Georgia Set to Host 2029 World Championships
On 16 June 2026, an important chapter in the development of judo in Georgia was written as the Minister of Sport of Georgia, Mr Shalva Gogoladze, met with IJF President Mr Marius Vizer at the headquarters of the International Judo Federation in Budapest.
The meeting culminated in the official signing of an agreement confirming Georgia as the host nation for the 2029 World Senior Judo Championships (Individuals and Teams). The announcement had originally been made during the Tbilisi Grand Slam 2026 in March, and the contract signing formally sealed the commitment.
The ceremony was attended by a number of prominent figures from the international and Georgian judo communities, including IJF Vice President and EJU President Laszlo Toth, IJF Secretary General Lisa Allan, President of the Georgian Judo Federation Levan Nozadze, Ambassador of Georgia to Hungary H.E. Nikoloz Laliashvili, Vice-President of the Georgian Judo Federation David Kevkhishvili, and Ms Manana Kavtaradze, Co-coordinator of International Relations and Public Relations at the Ministry of Sports of Georgia.
During the meeting, officials from the IJF, the Georgian Ministry of Sports and the Georgian Judo Federation reflected on the steady progress and achievements of judo in Georgia. Discussions focused on the country’s continued success on the international stage, as well as the positive influence Georgian champions have in inspiring young judoka both nationally and across the globe.
Special recognition was given to recent accomplishments, including the gold-medal victories of Eteri Liparteliani and Lasha Shavdatuashvili at the 2026 European Judo Championships.
The signing of the hosting agreement marks another significant milestone in Georgia’s expanding presence within the global judo landscape. The 2029 World Championships will welcome the sport’s top athletes from around the world and will become the first World Championships to take place following the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, adding even greater prestige and importance to the event on the international sporting calendar.
