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Amateur Sumo Clubs

Amateur Sumo Clubs Directory

Find amateur sumo clubs across Europe and beyond — every club registered on Sumo Cup, grouped by country. Walk into a session, try the sport, enter a tournament.

32 clubs across 9 countries

Amateur sumo is much more accessible than its professional Japanese counterpart suggests. Clubs exist across more than thirty European countries — and many actively welcome beginners, including children and adults with no martial-arts background. A typical first session involves an introduction to the basics: how to stand, how to fall safely, how to read a tachi-ai charge, and a few low-contact drills. Most clubs offer a free or low-cost first session before asking for any membership commitment.

The directory below shows every club currently registered on Sumo Cup, grouped by country. Each club is an official member of its national federation — Polski Związek Sumo in Poland, Bulgarian Sumo Federation in Bulgaria, the German Sumo Federation in Germany, and so on — which means training at one of them is the same path that leads to national-championship medals and, eventually, to a place on the national team competing at European or World Championships.

If your country isn't listed yet, contact your national IFS-member federation directly; the IFS keeps an up-to-date list of member federations and most of them publish their own affiliated-club registers.

Every club in this directory trains under the amateur IFS sumo rules and sits inside the global membership pyramid of the International Sumo Federation, with European entries also affiliated to the European Sumo Federation.

Club directory by country

🇧🇬Bulgaria(1)

  • Sumo club BulgariaSofia

🇩🇰Denmark(2)

  • BK ØrneneHerning
  • Samurai SumoFrederikssund

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿England(2)

  • EnglandSumoLondon, England
  • Southampton Sumo ClubSouthampton, England.

🇫🇷France(1)

  • Paris SumoParis

🇭🇺Hungary(13)

  • Centrum Diák- és Szabadidősport EgyesületVeszprém
  • Dorogi Nehézatlétikai ClubDorog
  • Dunaharaszti Munkás Testedző KörDunaharaszti
  • Érdi Spartacus Sport ClubÉrd
  • Kertvárosi Sport EgyletBudapest - XVI
  • Kőbánya Sport ClubBudapest - X
  • NIKÉ Sportegyesület Magyar SportakadémiaFonyód
  • Pécsi Sumo Club SportegyesületPécs
  • Pestszentimrei Birkózó SportegyesületBudapest - XVIII
  • Püspökladányi Nehézatlétikai SportegyesületPüspökladány
  • Sziget Sport ClubSzigetszentmiklós
  • Szolnoki MÁV SESzolnok
  • Tököli Birkózó SportegyesületTököl

🇮🇹Italy(6)

  • BANKAI LOTTA COMOCOMO
  • JUDO PORTO SAN GIORGIOFERMO
  • JUDO TEAM LA FENICEMONZA
  • JUDO TEAM SICILIAPALERMO
  • SEKAI BUDOPORDENONE
  • YAMA ARASHI JUDO SAVONASAVONA

🇲🇩Moldova(1)

  • CS ..M.Viteazul''Călărași

🇵🇹Portugal(1)

  • Clube Praticantes Sumo LisboaLisboa

🇨🇭Switzerland(5)

  • Fribourg Sumo ClubFribourg
  • Renens Sumo ClubRenens
  • Senbukan BudoschuleKriens (LU)
  • Sumo Club BernBern
  • Sumo Club de GenèveCarouge (GE)

How to find a club and book your first session

Finding a club follows a short, well-trodden path:

  1. Locate your country in the directory below. Each entry shows the city and an IFS-recognised national federation context.
  2. Contact the club's coach or main contact — Sumo Cup publishes the federation channel for each club where one is available.
  3. Book a trial session. Most clubs run a free first lesson; some run free introductory weeks. Wear loose, flexible clothing — you do not need to buy a mawashi to attend a first session.
  4. After a few sessions, the club will register you with the national federation, which entitles you to enter national-championship qualifiers and federation-sanctioned tournaments.
  5. From there, the standard path is regional qualifiers → national championships → continental championships (European, Asian, etc.) → World Championships, all under the IFS rulebook.

Who can try amateur sumo?

Amateur sumo is accessible to a much wider range of body types and ages than the professional Japanese form. The IFS senior weight grid starts at -65 kg for women and -85 kg for men, with junior and youth brackets that scale all the way down to under 45 kg. Children's sumo programmes typically start from age 5 or 6 and emphasise safe falling, basic posture, and short low-contact drills. Most clubs run dedicated youth groups in addition to senior training.

There is no Japanese-language or cultural-background requirement to enter. National federations follow the IFS Regulations on Refereeing — the same rulebook used at every continental and world championship — so the rules you learn at your first session are the rules you would compete under at the European or World Championships.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find an amateur sumo club near me?

Use the directory above to find clubs grouped by country and city. Each club shown is registered on Sumo Cup and affiliated with an IFS-member national federation. If your country or city isn't listed, contact your national federation directly — the IFS keeps a public list of member federations.

What happens at a first sumo training session?

A typical first session starts with introductions and a tour of the dohyō (training mat). The coach walks you through basic posture, the tachi-ai (simultaneous charge) start, safe falling drills, and a few low-contact technique exercises. Most clubs run their first session free or at a reduced rate — you do not need a mawashi or any sumo-specific gear to attend.

Can children start sumo? What age?

Yes. Most amateur sumo clubs run dedicated youth groups starting from age 5 or 6. Children's sumo focuses on safe falling, basic posture, simple drills and the structure of a tachi-ai. National federations contest IFS-recognised youth categories (U13, U15) and cadet categories (U18) at continental level.

Do you need to be heavy to do sumo?

No. The myth that sumo requires a heavy bodyweight applies only to professional Japanese ōzumō (which has no weight classes). Amateur sumo runs five senior weight categories per gender — the lightest senior class is -85 kg for men and -65 kg for women, with junior, cadet and youth brackets scaling down to much lighter weights.

How much does amateur sumo training cost?

Costs vary by country and club. Most amateur sumo clubs charge modest monthly fees (broadly similar to judo or wrestling clubs in the same region) and many run their first session free as a trial. National federations charge a separate annual membership fee that includes insurance and the right to enter federation-sanctioned tournaments.

How do I start competing after I join a club?

Your club registers you with the national federation, which gives you access to federation-sanctioned tournaments — typically regional qualifiers in your first season, followed by national championships. Strong national-championship results open the path to continental (European, Asian) championships and the IFS Sumo World Championships.

My country has no IFS-recognised federation — what can I do?

If your country is not yet an IFS member, you can still train and even compete locally, but cannot enter IFS-sanctioned international events. The standard route is to organise a national association (usually with at least one existing club willing to act as founding member) and apply for IFS membership through the relevant continental federation. The IFS Congress reviews applications annually.

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