The International Judo Federation (IJF) is already shaping its competition schedule for the coming seasons, and one of the most notable developments is the anticipated return of the Baku Grand Slam to the World Tour calendar.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the prestigious tournament is included in the preliminary 2027 IJF World Tour schedule after being absent in 2026 due to Baku hosting the World Judo Championships later this year.
Although the IJF has not yet officially announced the dates of next season's events, Baku is listed alongside major judo destinations such as Paris, Tashkent, Tbilisi, Dushanbe, Ulaanbaatar, Lausanne, Budapest, Abu Dhabi and Tokyo. Given that the 2025 edition was held from February 14-16 at the National Gymnastics Arena, the tournament is expected to return to its traditional winter slot.
The centerpiece of the 2027 season will be the World Championships in Astana, scheduled for June 7-14. Kazakhstan's capital will take over hosting duties from Baku, which is preparing to welcome the world's top judokas for the 2026 World Championships in October.
The latest adjustments to the international calendar reflect broader efforts by the IJF to reshape the global competition structure. Following the introduction of new Grand Prix events for cadets and juniors, several significant changes are also being implemented at the senior level.
One of the most notable innovations concerns the Paris Grand Slam. For the first time in its modern history, the tournament will be expanded to three days. Traditionally held over two days, one of the most prestigious events on the IJF World Tour will take place from February 5-7, 2027, at the Accor Arena. The move is expected to provide greater scheduling flexibility and improve conditions for both athletes and spectators.
Meanwhile, the selection of Astana as host of the World Championships continues a trend of the IJF relying on a relatively small group of experienced organizers for its flagship events. Between 2015 and 2027, only seven countries will have hosted the World Championships.
Kazakhstan previously staged the tournament in Astana in 2015 and will do so again in 2027. Budapest has hosted the championships three times, highlighting Hungary's status as one of the federation's most trusted partners. Azerbaijan will host the event for the second time, while Uzbekistan welcomed the championships in 2022. The remaining editions were held in Japan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
This concentration of major events in a limited number of countries reflects both the logistical challenges and substantial financial investments required to organize a modern World Championship. Cities such as Baku, Budapest and Astana have built strong reputations through the successful staging of elite-level competitions and have become familiar destinations for the world's leading judokas.
Among other notable events on the 2027 calendar are Grand Prix tournaments in Linz, Qingdao, Lima and Zagreb.
Ahead of the start of Olympic qualification, the number of judo quota places for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games has also been confirmed. A total of 372 quota places will be available, including 238 awarded through the world ranking system. Seventeen athletes in each weight category will qualify through ranking positions. Another 104 spots will be allocated via continental championships, while 10 athletes will receive universal places. The host nation, the United States, is guaranteed 14 quota places, and six additional athletes may qualify through special invitations linked to mixed-team competitions.
