Contents
The tally: a points score
WKF kumite is sundome karate (controlled contact, the technique stopped short) with an arithmetic score. A technique only counts when it meets the six criteria (good form, sporting attitude, vigorous application, zanshin or sustained awareness, correct timing, correct distance) and lands on one of the seven valid areas (head, face, neck, abdomen, chest, back, side).
| Score | Points | Technique |
|---|---|---|
| Yuko | 1 | Tsuki / uchi (punches and strikes) to a valid area |
| Waza-ari | 2 | Chudan (mid-level) kick |
| Ippon | 3 | Jodan (head) kick; any scoring technique on a swept, thrown or downed opponent |
Edition note: in 2026, only hand techniques may score against a downed opponent.
Winning a WKF (sundome) bout
A points tally, not counted events — and three distinct ways to close, with senshu never confused with the 8-point gap.
Source: FFKarate Règlement Kumite 2025-2026 (the yuko/waza-ari/ippon scale, the chui → hansoku-chui → hansoku/shikkaku ladder, parsed 2026-08-21); WKF Kumite Competition Rules 2024 / 2026. Senshu and the 8-point gap are two separate conditions; the pre-2019 category 1 / category 2 system is retired. These rules are pan-style (Shotokan, Shitō, Gōjū and Wadō all compete under them).
Closing the bout: three distinct paths
| Path | Trigger | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 8-point gap | At any moment a fighter leads by 8 | The bout stops at once: it is arithmetic, not a "mercy KO" |
| Higher score at time | When regulation time ends | The higher score wins |
| Senshu | A tie at time | The holder of senshu (the first unopposed point) wins. Distinct from the 8-point gap, never fuse the two |
| Hantei | A tie at time, no senshu | A decision by majority of the 4 judges (Fukushin) and the referee (Shushin) |
Penalties transfer no point to the opponent: they are tracked, not scored. The only points swing is the team / round-robin mechanic on a Hansoku or Shikkaku (the wronged side is set to 8, the offender to 0).
The penalty ladder: 2024 vs 2026 editions
This is the main staleness trap in the file. The vocabulary changed on 1.1.2026.
| Level | 2024 (WKF Version 2024.00) | 2026 (WKF MASTER COPY V11) |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Two categories: C1 (contact / dangerous), C2 (jogai / mubobi / passivity), which do not cross-accumulate | A single escalating ladder |
| Warnings | Chukoku → Keikoku → Hansoku-chui | Chui (up to ×3) → Hansoku-chui |
| Disqualification | Hansoku | Hansoku (out of the bout) |
| Exclusion | Shikkaku | Shikkaku (out of the tournament) |
| Points to opponent | None directly (team mechanic aside) | None directly |
In 2024, category 1 covers excessive contact, blows to the throat, dangerous throws and uncontrolled attacks; category 2 covers jogai (exiting the area), mubobi (self-endangerment), avoiding combat, clinching / wrestling without an immediate technique, and feigning or exaggerating an injury.
Scoring the kata
Kata is not weight-categorised (kumite is). Since 2019 it left the flag system for a points score.
| Element | 2019-2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Panel | 7 judges | 7 judges |
| Components | Technical (70%) + Athletic (30%) | Same internally |
| Scale | 5.0 to 10.0 in 0.2 steps; top-2 and bottom-2 discarded | Same internally |
| Decision | Highest combined score | Majority vote (points no longer displayed) |
| New in 2026 | – | Mandatory kiai; no striking the floor, body or clothing |
Equipment, tatami, durations, categories
Every competition protector must be WKF-homologated; without compliant kit you do not compete. The competitor wears a white approved karategi and one aka (red) or ao (blue) belt per the draw (the grade belt is not worn in the bout).
| Equipment | Senior | Junior | Cadet | Under-14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitts, gum-shield, WKF body-protector (M/F), shin pads, foot protection, male groin guard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Face mask / grille | – | – | ✓ | (with helmet) |
| Helmet | – | – | – | ✓ |
| External chest protector | – | – | – | ✓ |
Tatami: an 8 m × 8 m matted square (measured outside), the outer metre in a contrasting colour, plus a 2 m safety area on all sides (reducible to 1.5 m). Officials: Shushin (referee, central), 4 Fukushin (judges, at the corners), Kansa (match supervisor, at the table).
| Category | Bout duration (effective time, 2026 edition) |
|---|---|
| Senior men & women | 3 min |
| U21 men & women | 3 min |
| Cadet & junior | 2 min |
| Under-14 | 1.5 min |
The categories are cadet / junior / U21 / senior / veteran; senior kumite requires 18+. Historical flux: earlier editions ran senior women at 2 min (+1 min in medal bouts), flag any current source still using it.
Head contact by age
Jodan (head) contact is graded by age, and the equipment is its physical expression.
| Category | Head contact allowed |
|---|---|
| Senior | Light, controlled skin-touch to the face / head / neck (never the throat) |
| Cadet / junior | No hand contact to the head |
| Under-14 | No skin-touch at all (hence the helmet + external chest protector) |
Frequently asked questions
Two warnings, is that disqualification?
Does a penalty give my opponent a point?
Is senshu the same as the 8-point gap?
Sources
WKF: Kumite Competition Rules, Version 2024.00 (valid 1.1.2024, FEPAKA mirror) and Kumite Competition Rules 2026 (MASTER COPY V11, valid 1.1.2026): the yuko / waza-ari / ippon tally, the 8-point gap, senshu and hantei, the Chui → Hansoku-chui → Hansoku / Shikkaku ladder, equipment (Art. 2), tatami, durations. WKF: Kata Competition Rules (the 2019 technical 70% + athletic 30% scoring, the 2026 majority vote). FFKDA (FFKarate): Catégories d'âges et de poids 2025-2026 and Règlement Kumite / Kata 2025-2026. Style-org circuits held separate: JKA (Funakoshi Gichin Cup) and ITKF (shobu-ippon / todome rules, outside WKF). Paak Shotokan corpus, files 01 (rules & governance) and 06 (equipment, safety, formats). These rules are pan-style, identical for all four WKF styles. Content verified September 2026.