Ju-Jitsu International Federation


The Ju-Jitsu International Federation is the international sports federation and governing body for the sport of Ju-Jitsu, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Established in 1998, it coordinates and promotes the modern competitive form of ju-jitsu worldwide, commonly known as sport Ju-Jitsu. JJIF has member national federations in more than 130 countries worldwide.
JJIF is a member of the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport and the International World Games Association, both of which are recognized by the International Olympic Committee. It is also recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia and the Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire. JJIF is an official global partner of Guardian Girls International for the Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu project to advance gender equality and safeguard women and girls through the sport of Ju-Jitsu.

History

The Federation commenced as a coalition of three countries' associations. In 1977, delegates form Germany, Italy and Sweden founded the European Ju-Jitsu Federation. As the number of member Nations increased, in and out of Europe, in 1987 the Federation changed its name to International Ju-Jitsu Federation and the original European nucleus of the Federation became the first Continental Union of the IJJF. Following a series of changes of its Statutes and a change to its membership structure, in 1998, the IJJF decided to change its name to the Ju-Jitsu International Federation.
In the early 1990s the IJJF became a provisional member of the General Association of International Sport Federations, member of International World Games Association and affiliated to the Sport for All Federation. During the 1998 GAISF Congress the JJIF obtained full membership status.
Ju-Jitsu under JJIF rules has been an event at the World Games since the 1997 World Games in Lahti, Finland.
  1. 1977: European Ju-Jitsu Federation
  2. 1987: International Ju-Jitsu Federation / European Ju-Jitsu Union
  3. 1998: Ju-Jitsu International Federation
The JJIF is a member of GAISF and IWGA, and both organizations are in close cooperation with the International Olympic Committee. The organisation is striving to establish Sports Ju-Jitsu as an Olympic event in the future.
JJIF is a member of the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport and the International World Games Association. The JJIF is currently the only Jujutsu/Ju-Jitsu organization recognized by the GAISF and IWGA; Ju-Jitsu under JJIF rules is a part of the World Games, World Combat Games and Asian Games.

Regions

All 112 nations in the year 2022:
RegionNameAbbreviationMembersLinks
EuropeJu-Jitsu European Union :de:Ju-Jitsu_European_Union|JJEU35
AsiaJu-Jitsu Asian UnionJJAU37
OceaniaJu-Jitsu Oceanian UnionJJOU4
AfricaJu-Jitsu African UnionJJAFU16
AmericaUnited Society Ju-Jitsu OrganizationUPJJ20

Events

World

JJIF Juniors Ju-Jitsu World Championships

https://jjif.sport/jjif-history/
  1. 2007 Hanau Germany U18 / U21
  2. 2008 Hanau Germany U18 / U21
  3. 2009 Athens Greece U18 / U21
  4. 2011 Ghent Belgium U18 / U21
  5. 2013 Bucharest Romania U18 / U21
  6. 2015 Athens Greece U18 / U21
  7. 2016 Madrid Spain U18 / U21
  8. 2017 Athens Greece U18 / U21
  9. 2018 Abu Dhabi UAE U18 / U21
  10. 2019 Crete Greece U 16
  11. 2019 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & Masters U16 / U18 / U21/
  12. 2021 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & U16 / U18 / U21
  13. 2022 Abu Dhabi UAE Adults & Masters U16 / U18 / U21/
  14. 2023 Astana Kasakhstan U16 / U18 / U21
  15. 2024 Crete Greece U16 / U18 / U21
  • 2011: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=6#a_eventhead
  • 2018: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=34#a_eventhead
  • 2019: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=150#a_eventhead
  • 2019: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=161#a_eventhead
  • 2021: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=257#a_eventhead
  • 2022: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=325#a_eventhead
  • 2023: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=440#a_eventhead
  • 2024: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=636#a_eventhead

Masters

  • 2014: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=12#a_eventhead
  • 2019: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=162#a_eventhead
  • 2022: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=387#a_eventhead
  • 2023: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=436#a_eventhead
  • 2024: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=634#a_eventhead

Para

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=101#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=286#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=325#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=437#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=633#a_eventhead

Beach

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=92#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=56#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=345#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=442#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=711#a_eventhead

University

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=93#a_eventhead

E-Tournament

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=264#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=386#a_eventhead

U14 World Cup

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=637#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=484#a_eventhead

European Championship

European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation
EditionStartEndCountryCitySources
40 Israel

European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship
https://jjeu.eu/
https://web.archive.org/web/20250325052757/https://jjeu.eu/organization/
  • 2024 : https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=450
  • 2025: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=722#a_eventhead
  • https://fics.sport/48159-2/page/2/?et_blog / https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/dtm_timetables/493.html
  • https://spainbjjtour.smoothcomp.com/en/event/11741/results
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=494#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=493#a_eventhead - 2023

Asian Championship

EditionYearCountryCitySources
12016
22017
32018
42019
52021
62022
72023
82024

9th 2025 Jordan: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=794
https://asjjf.org/main/eventInfo/1619
1st Asian Youth: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=576 - 2024
2nd Asian Youth: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=741&ver_info_action=catlist - 2025
1st U14 Cup 2025 Thailand: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=740&ver_info_action=catlist

African Championship

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=731#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=542#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=317#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=121#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=37#a_eventhead

Pan American Championship

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=663#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=427#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=361#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=303#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=158#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=65#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=25#a_eventhead

South American

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=384#a_eventhead

Sub Regional Asian

  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=203#a_eventhead Canceled
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=641#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=645#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=643#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=107#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=50#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=644#a_eventhead
  • https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=642#a_eventhead

Balkan Championship

17th 2022: https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=357#a_eventhead

Formats

Source:
  1. 1990 Introduction of Fighting System
  2. 2010 Introduction of Discipline “Jiu-Jitsu ”
  3. 2014 Introduction of Discipline “Show Ju-Jitsu”
  4. 2017 Introduction of Discipline “Contact Ju-Jitsu”

Traditional Jujutsu and Sport Ju-Jitsu

Different schools have been teaching traditional jujutsu in Japan since the 15th century. The JJIF is not a governing body for any of these schools of traditional Japanese jujutsu – the JJIF does not exercise authority over traditional Japanese jujutsu Koryu styles, which are often instead headed by leaders who claim leadership from unbroken lineages of transmissions from different Japanese ryū, with some of them hundreds of years old.
Rather, the JJIF was founded as an international federation solely for governing Sport Ju-Jitsu, a competitive sport derived from traditional jujutsu.

Rules of Sport Ju-Jitsu

JJIF currently regulates three different types of competitions at the international level: the Duo system', Fighting system and Ne Waza.

Duo

The former is a discipline in which a pair of Jutsukas from the same team show possible self-defence techniques against a series of 12 attacks, randomly called by the mat referee from the 20 codified attacks to cover the following typologies: grip attack, embrace attack, hit attack and armed attack.
The Duo system has three competition categories: male, female or mixed, and the athletes are judged for their speed, accuracy, control and realism. It is arguably the most spectacular form of Ju-jitsu competition and it requires great technical preparation, synchronicity and elevated athletic qualities.

Fighting

With a different approach, the Fighting System is articulated in a one-on-one competition between athletes. The system is divided in several categories according to weight and sex
.
The actual competition is divided in three phases : Part I sees the jutsukas involved in distance combat. Once a grab has been made the Fight enters Part II and hits are no longer allowed.
The jutsukas try to bring one another down with various throwing techniques. Also – despite being uncommon – submission techniques as controlled strangulations and locks are allowed in part II.
Once down on the tatamis the match enters its Part III. Here points are given for immobilisation techniques, controlled strangulations or levers on body joints that bring the opponent to yield.
The winner is the Jutsuka who has accumulated most points during the fight. Automatic victory is assigned to the Jutsuka who gets an "Ippon" in all three parts. This type of competition requires timing, agility, strength and endurance.

Newaza(bjj)

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the associated competition discipline is called Ne-Waza, which is a fairly new discipline in the official JIF competition program. It was included in 2010, and established in the World Games 2013 in two initial categories.
From 2014 the competition is held in 10 weight divisions:
  • Male: -56kg, -62 kg, -69kg, -77kg, -85kg, -94kg, +94kg
Female: -49kg, -55kg, -62kg, -70kg, +70kg
2019 the number of female categories was increased:
  • Female: -45kg; -48kg; -52kg; -57kg; -63kg; -70kg; +70kg

Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu

Guardian Girls Ju-Jitsu is a global project launched by Guardian Girls International in partnership with the JJIF to advance gender equality and safeguard women and girls through Ju-Jitsu. On November 4, 2025, Shin Koyamada, the Chairman of the GGI and Panagiotis Theodoropoulos, the President of the JJIF signed a global Memorandum of Understanding during the Ju-Jitsu World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, formally establishing the partnership and introducing the project at the international level.