The first tournament in the new system will be the Hoji Sharif Dushanbe Junior Grand Prix, which will be held in the capital of Tajikistan on October 24-25, 2026. This start will become not just another international competition, but a landmark event: for the first time in history, Dushanbe will host a tournament of this format among juniors.
The world’s best young judokas are expected to gather in Tajikistan to compete for ranking points, prize money and important international experience. Immediately after the tournament, from October 26 to 28, an international training camp will take place.
The main idea of the IJF is to bring young athletes as close as possible to the level of the adult world tour. Now judokas will be able to score points not only at continental Cups, but also at Grand Prix level tournaments.
In addition, an innovation will be the payment of prize money to winners and runners-up, which was previously typical only for adult competitions.
According to IJF President Marius Wieser, this is an investment in the future of the sport: “The future of judo depends on our ability to support and inspire young athletes. These tournaments will help them gain valuable international experience and prepare them for a career at the highest level.”
The second part of the new series will take place in Uzbekistan. On November 24-25, 2026, the Saber Tashkent Cadet Grand Prix will be held among athletes under 18 years of age.
As in Dushanbe, the tournament will end with an international training camp, where athletes and coaches will be able to exchange experiences and improve their level of training.
