Ahead of the first contests, due to commence at 11:30am at the National Gymnastics Arena on Sunday, there are still final preparations to be made; those of the delegations as well as the organisers. For athletes and coaches, it is imperative to have concrete information about the draw, opponents and running order. Therefore, on the eve of the competition, the draw has been held in the presence of officials from the International Judo Federation and the Azerbaijan Judo Federation.
Present for the IJF were Secretary General Dr Lisa Allan, Head Sport Director Mr Vladimir Barta and Head Referee Director Mr Juan Carlos Barcos.
Present for the Azerbaijan Judo Federation were AJF Executive Vice President Mr Rashad Rasullu, Head of the Sports Department of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Mr Elnur Mammadov and AJF Vice President Mr Elnur Mammadli
Dr Lisa Allan led the introductions and formal welcome on behalf of the International Judo Federation and IJF President Mr Marius Vizer, “Dear judo family, it is a great pleasure and honour to welcome you all to Baku. This is a city with a proud sporting tradition and it is a pleasure to be here once again alongside our friends and colleagues from the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, Secretary General Rasullu and his team.
On behalf of International Judo Federation President Mr Marius Vizer and the entire IJF, we are delighted to welcome you to the IJF World Championships for Seniors, Individuals and Mixed Teams.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to President Nabiyev and everyone at the Azerbaijan Judo Federation for their continued commitment to judo and for the passion, professionalism and dedication they demonstrate consistently in the hosting of IJF World Judo Tour events in Azerbaijan. Once again, this championship brings together our worldwide judo family, united by the same spirit, the same values and, above all, our shared love of judo."
"Over the next eight days, we will have the privilege of witnessing the world’s finest judoka compete at the highest level. Here at the National Gymnastics Arena and with fans watching around the world through JudoTV, our live streaming platform, we look forward to experiencing moments of excellence, determination and unforgettable competition.
We also extend our heartfelt thanks to all our member national federations, partners and sponsors. Your continued trust, commitment and support are essential to the growth and development of our sport.
Finally, we wish all athletes and delegations every success for the championships. May these days in Baku be filled with great judo, memorable moments and a wonderful celebration of our sport. Welcome to Baku and welcome to the IJF World Judo Championships; thank you.”
Mr Rashad Rasullu then took the floor, “Dear Dr Allan. Mr Barta, Mr Barcos, dear judo family, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon and welcome to Baku! It is a great honour for Azerbaijan to host the World Judo Championships once again and to welcome the international judo family to our capital."
"The development of sport in Azerbaijan has always received strong attention and support at the highest level. Under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, significant effort has been made to develop modern sport infrastructure, support our athletes and host major international sporting events in our country.
In the coming days, Baku will bring together the world's leading judoka for one of the most important events on the international judo calendar. We are proud to provide a stage where athletes from around the world can compete at the highest level in the spirit of respect and fair play.
On behalf of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to International Judo Federation President Mr Marius Vizer and Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr Farid Gayibov for their valuable support and contribution to the organisation of the World Championships. I would also like to thank the International Judo Federation, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan, our sponsors and everyone involved in the preparation and organisation of the championships."
"Today's draw marks the final step before the competition begins. I wish all athletes good health, successful performances and the very best of luck on the tatami. We hope you enjoy your time in Baku and the hospitality of Azerbaijan. I wish everyone a successful and memorable world championships. Thank you!”
Head of the Sports Department of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Mr Elnur Mammadov then spoke proudly, “Dear International Judo Federation, dear guests, for second time, Azerbaijan is hosting a world championships. We are delighted to welcome you to this prestigious event, being held at the highest standard. The reason for this is the great contribution from the IJF.
Today President Ilham Aliyev awarded the special Order of Friendship to President Vizer for his fruitful efforts and contribution to judo here and around the world. Judo is one of most popular sports in Azerbaijan and our results show this.
I thank the Azerbaijan Judo Federation for all their hard work. The competition starts tomorrow and I’m sure the spectators will enjoy seeing these 600 athletes compete. I wish you all good luck.”
Next there were some words about refereeing matters from Mr Barcos, “Dear judo family, the IJF Refereeing Commission has selected the best possible group of referees, to achieve the best results here in Baku.” He then clarified the contest review process for coaches, to ensure correct processes are followed.
To conduct the mechanics of the draw, IJF Head Sport Director Mr Vladimir Barta took the floor, supported by the IJF IT Team.“Distinguished guests, dear judo family, we begin the draw of the World Judo Championships 2026. We have 93 countries and a total of 623 athletes present. The largest group is the men’s -100 kg category with 56 entrants.”
Mr Barta’s introduction was followed by a video breakdown of the top names in each category and the live draw. When the draw for the individual competition was concluded, focus moved to the mixed team competition which was also drawn, as was the starting category for the first round: +70 kg.
As the final preparations are concluded, the excitement continues to rise. Tune into JudoTV to catch all the action as it unfolds.