On 16th June 2026, a significant milestone for judo in Georgia was marked when the Minister of Sport, Mr Shalva Gogoladze met with IJF President Mr Marius Vizer at the International Judo Federation headquarters in Budapest.

The meeting concluded with the signing of the official contract confirming Georgia as the host of the 2029 World Senior Judo Championships (Individuals and Teams), a decision that had previously been announced during the Tbilisi Grand Slam 2026 in March.

The signing ceremony took place in the presence of several distinguished guests, including IJF Vice President and EJU President Laszlo Toth, IJF Secretary General Lisa Allan, Georgian Judo Federation President Levan Nozadze, Ambassador of Georgia to Hungary H.E. Nikoloz Laliashvili, Georgian Judo Federation Vice-President David Kevkhishvili, and Co-coordinator of International Relations and Public Relations of the Ministry of Sports of Georgia Ms Manana Kavtaradze.

During their discussions, representatives of the IJF, the Georgian Ministry of Sports and the Georgian Judo Federation reviewed the continued growth and success of judo in Georgia. Particular attention was given to the nation's outstanding international achievements and the inspirational impact of Georgian champions on young judoka around the world.

Among the most recent highlights were the gold-medal performances of Eteri Liparteliani and Lasha Shavdatuashvili at the 2026 European Judo Championships.

The signing of the hosting agreement represents a major step in Georgia’s growing role within the international judo community. The 2029 World Championships will bring together the world's leading judoka and will be the first world championships held after the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, further elevating the significance of the event on the global sporting calendar.