In sport and in judo in particular, nothing is written in advance; anything can happen. That's why fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the launch of this world tournament.
To date, 571 competitors have entered, with almost equal numbers of men (53%) and women (47%), and 94 countries from five continents will be present in the Hungarian capital. While it's impossible to predict the results in advance, what we are certain of is that it will be a spectacular event. After the success of the last edition in Abu Dhabi in 2024 and the global impact of judo at the Paris 2024 Games, the OTP Bank World Judo Championships Hungary 2025 are highly anticipated.
In terms of the number of entries, the host country is expected to have the largest delegation with 21 competitors, followed by Japan, Brazil, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Italy, all leading judo nations coming to Budapest to perform. Germany, France and Korea are not far behind.
In total, eleven of the world's number one competitors out of a possible 14 will be present. Will it be their party? We'll find out soon. What is certain once again is that the heroes of 2024 will be back, including Olympic champions Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE), Hidayat Heydarov (AZE) and many others. France will field three world number ones, Luka Mkheidze, Amandine Buchard and Romane Dicko, while Georgia will be present with a stellar team, including Lasha Bekauri, Ilia Sulamanidze and Eteri Liparteliani. And what about Japan? Let's just name a few, like the siblings Hifumi Abe and Uta Abe or Takanori Nagase. Now you understand that the level is not high, it is super high and that we will enjoy the most amazing judo show.
All the judoka who have shone since the opening of the season will also be in Budapest and will be eager to show that they continue to be a force to be reckoned with, pushing forward towards the 2028 Olympic Games. Since the 2024 Games, we have been in a generational shift, which guarantees the most spectacular sporting clashes in Budapest.
Get ready to experience a very high-level championship. Get ready to experience the incredible atmosphere that will reign in the Papp László Arena and follow all the competitions live on https://judotv.com/