Martial Arts Week · 27 Jul – 2 Aug 2026
1 · 1–9 Aug 2026
Ju-Jitsu World Championship underway in Abu Dhabi
The 18th Ju-Jitsu World Championship opened at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi and runs through 9 August under the Ju-Jitsu International Federation and the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation. More than 1,500 athletes from around the world are competing across youth, adult and masters divisions, with under-14 through under-21 categories included. Day one featured the U14 World Cup and masters competition; youth divisions followed on day two with UAE national team athletes on home mats. Officials present the event as a flagship on the JJIF calendar and further proof of Abu Dhabi’s role as a global centre for jiu-jitsu. Nine days of competition are scheduled before the adult finals close the championship.
2 · 18–19 Jul 2026
Karate Dream Festival in Tokyo sets Guinness world record
The Karate Dream Festival 2026 International Championship at Yoyogi National Stadium First Gymnasium drew 4,057 entrants from 24 countries and regions and was certified by Guinness World Records as the largest full-contact karate championship by entry numbers. Hosted by World Karate Organization Shinkyokushinkai, the two-day event mixed youth and senior kumite and kata on a historic scale. A combined Guam and Northern Mariana Islands delegation of 17 athletes took part and returned with multiple individual kata titles, including All-Japan women’s wins for Yennafer Celis and Mei Joy Balagtas and a boys’ division win for Joseph Biolchino. Bulgaria’s squad also posted strong results. The record certificate was presented during the follow-up Champion of Champions programme.
3 · 23–25 Jul 2026
2,500+ athletes at Ho Chi Minh City traditional martial arts festival
The 1st Ho Chi Minh City International Traditional Martial Arts Championship and the 19th Open Traditional Martial Arts Festival opened on 23 July with more than 2,500 masters, coaches and athletes from 128 delegations. Nine foreign countries were represented, including France, the United States, Italy, Algeria, Ireland, Russia, Morocco, India and Belarus, with 24 delegations in the championship itself. Competition covered compulsory and optional forms, weapons, team routines and sparring. The opening programme mixed lion and dragon dance, ancestral tribute and a mass demonstration under the theme of Vietnamese martial spirit. Organisers framed the event as both a sporting meeting and a cultural exchange platform through 25 July.
4 · 30 Jul 2026
Kenya stages first national Wushu championship
Kenya held its inaugural national Wushu competition at Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi on 30 July, with athletes from eight counties and teams drawn from schools and clubs. The programme included barehand routines, weapons forms and Sanda, covering disciplines such as Changquan, Nanquan, Taijiquan and several weapon sets. Organised with the Confucius Institute at Kenyatta University, the Kenya Kung Fu Wushu Federation and partners, the event was presented as a milestone for the sport’s growth in the country and as part of China–Kenya cultural exchange in the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Medals and merit awards were presented; officials described Wushu as a bridge for friendship as well as competition.
5 · 26 Jul 2026
Korea tops medal table at Macau Asian Junior Judo Cup
The Macau Asian Junior Cup 2026 closed on 26 July after a full day of high-level junior contests on the tatami. The continental event brought together 180 emerging judoka — 123 men and 57 women — in a premier age-group meeting hosted in Macau. Republic of Korea finished top of the medal table. The junior cup followed the Macau Asian Cadet Cup and an international training camp earlier in the week, giving Asia’s next generation back-to-back competition and training opportunities. Judo Union of Asia coverage highlighted strong technical displays and the value of the event for athletes building toward senior international pathways.
Sources: UAEJJF / WAM, Post Guam, Vietnam News / VOV, Xinhua, Judo Union of Asia · Next update: week of 3–9 Aug 2026