Karate kumite rules rules, for watching
Start with how a match works. Then the rules you see every few minutes, then the ones that change results.
Checked 14 October 2026
Settling an argument? Search all 19 rules
- How does a karate kumite bout work?
- What do karate athletes wear in kumite, and how big is the mat?
- How long is a karate kumite bout?
- What are the weight categories in karate kumite?
- What do the referee's calls mean in karate?
- How many points is a punch or a kick worth in karate?
- What does a karate technique need in order to score?
- How hard can you hit in karate kumite?
- What is senshu in karate?
- What happens if a karate bout ends level?
- What is not allowed in karate kumite?
- What are the warnings and penalties in karate?
- What happens when a karate athlete steps off the mat?
- Can a karate athlete be penalised for not attacking?
- Are throws allowed in karate kumite?
- Who referees a karate kumite bout?
- How does video review work in karate?
- What happens when a karate athlete is injured in a bout?
- How does team kumite work in karate?
Where these rules come from
| Tag | Document |
|---|---|
| WKF Kumite plus article | World Karate Federation, Kumite Competition Rules, Rules Version 2026.01, valid from 1 January 2026, with the adjustments of 13 April 2026 (60 pages). Read in full: Articles 1 to 18 and Appendices 1, 3 and 5. Pages 27 and 41 were also read as page images, for the layout of Article 10.3.1 and the table in 14.18 |
| WKF Kata plus article | World Karate Federation, Kata Competition Rules, Rules Version 2026.0, used only for comparisons |
| R | "Why the rule exists", or a point reasoned from the rule, not stated in it |
| C | Common usage or general knowledge, not a rule |
Checked on 14 October 2026. The 2024 kumite rules and the two bulletins in the same folder are superseded and were not used.