In Glasgow, on the eve of the 12th Commonwealth Karate Championships, Canada's Craig Vokey was elected president of the CKF for four years. Antonio Espinós said he hoped to see karate in the Commonwealth Games.
20 – 22 November 2026 · Hangzhou
Karate World Cup - National Team Championships - Hangzhou 2026
14 October 2026
WKF World Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships, Bielsko-Biała 2026
Cadet Female Kata
Meeting on 26 October, Japan's Parliamentary Karate Support League elected Masahiko Shibayama as its president and put karate's Olympic prospects for Brisbane 2032 at the centre of its discussions. The Japan Karate Federation also outlined two major events in Tokyo in 2027 and 2028.
Cameras around the tatami and AI that spots attacks and step-outs: the World Karate Federation will trial a new refereeing support tool in December at the Karate One Youth League in Venice. Referees keep the final say.
Eight years after its first Youth Olympic medals in Buenos Aires, karate returns to the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar as an engagement sport. Its big day is Sunday 1 November, a Karate Focus Day on the Corniche led by Douglas Brose.
Mexico will host the XV WKF World Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships in Guadalajara in 2028. The WKF flag was handed over in Bielsko-Biała.
The 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh move to 28 March–8 April 2027. Karate keeps 13 events: kata and kumite for men and women.
From 5 to 8 November, Glasgow hosts the 12th Commonwealth Karate Championships: two elite days for national teams under WKF rules, then two club days open from children to veterans.
Japan defends three titles at the 2026 Karate World Cup in Hangzhou (20-22 Nov), drawn in Group D each time, with Egypt and France in female team kata.
The WKF has revealed the groups of the Karate World Cup 2026 in Hangzhou: four team categories, four groups of five, and only the top two of each group going through to the quarter-finals.
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