A pivotal season, with the Worlds as its centrepiece
The 2027 season looks packed. Between the six stops on the Karate 1 circuit (Premier League and Series A), the Youth League fixtures, the continental championships of all five federations (EKF, PKF, AKF, UFAK, OKF) and the major multi-sport games, athletes and coaching staff will have to weigh circuit presence against targeted preparation.
Two dates stand above the rest:
11–14 November 2027 — World Championships, final phase, Milan / Bergamo (Italy)
8–10 October 2027 — World Championship qualifier + refereeing course, Rabat (Morocco)
One more highlight for European followers: the EKF Senior European Championships will be held in Marseille from 24 to 28 March 2027. A home Euro for France — something that doesn't come around often.
⚠️ This calendar is published as a draft ("borrador"). Several dates are still to be confirmed, particularly those for the karate competitions within the major multi-sport games. Always check official WKF and national federation channels before committing to a season plan.
Understanding the event categories
The calendar distinguishes five families of events:
Category Content
Premier League The major stops on the Karate 1 circuit
Series A The circuit's second tier, senior championships
Youth League / Camps Youth competitions, training camps and refereeing courses
Continental championships EKF, PKF, AKF, UFAK, OKF, Beach Games
World championships WKF Worlds and Virtus Global Games
The calendar, month by month
January
8–10 — K1 Series A, Tbilisi (Georgia) — Senior
29–31 — K1 Premier League, Istanbul (Türkiye) — Senior
The season opens at full speed with two circuit stops in a single month. For competitors chasing world ranking points, there is no easing in.
February
5–7 — EKF Cadet, Junior and U21 Championships, Yerevan (Armenia)
25–28 — Refereeing course + K1 Youth League, Manila (Philippines)
A month geared towards the younger categories, with the European cadet/junior/U21 championships opening the continental season.
March
11–14 — K1 Premier League, Rome (Italy)
24–28 — EKF Senior Championships, Marseille (France) 🇫🇷
The most anticipated month for French karate. Marseille hosts Europe's senior elite two weeks after the Rome Premier League stop.
April
1–4 — PKF Senior Championships, Mexico City (Mexico)
16–18 — K1 Series A, Tarragona (Spain)
May
7–9 — K1 Premier League, Astana (Kazakhstan)
17–23 — OKF Championships, Tahiti
20–23 — K1 Youth League, Algiers (Algeria)
June
4–6 — Karate 1 Premier League, Rabat (Morocco)
16–27 — European Games, Istanbul (Türkiye) (karate dates to be confirmed)
28–30 — WKF Youth Camp, Poreč (Croatia)
The European Games are one of the big mid-season objectives, offering multi-sport visibility the regular circuit cannot match.
July
1–4 — Karate One Youth League, Poreč (Croatia)
16–18 — Karate One Youth League, Auckland (New Zealand)
23–25 — Karate One Series A, Amman (Jordan)
August
The busiest month on the calendar, with seven fixtures spread across four continents:
Dates TBC — AKF Senior Championships, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
5–8 — Karate One Youth League, Mexico
6–8 — Pan American Games (karate competition), Lima (Peru)
Dates TBC — UFAK Senior Championships, city to be confirmed
Dates TBC — African Games, Cairo (Egypt)
27–29 — PKF Cadet, Junior and U21 Championships, Dallas (United States)
Dates TBC — UFAK Cadet, Junior and U21 Championships, city to be confirmed
September
11–17 — Mediterranean Beach Games, Portimão / Lagoa (Portugal)
Dates TBC — AKF Cadet, Junior and U21 Championships, Tokyo (Japan)
17–19 — Karate One Series A, Austria (city to be confirmed)
October
8–10 — World Championship qualifier + refereeing course, Rabat (Morocco)
Just one fixture, but probably the most strategic of the year: the final gateway to Milan.
November
11–14 — WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS — FINAL PHASE, Milan / Bergamo (Italy) 🏆
22 November to 5 December — Virtus Global Games, Cairo (Egypt) (karate dates to be confirmed)
December
2–5 — Karate One Youth League, Venice (Italy)
The season closes as it opened: on the circuit, and in Italy — the country hosting three major fixtures in 2027.
Key takeaways for season planning
Three workload peaks. The calendar reads in three movements: a dense circuit opening (January–March), a summer core saturated with continental championships (June–August), then a short but decisive run-in to the Worlds (October–November).
The road to Milan runs through Rabat. The October qualifier leaves barely five weeks before the final phase. That peaking window is not one to get wrong.
A home Euro. Marseille in March is a rare opportunity for French clubs: proximity, lower travel costs, a home crowd. For any structure supporting competitors, it is a date to block out now.
Two refereeing courses. Manila in February and Rabat in October. Officials therefore have two training windows in the year, at either end of the season.
