniolo (57 kg), Carlotta Avanzato (63 kg), and Erica Simonetti (+78 kg). The men’s team is completed by Andrea Carlino (60 kg), Elios Manzi (66 kg), Valerio Accogli (66 kg), Leonardo Valeriani (73 kg), Antonio Esposito (81 kg), Manuel Parlati (81 kg), and Kenny Komi Bedel (90 kg).
The Baku competition is regarded as the most critical appointment of the 2026 season. With 1,000 ranking points on the line, the performance of these athletes will directly influence their standing in the long-term qualification path toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The coaching staff and athletes are preparing for the transition to the National Gymnastics Arena, where the tournament will unfold over the course of eight days.
Tournament Timeline and Official Draw
The official draw for the individual weight categories is set for October 3, one day before the start of the tournament. This session will determine the final brackets and confirm which of the non-seeded Italian athletes may move into more advantageous positions should any international rivals withdraw from the competition.
