World Cup

Japan to Host Women’s World Cup in Run-Up to Tokyo 2020

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 20) – United World Wrestling has awarded the 2019 Women’s Wrestling World Cup to the Japanese Wrestling Federation. The event will be held November 16-17 at the Nakadai Sports & Recreation Park Gymnasium in Narita.

The Women’s Wrestling World Cup will feature the top eight nations from the 2019 Wrestling World Championships as determined by their final rankings. Pools for World Cup competitions are no longer drawn and instead are determined by the final placements at the World Championships.

The 2019 Women’s World Cup will also be an opportunity for national federations, wrestlers, referees and staff members to get acquainted with the eastern edge of Tokyo prior to the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The Women’s Wrestling World Cup will be held 40km from Makuhari Messe, wrestling’s venue for the 2020 Games.

#development

Road to Dakar 2026 Continues with Successful Central Africa Programme in Brazzaville

By United World Wrestling Press

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (June 21) -- The second stop of the United World Wrestling (UWW) Africa Regional Educational Development Programme, Road to Dakar 2026, concluded successfully in Brazzaville after a week combining athlete preparation, education, technical development and competition in Olympic and Beach Wrestling.

Held from June 8 to 14 in the Republic of Congo, the Central Africa phase brought together National Olympic Committees and National Federations from across the region under a unified objective: strengthening wrestling ecosystems and creating more accessible pathways toward the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.

As the second of four regional tournaments scheduled within the continental Road to Dakar programme, the event represented another important milestone on the road to the first Olympic event to be hosted on African soil.

Africa REDT

The UWW Africa Regional Educational Development Programme was designed as a comprehensive and sustainable model that extends beyond competition. The initiative combines athlete development camps, coach and referee education, and practical competition opportunities.

By decentralising activities across regions and consolidating training and competition into one structure, the programme aims to reduce financial barriers for national federations and increase opportunities for athletes and technical officials.

Throughout the week, athletes participated in intensive daily training sessions, as coaches attended the UWW Technical Course - Level 2, focused on improving technical knowledge, athlete development methodologies and long-term performance planning.

Africa REDT

Simultaneously, referees took part in dedicated education sessions covering Beach Wrestling and introductory officiating pathways, preparing them for selection to undertake the International Category III referee examination in the future.

The programme concluded with the Regional Tournament, followed by the Beach Wrestling Regional Tournament, giving participants the opportunity to apply lessons learned during the educational phase directly into competition conditions.

The programme specifically prioritised youth development, with participating athletes largely drawn from the U17 age group and encouraging the involvement of emerging coaches across Central Africa. Support mechanisms jointly delivered by UWW and Olympic Solidarity helped facilitate participation through travel, accommodation, training access and tournament organisation.

Africa REDT

More than just a standalone event, Brazzaville demonstrated the long-term vision behind Road to Dakar 2026 by building stronger national structures, expanding participation and creating sustainable development opportunities well before the final qualification stages for the Youth Olympic Games.