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Sumo World Championships

Sumo World Championships

The IFS flagship — annual amateur sumo world championships for men, women, juniors and youth. Host cities, format and rules.

Organiser: International Sumo Federation (IFS) · First held 1992 · Annual

The Sumo World Championships are the flagship annual international amateur sumo event, organised by the International Sumo Federation (IFS). The men's championships have been contested since 1992, the women's championships since 2001, and the event is now the highest title an amateur sport sumo athlete can win. Unlike Japanese professional sumo (ōzumō), which does not crown a "world champion", the IFS Sumo World Championships are the only globally-recognised world title in the sport.

The championships are a national-team event: athletes enter only through their IFS-recognised national federation, which selects its roster from national-championship medallists and recent international form. The IFS senior weight grid (five men's, five women's categories plus openweight) is contested over two to three competition days, traditionally in late summer or early autumn, with junior and youth brackets staged alongside the seniors when the host federation programme permits.

Host cities rotate annually. Recent and upcoming editions include Tokyo (2023), Krotoszyn, Poland (2024 — the 25th edition), Bangkok, Thailand (2025 — the 26th edition), and Baku, Azerbaijan (2026 — the 27th edition).

The Worlds are organised by the International Sumo Federation under its codified amateur sumo rules, and Europe's slot is filled via the annual European Sumo Championships.

All editions of the Sumo World Championships

YearHost cityCountryDates / status
2026(27th)Baku🇦🇿Azerbaijan17–18 October 2026 (scheduled)Awarded at the IFS meeting in Krotoszyn during the 2024 championships.
2025(26th)Rangsit (Bangkok)🇹🇭Thailand13–14 September 2025Hosted by the Sumo Association of Thailand at Rangsit University.
2024(25th)Krotoszyn🇵🇱Poland5–8 September 202425th men's edition, 16th women's edition.
2023(24th)Tokyo🇯🇵Japan7–8 October 2023Relocated from Russia.
2020Krotoszyn🇵🇱PolandPostponed (COVID-19)Original host; the senior World Championships did not take place in 2020.
2019Sakai (Osaka prefecture)🇯🇵JapanSeptember 2019Held at Ohama Sumo Stadium; relocated from the USA.
2018(22th)Taoyuan🇹🇼Chinese Taipei20–22 July 2018
2016Ulaanbaatar🇲🇳Mongolia30 July 2016Mongolia's first hosting of the event.
2014Kaohsiung🇹🇼Chinese Taipei2014Taiwan's first hosting.
1992(1st)Tokyo🇯🇵Japan10 December 1992Inaugural edition, held the same day IFS was founded.

Editions in 2017, 2021 and 2022 are not listed because no senior IFS Sumo World Championships took place in those years. The 2017 gap is referenced explicitly in the 2018 Taoyuan announcement ("after a one-year hiatus"); the 2020 edition originally awarded to Krotoszyn was postponed due to COVID-19, and the 2022 edition originally scheduled in Russia was relocated to Tokyo and held in October 2023.

Format and weight categories

The Sumo World Championships combine individual weight-category competition with national-team competition for both men and women. Bouts take place on a 4.55-metre dohyō under the IFS Regulations on Refereeing — the same rulebook used at every IFS-sanctioned event. A bout is won by forcing the opponent out of the ring or by causing any part of the body other than the soles of the feet to touch the ring. Brackets are single-elimination, with team competition decided by a fixed-roster series of bouts.

The senior IFS grid contests five men's weight categories (-85, -100, -115, +115 kg, openweight) and five women's weight categories (-65, -73, -80, +80 kg, openweight). When held in the same week, junior (U21, U23), cadet (U18) and youth (U15) brackets follow the IFS age-category rulebook. The openweight category is traditionally drawn last on the final day of competition.

The Women's Sumo World Championships were inaugurated in 2001 and have been held alongside the men's championships ever since.

How to qualify

The Sumo World Championships are not open-entry. Athletes compete only as nominees of their national IFS-member federation, which must be in good standing. National federations typically prioritise medallists from their national championships and continental championships when assembling the roster, and final entry lists must respect IFS deadlines and weight-category caps.

The qualifying path is:

  1. Win or medal at a national championship organised by your country's IFS-recognised federation in the relevant weight and age category.
  2. Be selected by the federation's national-team coaching staff for the World Championships roster.
  3. Meet the IFS age and weight category rules in force for the edition.
  4. Federation submits the roster, weigh-in entries and team line-ups to IFS before the host federation's deadline.
  5. Make weight at the official weigh-in held the day before competition.
  6. Compete under the IFS rulebook; anti-doping testing is conducted in line with the IFS code.

There is no individual entry route; if your country does not yet have an IFS-recognised federation, the first step is to organise one and apply for IFS membership.

Medal landscape

Japan has historically dominated the men's openweight and heavyweight categories, particularly in the early IFS era. In the 2020s the medal table has broadened considerably: Ukraine, Mongolia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Estonia, Brazil, Germany and Poland regularly compete for podium positions, with Azerbaijan, Latvia and Lithuania increasingly competitive at senior level. The women's championships, contested since 2001, see similar depth across European and Asian federations.

The IFS publishes per-edition results bulletins on ifs-sumo.org; for an all-time medal table, the federation's annual reports are the authoritative source.

Frequently asked questions

When are the next Sumo World Championships?

The 2026 Sumo World Championships are scheduled for 17–18 October 2026 at the Baku Sports Palace in Baku, Azerbaijan. The bid was awarded at the IFS meeting held during the 2024 Krotoszyn championships.

Where are the Sumo World Championships held?

The host city changes every year — bids are awarded by the International Sumo Federation, typically a year or two in advance. Recent and upcoming hosts include Tokyo, Japan (2023), Krotoszyn, Poland (2024), Bangkok, Thailand (2025), and Baku, Azerbaijan (2026).

When were the first Sumo World Championships?

The first Sumo World Championships were held in Tokyo, Japan on 10 December 1992 — the same day the International Sumo Federation was founded. The Women's World Championships were added in 2001.

How do you qualify for the Sumo World Championships?

Athletes enter only through their national IFS-member federation. National federations typically nominate medallists from their national championships within the IFS weight-category grid. There is no individual entry route.

What weight categories are contested at the Sumo World Championships?

The IFS senior grid contests five men's categories (-85, -100, -115, +115 kg, openweight) and five women's categories (-65, -73, -80, +80 kg, openweight). Junior, cadet and youth brackets follow the IFS age-category rulebook.

Are there women's events at the Sumo World Championships?

Yes. The Women's Sumo World Championships were inaugurated in 2001 and are held alongside the men's event in the same edition. The 2024 Krotoszyn edition was the 16th Women's World Championships.

Are the Sumo World Championships the same as professional sumo?

No. The IFS Sumo World Championships are amateur sumo under international rules — with weight categories, full women's participation and single-elimination brackets. Japanese professional ōzumō is governed by the Japan Sumo Association as a separate domestic discipline; it does not award a "world champion" title.

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