Eighty teams representing 42 countries from five continents will participate in the second edition of the World Karate Team Championships, scheduled for November 20-22, 2026, in Hangzhou,
China, according to the World Karate Federation (WKF).
The draw for the competition took place in Madrid, Spain, determining the groups for the four categories on the program: men’s and women’s team kata, as well as men’s and women’s team kumite.
In men’s kata, defending champion Japan will compete in Group D alongside Algeria, Venezuela, Portugal, and Poland. In women’s kata, the Japanese team will face Egypt, France, Germany, and Colombia in the same group. Group A includes Spain, Brazil, and Morocco.
In women’s kumite, Japan will defend its title in Group D against Mexico, Germany, Algeria, and Azerbaijan. Spain and France are in Group A, while Italy, Egypt, and Iran are grouped together in Group C.
In the men’s kumite competition, Group A includes Japan, Turkey, and Senegal. Group B consists of Iran, Australia, and China. Egypt, the defending champion, is in Group D with France, Malaysia, Mexico, and Uzbekistan.
These groups bring together several African nations, including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Senegal, across the various categories of the competition.
This second edition will allow the participating teams to compete for four world titles – in kata and kumite – for both men and women. Japan will defend its titles in men’s kata, women’s kata, and women’s kumite, while Egypt will attempt to retain its title in men’s kumite.
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