How to Run a Taekwondo Tournament: Categories, Kyorugi and Poomsae, Brackets and Live Results

A taekwondo tournament combines two very different kinds of competition: sparring (kyorugi) and forms (poomsae, or tul in ITF taekwondo), where judges’ scores decide the result. Add age, weight, and grade categories and several courts running at once. In this guide we show how to prepare a taekwondo tournament step by step and what to automate so the day runs without delays.

Taekwondo tournament: WT or ITF?

There are two main styles: Olympic taekwondo (WT) and ITF taekwondo. They differ in sparring rules, events, and scoring, so your event rules must state clearly which rules apply:

• WT: kyorugi (sparring, with the PSS electronic scoring system at higher-level events) and poomsae (forms scored by judges),
• ITF: tul (patterns), matsogi (sparring), special techniques, and power tests, among others.

Whatever the style, the organization looks similar: registration, categories, weigh-in, draw, court schedule, results, and medal ceremonies.

1. Categories and registration

Taekwondo athletes are divided by event, age, gender, weight (in sparring), and grade (gup/dan). With many criteria you get lots of small categories, so state in the rules when you merge them.

It’s best to collect entries in one spreadsheet template for all clubs. In Turniej Generator you import an Excel file (XLS/XLSX), and the system creates the categories and adds the athletes. Before each category starts, you check attendance, so no-shows don’t end up in the bracket.

2. Weigh-in and draw

Sparring uses weight categories, so draw the brackets only after the weigh-in and attendance check. The draw should separate athletes from the same club: a coach who brought five athletes to one category doesn’t want them knocking each other out in the first bout. In Turniej Generator the draw does this automatically in every category, and coaches see the brackets online.

3. Kyorugi: format and scoring

Taekwondo bouts are usually run as a knockout with two bronze medals. Small categories work well as a round robin, and youth events often use double elimination, so every child gets at least two bouts.

In Olympic taekwondo, points depend on the technique: head kicks and spinning techniques score more, and penalties (gam-jeom) give a point to the opponent. Under current World Taekwondo rules, a bout is played in rounds, and the athlete who wins two of three rounds wins. Details and the latest changes are published by World Taekwondo. At events with electronic body protectors, points are counted by the PSS system. Turniej Generator doesn’t replace it; it handles everything around it: brackets, the schedule, bout results, and rankings.

4. Poomsae and tul: judges’ scores

In forms there are no strikes or action points; the result is the judges’ scores for accuracy and presentation. We explain how to calculate scores (how many judges, whether to drop the extremes, how to break ties) in our guide to judge-scored tournaments. In Turniej Generator you run judge-scored events in the same tournament as sparring, on a shared schedule.

5. Court schedule, screens and the big screen

The schedule should account for the number of bouts per category, bout length, and breaks. In Turniej Generator the system calculates each category’s duration and builds a court plan you can adjust by hand. Athletes and parents check it on their phones via a QR code, a screen at each court shows the current and next bout, and the big screen shows the status of every court and the medal ceremonies.

6. Results, certificates and the medal table

• A result entered at the court goes straight to the bracket, the big screen, and coaches’ phones.
• Certificates are generated automatically from the results.
• The club medal table, and at international events a country table, is ready right after the last bout.
• Streaming: you can broadcast bouts from a phone to YouTube; see how to live stream a tournament from your phone.

Checklist: a taekwondo tournament step by step

1. State the style (WT or ITF), events, categories, and merging rules in the event rules.
2. Send clubs one registration template and import the entries.
3. Run the weigh-in and attendance check.
4. Draw the brackets, keeping athletes from the same club apart.
5. Build the court schedule and share it via a QR code.
6. Set up referee tables and, for PSS bouts, align the scoring system crew with the schedule.
7. Prepare certificate templates and the big-screen layout.
8. After the event, send links to the results and medal table.

The same process has proven itself at large traditional karate events, including the Kraków International Cup with athletes from 14 countries. Read more about running martial arts events in our guide to running a karate tournament.

Looking for one tool for all combat sports? See what good martial arts tournament software should have.

Frequently asked questions

Can one taekwondo tournament include both sparring and poomsae?

Yes. Each event has its own categories and format, and the schedule covers all courts.

Does Turniej Generator replace the PSS electronic scoring system?

No. PSS counts points during the bout, while Turniej Generator handles registration, the draw, the schedule, results, certificates, and rankings.

How do I avoid athletes from the same club meeting early?

The draw separates athletes from the same club in the bracket so they don’t meet in the first round.