ITKF Restores Original Schedule and Confirms Full Program for the 23rd World Championship in Egypt

Federation preserves the original October calendar in full and maintains all sporting, technical, educational, inclusion and governance activities within the official World Championship period.

By Paulo Pinto / Global Sports
Curitiba / Brazil, June 24, 2026

The International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF) has officially confirmed the revised program for the 23rd ITKF Traditional Karate World Championship, which will take place from October 24 to 31, 2026, in Cairo, Egypt.

The document implements the decisions approved by the ITKF Board of Directors on June 23, 2026, fully restoring the event’s original schedule and preserving all governance, technical education, Sport for All, i-Karate, ceremonial and competition activities.

According to the ITKF, the revision was primarily intended to protect the travel plans and investments already made by international delegations that organized their participation based on the original invitation covering the period from October 24 to 31.

As a result, all official World Championship activities will be completed within the originally established timeframe, while the ITKF World Clubs Championship and the ITKF Children’s World Cup will be held as optional supplementary events following the official conclusion of the World Championship.

Registration Period

Date                                 Official Activity
September 1, 2026          Opening of Online Registration
September 30, 2026       Closing of Online Registration

Official Program Overview

• Governance meetings
• Educational and technical activities
• Sport for All activities
• i-Karate activities and demonstrations
• Competition activities
• Ceremonial activities
• Optional supplementary events following the World Championship

Daily Schedule

Saturday, October 24, 2026 – Arrival Day

• 09:00 – 18:00 Arrival of international delegations and officials
• 10:00 – 18:00 Delegation Reception Center, hotel check-in assistance and preliminary information services
• 15:00 – 17:00 Tournament Organizing Committee (TOC) Meeting: accreditation procedures, competition operations, draw procedures, competition logistics, distribution of responsibilities, Sport for All coordination, i-Karate integration and final venue inspection

Sunday, October 25, 2026 – Accreditation, Technical Courses and Regional Governance 

• 08:00 – 18:00 National team accreditation
• 09:00 – 12:00 ITKF Master Course and Referee Standardization Course – Day 1
• 13:00 – 14:00 African Regional Organization Meeting and Elections
• 14:15 – 15:15 Asia-Oceania Regional Organization Meeting and Elections
• 15:30 – 16:30 Pan-American Regional Organization Meeting and Elections
• 16:45 – 17:45 European Regional Organization Meeting and Elections
• 18:00 – 19:30 Tournament Committee Meeting: competition procedures review, appointment of the Tournament Judging Committee (TJC), referee assignments and confirmation of responsibilities

Home to one of the world’s most influential civilizations, Egypt will welcome representatives from five continents in October 2026 for an edition set to become a milestone in ITKF history. In Cairo, tradition, culture and hospitality will come together with the principles of Traditional Karate in a global celebration of unity and human development © FEKT

Monday, October 26, 2026 – Technical Courses, Board Meeting and Official Draw

• 08:00 – 18:00 National team accreditation and final document verification
• 09:00 – 12:00 ITKF Master Course and Referee Standardization Course – Day 2
• 14:00 – 16:00 ITKF Board of Directors Meeting: regional reports, administrative matters, election of the Chairman, appointment of the Treasurer, Secretary-General and Director-General, and confirmation procedures
• 16:00 – 16:30 Break
• 16:30 – 18:00 Official Draw for the 23rd ITKF World Championship
• 18:15 – 19:00 Technical meeting with heads of delegation, coaches and team managers

Tuesday, October 27, 2026 – Cultural Visit, Sport for All, i-Karate and General Assembly

• 09:00 – 12:00 Visit to the Egyptian Museum
• 14:00 – 15:00 Traditional Karate for Life – Sport for All Session, including ITKF Sport for All presentation, traditional warm-up for all ages, basic Karate techniques for health and well-being, intergenerational kata demonstration, active aging session and official group photo
• 15:15 – 16:15 i-Karate Orientation and Inclusion Session
• 16:30 – 18:00 ITKF Master Course and Referee Standardization Course – Day 3
• 19:00 – 20:00 ITKF General Assembly

ITKF General Assembly Agenda

1. Roll call
2. Chairman’s welcome address
3. Appointment of official record keepers
4. Confirmation of Regional Organization elections
5. Confirmation of the Board of Directors composition
6. Ratification of the Chairman’s election
7. Confirmation of the Treasurer and Secretary-General appointments
8. Election of ITKF Controllers
9. Future events
10. General matters
11. Closing 

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 – Opening Ceremony and Preliminary Rounds

• 09:00 – 16:30 23rd ITKF World Championship Preliminary Rounds
• 16:45 – 17:15 i-Karate demonstration rehearsal
• 17:30 – 19:30 Official Opening Ceremony, including welcome address from the Organizing Committee, greetings from Egyptian authorities, address by the ITKF Chairman, introduction of the Chairman-Elect, Chairman-Elect address, athletes’ oath, i-Karate demonstration, cultural presentation and official opening declaration

Thursday, October 29, 2026 – Preliminary Rounds, Repechage and Inclusion Activities

• 09:00 – 17:30 Preliminary and repechage rounds according to the official competition schedule
• 12:30 – 13:00 i-Karate and Inclusion Demonstrations
• 17:45 – 18:30 Technical review meeting and finals preparation for referees, judges, officials and delegation representatives

Friday, October 30, 2026 – World Championship Finals and Sayonara Party

• 09:00 – 12:30 Final rounds and medal contests
• 12:30 – 13:00 Final i-Karate demonstration and recognition segment
• 14:00 – 17:30 Finals of the 23rd ITKF World Championship
• 17:30 – 18:30 Awards Ceremony and Official Closing of Competition
• 20:00 Sayonara Party for delegations, officials, guests and organizers

Ramy El Mekawy, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 23rd ITKF Traditional Karate World Championship, is also a member of the ITKF Global Board of Directors and President of the Egyptian Traditional Karate Federation © FEKT

Saturday, October 31, 2026 – Official Departure Day and ITKF World Clubs Championship

• Official departure day for international delegations
• 09:00 – 18:00 ITKF World Clubs Championship
• Optional Supplementary Event
• The ITKF World Clubs Championship will take place after the official conclusion of the World Championship and all governance activities. Participation will be open to affiliated clubs, local athletes, regional delegations and international participants choosing to remain in Cairo.

Sunday, November 1, 2026 – ITKF Children’s World Cup 

• 09:00 – 17:00 ITKF Children’s World Cup
• Optional supplementary event open to local athletes, regional delegations and international participants who choose to remain in Cairo.

Governance Completion Statement 

The ITKF confirms that all official governance activities of the 23rd World Championship will be completed before the official departure day of international delegations on October 31, 2026.

These activities include the Tournament Organizing Committee Meeting, Regional Organization Meetings and Elections, Tournament Committee Meeting, appointment of the Tournament Judging Committee (TJC), Board of Directors Meeting, Official Draw, ITKF General Assembly and all electoral and institutional confirmation procedures.

Official World Championship Period 

The ITKF confirms that the official period of the 23rd ITKF Traditional Karate World Championship will run from October 24 to 31, 2026. The main finals and the Sayonara Party will be held on October 30, while October 31 remains the official departure day for international delegations.

Supplementary Events

The ITKF clarifies that the World Clubs Championship on October 31 and the Children’s World Cup on November 1 are supplementary events held after the conclusion of the World Championship and the entire official governance program.

Participation in these events is optional and does not alter the official period of the 23rd ITKF World Championship, which remains October 24–31, 2026.

Cairo 2026: Preparations Enter the Final Stretch

Commenting on preparations for the 23rd ITKF Traditional Karate World Championship, Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Chairman Ramy El Mekawy highlighted the commitment of the Egyptian team to delivering a memorable experience for athletes, officials, referees and delegations from around the world.

“On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I would like to warmly welcome all participants who will join us in Cairo in October 2026. We are working intensively on every detail to deliver a World Championship worthy of the traditions and values of the ITKF. Our goal is not only to stage a great competition, but also to provide an extraordinary experience of integration, friendship and sporting excellence for the entire Traditional Karate family.”

El Mekawy also emphasized the importance of the support received from Egyptian authorities.

According to him, Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Gohar Nabil, has been closely following the preparations and has expressed full support for the organization of the ITKF World Championship.

“The support of Egypt’s sports authorities has been fundamental to the success of this project. We are united in our commitment to welcome the international Traditional Karate community in the best possible way and to demonstrate Egypt’s ability to host major international sporting events.”

With the official program now finalized and preparations advancing at full speed, the road to Cairo 2026 is officially underway.