The IJF is the International Judo Federation, the world governing body of sport judo, which writes the contest rules and runs the World Championships. National federations run their own events under the same rules, so a club competitor in any country is competing under the IJF framework.
- In judo: the body behind the World Championships and the international circuit.
- The Kodokan in Tokyo, where judo was founded, remains the home of judo's technique definitions; the IJF governs the sport side.
- In BJJ: the equivalent body is the IBJJF.
What does the IJF decide?
The IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, in the version dated 14 August 2026, and its refereeing chapter set the contest:
- Contest time: 4 minutes of real time for seniors, juniors and cadets, with at least 10 minutes' rest between contests.
- Scores: yuko, waza-ari and ippon; two waza-ari make ippon.
- Pins: 5 seconds for yuko, 10 for waza-ari, 20 for ippon.
- Penalties: two shido as warnings, the third is hansoku-make.
- Golden score: no time limit, first technical score wins.
The rules change between Olympic cycles. A coach who competed under older rules may teach scoring that no longer applies; the judoinfo.com terms list still carries koka, chui and keikoku, and marks the last two as "no longer used".
What changed in the IJF rules for 2026?
The most visible change is the return of yuko as a third technical score, given for a side landing or a pin of 5 to 9 seconds. Yuko are counted but never add up to waza-ari, and a yuko in golden score ends the contest.
What is the difference between the IJF and the Kodokan?
Judoinfo.com defines the Kodokan as the "judo institute in Tokyo where Judo was founded". The Kodokan Definitions of Judo Techniques describe what each throw, pin, choke and joint lock is. The IJF decides which of them are allowed in competition and how they score. A technique can be fully Kodokan and still be banned on the contest mat; the terms list calls such techniques kinshi waza, techniques prohibited in competition.
Is the IJF like the IBJJF?
Bjjheroes.com describes the IBJJF as "the sport's main ruling body" for jiu-jitsu, and the comparison holds: one rulebook, one world championship, frequent rule changes. The difference is scope. Judo has a single international federation under which almost all competition runs; jiu-jitsu has the IBJJF plus a range of independent promotions with their own rules.
Whichever rulebook you compete under, our competition day essentials cover the day.
Sources
- Judoinfo.com terms list, JudoInfo
- Kodokan Definitions of Judo Techniques, Kodokan Judo Institute
- Bjjheroes.com describes the IBJJF, BJJ Heroes
- IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, International Judo Federation
Related terms
IBJJF, Kodokan, Ippon, Shido, Golden score, Gi check / uniform rules.