How to Run a Judo Tournament: Weight Categories, Weigh-In, Brackets and Live Results

A judo tournament is one of the harder martial arts events to organize. On top of the usual challenges (hundreds of athletes, several tatami, dozens of categories) there’s the weigh-in, which reshapes categories at the last minute, and repechage, which means the bracket doesn’t end at the semifinals. In this guide we show how to prepare a judo tournament step by step: from the rules and registration, through the weigh-in and draw, to live results and the club medal table.

A judo tournament starts with the rules and categories

Before opening registration, decide in the event rules which categories you’ll run. In judo, athletes are divided mainly by:

• age: age groups or birth years, often narrower at youth events,
• gender,
• weight: official weight categories or, for the youngest, pools formed after the weigh-in from athletes of similar weight,
• grade: at beginner events it helps to separate athletes with lower kyu grades.

At federation events, the categories and rules of your national judo federation apply. Club and youth tournaments give you more freedom, but write down what happens to a category with only one or two entries (merging with the next weight or age group).

1. Registration: one spreadsheet template for every club

Retyping entries from emails into one list takes hours and guarantees typos. Send clubs one spreadsheet template and import it in one go. In Turniej Generator you upload an Excel file (XLS/XLSX), and the system creates the categories and adds the athletes automatically. Before each category starts, you check attendance, so no-shows don’t end up in the bracket.

2. Weigh-in: run the draw only after it

The weigh-in is where entries meet reality: some athletes won’t make their declared weight, some won’t show up. So the rule is simple: draw the brackets only after the weigh-in and attendance check are complete. A few practical tips:

• schedule the weigh-in so there’s time to move athletes between weights before the draw,
• set up separate stations for girls and boys, and several scales when entries are high,
• state in the rules any weight tolerance you allow and what happens to an athlete who doesn’t make weight,
• for the youngest, consider forming weight pools after the weigh-in, so children face opponents of genuinely similar size.

3. Judo tournament format: round robin or bracket?

The right format depends on the number of athletes in a category:

• Small categories (2–5 athletes): a round robin works best. Everyone gets several bouts, and the table decides the order.
• Larger categories: knockout. In judo, repechage is standard: athletes who lost to the finalists get a chance to fight for one of two bronze medals.
• Youth events: more and more organizers choose formats where every child gets at least two bouts, such as double elimination.

In Turniej Generator you choose the format separately for each category: round robin, knockout, or double elimination. The draw automatically separates athletes from the same club so they don’t meet in the first bout. If your rules require repechage exactly as in the IJF format, contact us and we’ll help you set it up.

4. Scoring and contest time

In judo, ippon ends the contest; without it, lower scores and penalties decide. The International Judo Federation’s rules in force from 2025 brought back yuko alongside waza-ari and ippon, and shido penalties for prohibited actions can decide the result. If the score is tied, the contest continues in golden score. The current rules are published by the IJF; check them before each season, as they’re often updated after the Olympics. At youth events organizers often shorten contest time and restrict techniques, which also needs to be in the rules.

5. Tatami schedule and screens for athletes

The most common complaint at judo events is waiting: a child weighed at 8:00 fights after 13:00. The schedule should account for the number of bouts per category, contest time, and breaks. In Turniej Generator the system calculates the duration of each category and builds a tatami plan you can adjust by hand, for example moving the youngest categories to the morning. A screen at each tatami shows the current and next bout, and the big screen in the hall shows the status of every mat and the medal ceremonies.

6. Results at the mat, certificates and the medal table

• Results entered at the mat on a tablet or laptop go straight to the bracket, the big screen, and coaches’ and parents’ phones.
• Certificates are generated automatically from the results: print the details onto ready-made templates or print the whole certificate with graphics.
• The club medal table (and, at international events, a country table) is ready right after the last bout and has its own link.

Checklist: a judo tournament step by step

1. Write the rules: age and weight categories, merging rules, contest time, and format.
2. Send clubs one registration template.
3. Import the entries and check the categories created.
4. Run the weigh-in and attendance check.
5. Draw the brackets, keeping athletes from the same club apart.
6. Build the tatami schedule and share it via a QR code.
7. Set up a referee table with a tablet at every mat.
8. Prepare certificate templates and the big-screen layout.
9. After the event, send links to the results and medal table.

The same process has proven itself at large traditional karate events, including the Polish Traditional Karate Championships (1,095 starts over two days) and the Polish National Children’s Cup (679 athletes). 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

When should brackets be drawn at a judo tournament?

After the weigh-in and attendance check. Then you know which categories athletes are actually in and avoid redrawing brackets.

Which format suits a category of 4 athletes?

Round robin. Each athlete fights three bouts, and the table decides the order.

Can athletes from the same club meet in the first bout?

When drawing in Turniej Generator, the system separates athletes from the same club so they don’t meet in the first round.

Can parents follow results on their phone?

Yes. The schedule, brackets, and results are online via a QR code in the hall, and after the event they stay at a permanent link.