Before that crucial moment arrives, all eyes will turn to the French capital on 7th and 8th February. Over 500 athletes from 82 countries are expected to compete in Paris, confirming once again the exceptional status of this event on the international calendar.
For two days, the AccorArena in Bercy will host the very best judoka in the world. The atmosphere promises to be electric, the battles intense and the level of competition extraordinary. Beyond the prestige of stepping onto the Paris podium, valuable ranking points will be at stake, points that could already prove decisive on the long road towards Olympic qualification.
A quick look at the entry list leaves little doubt about the quality of this year’s field. Among the 14 weight categories, no fewer than seven current world number ones are registered, alongside nine world number twos and four world number threes, not to mention a wealth of established contenders and rising stars. The Paris Grand Slam has once again succeeded in bringing together the elite of world judo.
As host nation, France will field a full and ambitious team, led by reigning world champion Joan-Benjamin Gaba in the -73 kg category and former world champion and repeat Olympic medallist Romane Dicko in the +78 kg division. In front of a passionate home crowd, the French team will also rely on the energy and fearlessness of its young generation, eager to make its mark on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Among the nations to watch closely, Japan stands out as always. The Japanese team will arrive in Paris with an impressive line-up, capable of challenging for medals in many categories and, potentially, of making the Japanese anthem echo through the Bercy on more than one occasion.
The list of world and Olympic medallists present is simply remarkable. Taking on such a field is a challenge in itself. Among many others, names such as Distria Krasniqi (KOS), Zelym Kostoev and Hidayat Heydarov (AZE) or Alice Bellandi (ITA) underline the extraordinary depth of this competition. It is a line-up that speaks for itself.
Who will earn the adoration of the Parisian crowd? Who will stumble in Paris only to rise again stronger in the weeks that follow? Predicting the outcome is virtually impossible and that uncertainty is precisely what makes the Paris Grand Slam 2026 an unmissable event.
Follow all the news across our platforms and, from the morning of 7th February, join us at the AccorArena or on JudoTV.com for two days of action, intensity and world-class judo.