To organize a Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament, set the framework (club open, circuit, IBJJF rules), choose your affiliating organization, declare the event, define the weight, age and belt classes, open registrations, choose between a pool and a single-elimination bracket, recruit the referees, plan the weigh-in and the combat areas, then publish the rankings. Plan on 3 to 6 months of preparation.
Step 1: choose the governing framework and the rules
Which governing body to organize a BJJ tournament in France?
The governing framework of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in France is shifting. The Confédération Française de Jiu-Jitsu Brésilien (CFJJB), chartered by the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation), structures a large part of the practice. It signed an agreement with France Judo in 2021, then affiliated with the Fédération Sportive des ASPTT (FSASPTT) in 2025, against a backdrop of a delegation dispute with France Judo. Check the affiliation in force for your event.
Unlike sports with a single, stable national governing body, French BJJ has contested governance. In practice, your first choice is the framework of your tournament: an open or an internal academy competition leaves a lot of freedom on format and awards; an affiliated circuit stage follows the rules and calendar of the organizing body, with its own requirements (license, affiliation, officials). The technical reference rules remain, in all cases, those of the IBJJF.
Look into it early with the organization to which you intend to attach the event (confederation, governing body, independent circuit): it validates the listing on the calendar, sets out the license and insurance conditions, and provides or approves the officials. State clearly, from the moment registrations open, under which rules and which affiliation your tournament is held, to avoid any ambiguity for the clubs.
Step 2: define the classes, the belts and the durations
What weight, age and belt classes are there in BJJ?
BJJ separates competitors along three axes: weight, age and belt. In the gi, the IBJJF counts nine men's weight classes (from Galo, -57.5 kg, to Pesadíssimo, +100.5 kg) and eight women's classes. Age divisions run from juveniles (16-17) to adults (18-29) and masters (30 and over, in five-year brackets). Adult belts run from white to black.
On weight, the nine IBJJF men's classes in the gi are: Galo (-57.5 kg), Pluma (-64), Pena (-70), Leve (-76), Médio (-82.3), Meio-Pesado (-88.3), Pesado (-94.3), Super-Pesado (-100.5) and Pesadíssimo (+100.5). For women, eight classes, from Galo (-48.5 kg) to Super-Pesado (+79.3). Important point: weight is measured gi included, and the no-gi classes are slightly lowered. Check the exact chart for the current season before publishing your classes.
On age, count juveniles (16-17), adults (18-29) and masters in five-year brackets (Master 1 from age 30, and beyond). On grade, adults split into five belts: white, blue, purple, brown and black; children follow a distinct color system. A competition therefore breaks down into weight x age x belt: each combination forms its own pool or its own bracket.
On duration, the IBJJF rules set the adult match time by belt: 5 minutes for white, 6 for blue, 7 for purple, 8 for brown and 10 for black. A submission ends the match on the spot. Failing that, the match is decided on points, then on advantages in the event of a tie.
Step 3: set the date, the venue and the budget
How long does it take to organize a BJJ tournament?
Plan on 3 to 6 months. Book the venue and set the date from the outset, taking into account the other opens in your region to avoid clashes. File the event declaration within the legal deadlines. Open registrations 6 to 8 weeks ahead, and set a cutoff to lock the classes and prepare the brackets.
The venue must accommodate one or more combat areas with their safety border, a warm-up zone, a weigh-in space set apart, locker rooms, a scoring table per area and public space. An IBJJF combat area measures from 8 m x 8 m (combat zone of 6 m x 6 m plus a border) to 10 m x 10 m for major championships: plan the surface accordingly if you set up several areas.
The budget depends on the number of competitors, the number of areas and the equipment you already have. Build it item by item (venue, mats, officials, awards, insurance, communication, catering) rather than as a single figure. The breakdown of items is further down in the budget section. Do not announce any license or entry-fee amount without having checked it at the official source, because the scales vary from one organization and one season to another.
Step 4: check the rules, the affiliation and the authorizations
What authorizations are needed to organize a BJJ tournament?
Declare the sporting event: an indoor competition is declared at the town hall within the legal deadlines, whereas a larger-scale event (several departments, public roads) goes through the State platform and requires a much longer lead time, often two to three months. Take out public liability insurance. On the governing side, follow the rules of the organization to which you attach the event and check licenses and affiliations.
The administrative declaration depends on the format. For the up-to-date rules, rely on service-public.fr and sports.gouv.fr (organizing a sporting event), with the online declaration done via declaration-manifestations.gouv.fr for the events concerned. Attach the public liability insurance certificate.
On the health side, since March 2022 the medical certificate is no longer systematically mandatory for adults, unless the governing body or the organizing organization requires it: check what your affiliation framework demands. On the participation side, each competitor generally requires a valid license and affiliation; the exact conditions (license, insurance, grade) depend on the organization. Date each step on your countdown plan.
Step 5: open registrations and lock the classes
How do you manage the registrations of a BJJ tournament?
Open registrations online: each competitor chooses their weight, age and belt class, and indicates their club or academy. Also collect, depending on your rules, the required license number and affiliation. Approve or reject each request, set a cutoff, then lock the classes to prepare the pools and the brackets. Software avoids double entry and the Excel list to cross-check again.
For the competition, plan to collect from each registrant: name, sex, date of birth (for the age division), targeted weight class, belt, club or academy and license number. This information is used to check eligibility and to build the classes. Since coaches enter a whole academy, plan to input club lists in one go rather than registration by registration. Plan a clean cutoff, because a class that moves the day before disrupts all the brackets.
On weigh-in day, the actual weight can tip a competitor into another class, all the more so as the measurement is taken gi included: anticipate this margin. Competition management software collects these registrations online by class, where an Excel sheet requires copying everything by hand. You keep a clean list, filterable by class and by status, with search by name, ready to generate the pools and the brackets.
Step 6: choose between a pool and a single-elimination bracket
Pool or single-elimination bracket for a BJJ tournament?
The choice depends on the size of each class. For a very small division (for example three registrants), the pool (round-robin) guarantees several matches for everyone. Beyond that, the single-elimination bracket is the way to go: it is the standard format of the IBJJF circuits. Depending on the event, the two losers of the semifinals receive a bronze medal, or a match decides 3rd place.
The pool has all the competitors in a class face each other: it is the fairest format for small divisions, because no one is eliminated after a single loss. The single-elimination bracket, for its part, suits large classes and remains the norm of competitive BJJ. Unlike judo, BJJ does not use, as standard, a cross repechage: it most often awards two bronzes to the beaten semifinalists, or decides with a match for 3rd place.
Drawing these brackets by hand, recomposing them with each result and tracking several areas in parallel is the leading source of error and delay. A software that automatically generates your BJJ bracket produces pools and single-elimination brackets (with a match for 3rd place as an option) in one click, and advances the winner as soon as you enter the result of a match.
Step 7: plan the weigh-in and the areas
How does the weigh-in work in BJJ?
In BJJ, the weigh-in is most often done shortly before the match, with the competitor weighed in the gi, which counts in the weight. You therefore need a weigh-in station close to the areas, with a reliable scale, and an official to confirm the class just before the call. Plan a margin: a weight limit reached gi included can move a competitor out of their class.
Build your schedule around the weigh-in and the number of areas. Distribute the classes across the combat areas so as to run the matches back-to-back with no downtime, grouping what can be grouped (same age brackets, neighboring belts). Display an indicative timetable per area for the clubs and the public.
Competition management software can also record the weight of each registrant at the weigh-in and re-seed them automatically into the appropriate class when only one fits. And when several classes run in parallel, tracking who fights, on which area and at what time quickly becomes unmanageable on paper: assigning an area and a time to each match, and detecting slot conflicts, is exactly the kind of task it takes on, keeping the schedule up to date as the matches progress.
Step 8: recruit the referees and the officials
Who referees a BJJ tournament and how?
Each combat area is run by a central referee, who directs the match and awards points, advantages and penalties; some events add two corner referees. The referee also validates the submission, which gives an immediate win. Plan a scoring table and a timekeeper per area to track the time and report the score.
The score is read on points, each position having to be held for three seconds: guard pass 3 points, mount and back take 4 points, sweep, takedown and knee on belly 2 points. Advantages reward an almost completed action and break ties on points. On penalties, the progression is graduated (warning, then advantage, then points to the opponent, then disqualification). The referee handles all of this on the mat; your role as organizer is to give them the right conditions and to relay the result to the table.
Around the referee, plan the other roles: a sports coordinator who oversees the flow and the rules, a scoring table per area (entering results, calling the fighters), a timekeeper, a weigh-in supervisor, a first-aid post and volunteers at reception and at the refreshment stand. For a club open, the organization is lighter; for a circuit stage, the officials are approved by the organizing body.
Step 9: prepare the areas and the equipment
What mats and what equipment for a BJJ tournament?
You need a combat area of 8 m x 8 m (combat zone of 6 m x 6 m plus a safety border) for a tournament, up to 10 m x 10 m for a major championship, competition mats about 4 cm thick, a scoring table and a timer per area, and a score display visible to the fighters and the public.
The mats must absorb falls and stay stable: check the assembly so that no gap opens during the matches, clearly mark the safety border with a contrasting color, and ensure even lighting on each area. If you lack mats to set up several areas, borrowing from another academy is common: anticipate the transport and setup logistics.
Complete with the sound system, a display of scores and call-ups, signage, a first-aid kit and a care station, the officials' table, a scale for the weigh-in and what you need to hand out medals and awards. A warm-up zone close to the areas keeps the call-ups flowing.
Step 10: communicate and fill the tournament
How do you communicate about a BJJ tournament?
Create a public results page with the overview, the date, the venue, the rules (affiliation, open classes, gi or no-gi) and the list of registrants by class. Share it with the academies of your region and on social media. Specify early the registration conditions (license, affiliation, belt, gi or no-gi format) to avoid back-and-forth by message.
The BJJ public is local and community-based: neighboring academies, families, practitioners. Relay the announcement to the clubs of your network, who gladly share the opens. State clearly the framework (friendly open, circuit stage), the open classes, the format (gi or no-gi) and the participation conditions, because these elements determine who can register. A public results page with an overview and a list of entries by class gives a serious image and limits the questions.
Step 11: manage the weigh-in and the matches on event day
How do you track the matches of a BJJ tournament on event day?
After reception and the license check, launch the pools and the brackets. Each competitor is weighed shortly before their match, in the gi, to confirm their class. On each area, the referee directs the match and designates the winner, which the scoring table records. The winner advances to the next round, the pool ranking updates, and the public follows brackets and results with no paper sheet.
Event day moves fast. Reception and administrative check, weigh-in near the areas, confirmation of the classes, then the areas start. For each match, the table calls the fighters, the referee directs and decides (submission, points or advantages), and the result is entered right away. Since the matches are short, the pace is brisk: centralized entry avoids bottlenecks at the scoring table.
Centralized tracking changes the day. When the table enters the winner, that competitor advances automatically in the bracket, the pool ranking recalculates, and the public results page updates automatically for the academies and the public. This removes the scattered sheets, makes the brackets reliable and keeps the hall informed.
Step 12: publish the rankings and wrap up
How do you establish the ranking of a BJJ tournament?
In a single-elimination bracket, the winner of the final is first, the finalist second; depending on the event, the two losers of the semifinals are third (two bronzes) or a match decides 3rd place. In a pool, the ranking is done on points (three per win), broken on the difference. Publish the results on the public results page; registrants, pool ranking and schedule export to CSV.
Once the podiums are set, thank the officials, referees and volunteers, do the real financial review against the forecast, gather feedback from the academies and archive results and registrations. Export the list of registrants, the pool ranking and the schedule to CSV for your archives. This data sets up the next edition.
How much does organizing a BJJ tournament cost?
How much does organizing a BJJ tournament cost?
The budget is built item by item: venue rental, mats, officials, awards, insurance, communication and catering. The venue and the mats weigh the most when they have to be rented. Revenue (entry fees, refreshment stand, sponsors, subsidies) often balances a day. Check each affiliation amount at the source before announcing it.
Here are the items to plan for, with indicative ranges to adapt to your context. The amounts tied to affiliation (license, entry fees, insurance) vary by organization and season: confirm them with your affiliation framework before any announcement.
| Item | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Venue rental | often the 1st item, varies by town |
| Mats (rental, transport, setup) | variable, heavy if several areas |
| Officials and referees | allowances and expenses, by organization |
| Public liability insurance | by contract and affiliation |
| Awards (medals, cups) | variable by number of classes |
| Communication and printing | variable |
| First aid and catering | variable |
| Contingency margin | 10 to 15% |
On the revenue side: entry fees per competitor (to confirm with your organization), refreshment stand, local sponsors and a possible subsidy from the town hall. Since BJJ often allows competing in several formats (gi and no-gi), multiple entries can boost revenue, but also make the schedule heavier.
Countdown plan and checklist to organize your BJJ tournament
A countdown plan prevents oversights on authorizations, the weigh-in and the areas.
- 6 to 4 months out: choose the framework (open, circuit), the affiliation and the rules, book the venue, set the date, build the forecast budget.
- 4 to 3 months out: arrange the listing on your organization's calendar, prepare the sporting-event declaration, secure mats and equipment.
- 3 to 2 months out: open online registrations, define the weight, age and belt classes, communicate with the academies, recruit referees and volunteers.
- 1 month to 2 weeks out: close registrations, lock the classes, prepare pools and brackets, plan the weigh-in and the area allocation, finalize the equipment checklist.
- Event day: reception and check, weigh-in near the areas, launch of the pools and the brackets, refereeing, entry of the results, automatic display.
- After: publish the rankings, export registrants, pool ranking and schedule to CSV, give thanks, do the financial review, archive for the next edition.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Announcing a vague governing framework. The governance of French BJJ is contested. State clearly under which affiliation and which rules your tournament is held, and check the affiliation in force before opening registrations.
- Forgetting that the weight includes the gi. In the gi, the weigh-in is done gi included: warn the competitors and plan a margin, because a weight limit can move a registrant out of their class.
- Declaring too late. The sporting-event declaration has its legal deadline, much longer for a large-scale event (several departments, public roads). Anticipate the process and the insurance certificate.
- Underestimating the number of classes. Crossing weight, age and belt multiplies the divisions. Anticipate the number of pools and brackets, and the time that represents on the areas.
- Sizing the areas badly. Count a combat zone of 6 m x 6 m with its border (8 m x 8 m in total), compliant mats and sufficient lighting per area.
- Managing the brackets on paper. Redrawing the brackets by hand, across several areas, quickly skews the results. Centralized entry makes everything reliable.
FAQ: organizing a BJJ tournament
Do you need software to organize a BJJ tournament?
It is not mandatory, but strongly recommended from a few dozen competitors onward. Between the classes that cross weight, age and belt, the pools and single-elimination brackets, the matches running back-to-back across several areas and the ranking to keep, manual tracking quickly becomes unmanageable. Software generates the brackets, advances the winner and publishes the ranking.
How long does a Brazilian jiu-jitsu match last?
Under the IBJJF rules, the length of an adult match depends on the belt: 5 minutes for white, 6 for blue, 7 for purple, 8 for brown and 10 for black. A submission ends the match immediately, regardless of the score.
What weight classes are there in BJJ?
In the gi, the IBJJF rules count, among adults, nine men's weight classes (from Galo, -57.5 kg, to Pesadíssimo, +100.5 kg) and eight women's classes (from Galo, -48.5 kg, to Super-Pesado, +79.3 kg). Weight is measured gi included; the no-gi classes are slightly lowered.
How does scoring work in BJJ?
A submission gives an immediate win. Otherwise, points are counted (IBJJF rules): guard pass 3, mount and back take 4, sweep, takedown and knee on belly 2, each position having to be held for 3 seconds. When points are tied, advantages break the tie; penalties can give an advantage and then points to the opponent.
Which governing body for BJJ in France?
The governing framework of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in France is shifting. The CFJJB, chartered by the IBJJF, structures a large part of the practice; it signed an agreement with France Judo in 2021 then affiliated with the FSASPTT in 2025, against a backdrop of a delegation dispute with France Judo. Check the affiliation in force for your event with your organization.
Can you organize a BJJ tournament for free?
You always pay for certain items (venue, mats, officials, insurance, awards). However, the management tool can be free: CompetHub is free to start, with no credit card. You manage registrations, pools, brackets, matches and ranking with no software cost, which lightens the budget of a first club open.
The software to organize your BJJ tournament
Once the method is set, the tool does the rest. CompetHub connects every step of this guide: online registrations by class, bulk entry of club lists (records with no account), weigh-in by weight class with automatic re-seeding, pools and single-elimination brackets generated automatically (match for 3rd place as an option), entry of each match's winner and automatic winner advancement, pool ranking, schedule by combat area, branded public results page and CSV export of registrants, pool ranking and schedule. Organize the tournament. We bring it to life.
To compare the features in detail, see the Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament software page.
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