How Europe’s kata scene reached a new level in Sarajevo

Sarajevo is hosting more than a championship this weekend. The 2026 Kata European Judo Championships, held on 16-17 May in the Bosnian capital, have become a clear sign that kata in Europe is moving into a new phase.

The biggest signal is the scale. This year’s event has drawn 452 participants from 28 nations, the highest participation in the history of the championships. In a discipline built on precision, repetition and deep understanding, that kind of jump does not happen by chance.

The rise has been building for several years. The championships welcomed 298 participants from 21 countries in 2023, then 330 athletes from 23 nations in 2024, followed by 360 competitors in 2025. Now, Sarajevo has pushed those numbers even higher, showing both stronger demand and a wider spread of countries investing in kata.

The numbers in Sarajevo show that kata is no longer growing quietly.

According to EJU Vice President of Education Kristiina Pekkola, this momentum comes from steady work across the continent. She pointed to the efforts of the EJU Kata Commission, whose members have spent years organising seminars and Kata Festivals in different parts of Europe.

Those festivals, especially for cadets and juniors, were created to give young judoka a place to learn and enjoy kata without the immediate pressure of competition. That matters. It helps national federations build youth structures, introduces kata earlier, and creates a pathway that can last beyond one event or one age group.

Seminars have also been taken into countries where kata activity was previously limited. Pekkola described this as strategic work, based on identifying the areas where development is still missing and sending educators there. In her view, growth needs direction, goals and patience.

Riga was one example she shared. Together with Monica Piredda and Slavisa Brada, she worked with cadets, juniors and seniors there ahead of the 2025 European Championships. What started with maybe only one pair attending gradually developed into broader interest, including among children and young athletes.

That same wider shift can now be seen across Europe. Pekkola highlighted Azerbaijan as one of the countries increasingly embracing kata, including through national championships. Her message was simple and powerful: kata is not separate from judo’s foundation, it is part of its basic language.

There is also another reason this growth feels important. Kata remains one of the most inclusive areas of the EJU programme. Pekkola stressed that adapted judo and mainstream judo are learning from each other, and that this part of the sport reflects values beyond medals and rankings.

Growth in kata is coming from education, youth work and inclusion.

The expansion is not only visible among athletes. On the officiating side, demand is rising too. The 2026 championships mark the second straight year in which the EJU Kata Commission selected the top 20 judges in Europe for appointment, adding another competitive layer and raising standards around the event.

Pekkola admitted that her next dream is even bigger: a future edition needing three competition days and four tatami. For now, Sarajevo already feels like proof that the long-term plan is working.

For a discipline sometimes seen as quiet or traditional, this moment feels anything but small. Europe’s kata community has grown stronger, broader and more visible, and Sarajevo is where that progress is impossible to miss.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union