Judo World Championships in Baku: Tunisia's Oumaima Bdioui kicks off the African campaign on October 4

The Judo World Championships began on October 4, 2026, at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan, and will continue until October 11. An African athlete is leading the way for the continent: Tunisia's Oumaima Bdioui is competing on the very first day in the under-48 kg category, according to Webdo.

The competition brings together more than 620 judokas from over 90 countries: 637 athletes from 96 nations according to Webdo, and 626 from 93 nations according to Planète Sport DZ. The major powers in the discipline—Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, and Russia—are each fielding 18 fighters, the Algerian media outlet notes. The gap between them and the African delegations speaks volumes about the work that remains to be done.

A lone Tunisian at the start

The Tunisian federation had hoped to send four judokas to Baku. Only one remains: Arij Akremi and Siwar Dhaouedi withdrew due to injuries, while Koussay Ben Ghares was unavailable, reports Webdo. Oumaima Bdioui arrives, however, after a solid season: gold at the Tunis African Open in February 2026, bronze at the African Championships in April, and silver at the Taranto Mediterranean Games in August. Ranked 30th in the world in her category, she prepared for these World Championships in Tunisia and then in Germany, under the guidance of national coach Anis Lounifi.

Four Algerians until October 10

The Algerian Judo Federation has selected four athletes, according to Planète Sport DZ: Kaïs Moudether (-66 kg), Dris Messaoud Redouane (-73 kg), Mohamed El-Mehdi Lili (+100 kg), and Yassamine Djellab (-63 kg). Their competition days are staggered: Moudether on October 5, Redouane on October 6, Djellab on October 7, and Lili on October 10, 2026.

Eight days, one format per category

The schedule follows the ascending order of weight categories: men's -60 kg and women's -48 kg on October 4, followed by one men's and one women's category each day until the heavyweights on October 10. The mixed team event will close the World Championships on October 11.

African judo has its strongholds—Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco—and its Olympic medalists. But in Baku, it is first and foremost a question of numbers: a world championship bracket is won by stringing together victories, and one cannot defend the colors of a continent with delegations reduced by withdrawals. The first results will be known on the evening of October 4.