How to qualify in Para taekwondo
How para taekwondo athletes qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics
Para taekwondo at LA28 has 10 medal events, all in the K44 class, and 120 places (60 men, 60 women), with 12 athletes in each event.
| Men | Women |
|---|---|
| -58, -63, -70, -80, +80 kg | -47, -52, -57, -65, +65 kg |
Places go to the country, one per event. They come from:
- The World Para Taekwondo Paralympic Ranking of January 2028 (results to 31 December 2027): the top six in each event.
- Five continental qualification tournaments in 2028 (Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, Pan America): the winner in each event not already qualified.
- The host: five places for the United States.
- Invitations: five.
So 6 + 5 + 1 = 12 in each event. The Paralympic Ranking leaves out points from the last Paralympic Games (Paris 2024), so one Games does not decide the next.
Athletes must be at least 16 by 31 December 2028, hold a World Taekwondo licence for 2028 and a para taekwondo Dan grade, be internationally classified and have fought at least one ranking competition between 1 January 2026 and 2 July 2028.
Places by route
| Route | Men | Women | Each event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralympic Ranking, January 2028: top six | 30 | 30 | 6 |
| Continental qualification tournaments: one per event at each of five | 25 | 25 | 5 |
| Host | 5 (either gender) | ||
| Invitations | 5 (either gender) | ||
| Total | 60 | 60 | 12 |
Limits per country
- One place per event, so at most five men and five women.
- Through the ranking: at most five per gender.
- Through the continental tournaments: at most three per gender. A country that already has three or more places in a gender cannot enter that gender's continental tournament; one with fewer can enter only as many athletes as it has places left (up to three), and not in events where it already has a ranking place.
- Places stay with the event and class: they must be filled by an eligible K44 athlete in that weight.
The host
The United States gets five places, one in each of the five events where it has its highest-ranked athletes in January 2028, at least two for women. Places it wins through the ranking come off the five; the freed places go to invitations for any country. The document's own example: if the United States wins three ranking places, it keeps two host places (both for women) and three go to invitations.
Invitations
Five, plus any host places freed, up to 12 per event. Their gender is chosen to keep the totals at 60 and 60. Applications by 31 May 2028.
Continental tournaments
World Taekwondo announces places the week after each tournament; countries have ten days to accept. An unused place goes to the next athlete at the same tournament. If a tournament is not held, or does not offer an event, that place becomes an invitation. For India, the route is the Asian Continental Qualification Tournament, if it has not won a place through the ranking.
Dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 31 December 2027 | Ranking period closes |
| 14 January 2028 | Ranking places announced; host chooses its events |
| 28 January 2028 | Countries accept ranking places; host confirms |
| 1 February 2028 | Unused ranking and host places passed on |
| 2028 (to be set) | Five continental qualification tournaments |
| 5 May 2028 | Accreditation Long List due |
| 15 May 2028 | Continental reallocation; invitations open |
| 31 May 2028 | Invitation applications close |
| 15 June 2028 | Invitations announced; countries declare use |
| 2 July 2028 | Last day to play a ranking competition for eligibility |
| 24 July 2028 | Sport entries close |
After 15 June 2028 unused places go back to the IPC.
Points to check
- Only K44 events are on the LA28 programme; the ranking bylaw also ranks K41 athletes.
- The rule that the Paralympic Ranking excludes the last Games comes from the World Taekwondo ranking bylaw, not from this chapter.