The international senior judo season moves into a busy second half of 2026, beginning with the Lima Grand Prix in August and continuing through Lausanne, Budapest, Baku, Abu Dhabi, Zagreb and Tokyo before the World Judo Masters brings the year to a close in Dushanbe in December.
As of 11 August, the entry fields for the next two major events are already substantial. The Lima Grand Prix, scheduled for 14 to 16 August, lists 321 athletes from 54 countries and regions. The Lausanne Grand Slam, from 28 to 30 August, lists 552 athletes from 75 countries and regions. The Hungary Grand Slam in Budapest currently lists 280 athletes from 46 countries and regions. Entry numbers for events later in the year remain preliminary and are expected to change.
Major events in the second half of 2026
14 to 16 August
Lima Grand Prix, Lima, Peru.
The current IJF entry lists 54 countries and regions and 321 athletes.
28 to 30 August
Lausanne Grand Slam, Lausanne, Switzerland.
The current IJF entry lists 75 countries and regions and 552 athletes. Lausanne is hosting an IJF Grand Slam for the first time.
11 to 13 September
Hungary Grand Slam, Budapest, Hungary.
As of 11 August, the IJF lists 46 countries and regions and 280 athletes.
4 to 10 October
Baku World Senior Championships, individual competition, Baku, Azerbaijan.
World titles across the fourteen men's and women's weight categories will be decided over seven days.
11 October
Baku World Senior Championships Mixed Teams, Baku, Azerbaijan.
The mixed team competition follows the individual championships.
29 to 31 October
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The IJF event page has begun showing preliminary entries, with the field expected to expand before the competition.
13 to 15 November
Zagreb Grand Prix, Zagreb, Croatia.
The event provides another major senior international stop late in the European season.
21 to 22 November
Kowloon Asian Open, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
This is an Asian Open rather than an IJF World Judo Tour Grand Prix, Grand Slam, World Championships or Masters event. It is included here because of its direct importance to the Hong Kong, China judo calendar.
5 to 6 December
Tokyo Grand Slam, Tokyo, Japan.
Tokyo remains one of the key fixtures at the end of the international judo season.
18 to 20 December
Dushanbe World Judo Masters, Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
The IJF has confirmed that the 2026 World Judo Masters is included in the qualification pathway for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The Baku World Championships will be the central world-title event of the second half of the year, while Lausanne adds a new Grand Slam destination to the IJF calendar. Tokyo and Dushanbe will then provide a high-level finish to the senior international season and contribute to the developing LA28 qualification picture.
For Hong Kong judo followers, the Kowloon Asian Open on 21 and 22 November is also a notable date. Its competition level differs from a Grand Prix, Grand Slam or World Judo Masters, but a senior international event in Hong Kong, China carries direct local significance.
Entry figures in this article reflect IJF data available on 11 August 2026. Registration for events later in the year remains open or preliminary, so country and athlete totals will continue to change.