Judo returns for the 2024 Paris Games. Read on the learn about the competition format that will be used during the Olympic tournaments.

Olympic judo will feature tournaments for 14 different weight classes — seven for men, seven for women — in addition to the mixed team event.

Men's Judo
60kg
66kg
73kg
81kg
90kg
100kg
100+kg

Women's Judo
48kg
52kg
57kg
63kg
70kg
78kg
78+kg

The competition starts with a preliminary round, then proceeds to the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final. For the most part, the tournament is single elimination, with one key exception: Judokas who lose in the quarterfinals and semifinals will have the opportunity to compete for bronze medals (described in the next section).

The losers of the four quarterfinal matches are pulled into repechage matches. The two losers from the top half of the bracket will face each other, as will the two losers from the bottom half of the bracket. The winners of the two repechage matches will advance to separate bronze-medal matches.

In the bronze-medal matches, the repechage winners will face one of the semifinal losers. Two bronze medals are awarded in each weight class.

Each team will be comprised of six judokas (three men, three women) competing across the six different weight classes listed below. Judokas are allowed to compete in higher weight categories than they normally do. (For example, a 52kg woman can compete in the 57kg class.)

Men: 73kg, 90kg, 90+kg
Women: 57kg, 70kg, 70+kg

The team event uses the same bracket format as the individual tournaments. Each matchup features six rounds — each judoka faces off with their weight class counterpart from the other team — and a win counts as one point. Whichever team gets the most points advances to the next round.

If the score ends tied at 3-3, then one of the six weight categories will be chosen at random, and the judokas for that class will meet in a seventh match to break the tie.

As with the individual tournaments, the quarterfinal losers are pulled into the repechage and will have an opportunity to earn one of two bronze medals.

In each weight class, the top eight athletes (based on the world rankings) will be seeded in order to avoid having top competitors face each other early in the tournament. All other judokas will have their spots on the bracket determined by a random draw.

In the mixed team event, the top-four teams will be seeded, and all other teams will have their spots determined by a random draw.

Athletes will attend the official weigh-in on the day before their weight class is scheduled to compete. They will have one chance to officially weigh in, and they will not be allowed to compete if they weigh above or below the limits (in kilograms) for their division. There will be an unofficial weigh-in period beforehand, during which time athletes can use the official scales to check their weight.