What is the ranking round in archery?
B · Beginner · Scoring and winning · 2 of 4Checked 14 October 2026
In the qualification round every archer shoots 72 arrows outdoors, or 60 indoors, and the totals rank the field. Recurve archers shoot at 70 metres and compound and barebow archers at 50. Indoors everyone shoots at 18. The ranking seeds the knockout bracket that follows.
How it works
| Division | Distance | Face | Arrows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recurve | 70 m | 122 cm | 72 |
| Compound | 50 m | 80 cm | 72 |
| Barebow | 50 m | 122 cm | 72 |
| All, indoors | 18 m | 40 cm | 60 |
- Arrows are shot in ends of six, or of three.
- Younger and older classes shoot shorter distances: for example recurve under-18 and over-50 at 60 metres, and under-15 at 40.
- Tied scores are ranked by the number of Xs and then 10s outdoors, or 10s and then 9s indoors.
- A tie for the last place in the bracket is settled by a shoot-off instead.
- The top archers go into a bracket of up to 104 or 64 individuals; teams into 24 or 16. The organisers and the technical delegate fix the number.
- An archer with no opponent in a round has a bye and moves on.
- Teams are made of a country's three highest-ranked archers in qualification; a mixed team of its best man and best woman.
Tricky cases
What is the highest possible score?
720 outdoors: 72 arrows at 10 each. Indoors, 600.
Does the qualification score carry into the matches?
No. It decides the seeding. Each match starts from nothing.
Why the rule exists
A long round of 72 arrows gives a fair order of merit, so that the best archers meet late in the knockout and not in the first match.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Archery rules | As above | B2 4.5.1; B3 12.5 |
| Olympic Games | Book 2 says only the recurve and compound divisions may compete; the programme itself is set elsewhere | B2 4.5.1.3 |
From the rule book
World Archery Rulebook, Book 2, Article 4.5.1; Book 3, Articles 10.1, 11.4.2, 11.4.5 and 12.5. Version of 27 January 2026. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Archery Rulebook (PDF).