How long is a taekwondo match and how is it won?
B · Beginner · The contest and the score · 1 of 6A contest is three rounds of two minutes with a one-minute rest between them. Under the standard system the points of all three rounds are added and the higher total wins. A tie goes to a fourth round of one minute, the golden round. Many events use the best-of-three system instead, where winning two rounds wins the contest.
How it works
- Rounds: "three rounds of two minutes each, with a one-minute rest period between rounds".
- The score: in the standard system, the match score is the sum of the points of the three rounds.
- A tie: a fourth round of one minute, after another one-minute rest.
- Best of three: the same three rounds, but each round has its own winner and there is no golden round.
- Other lengths: the Technical Delegate may set three rounds of one minute, three of 90 seconds, two of two minutes or a single round of five minutes.
- Blue and red: the two athletes are chung (blue) and hong (red), named after their protectors.
- Starting: the referee calls the athletes in, they bow, then "Joon-bi" (ready) and "Shi-jak" (start).
- Stopping: "Kal-yeo" (break) pauses the contest and the clock. "Kye-sok" (continue) restarts both.
- The end of a round: "Keu-man" (stop). The round is over when the clock runs out even if the referee has not called it.
- Not ready: an athlete who is not in the coach's zone, fully dressed, when the referee calls "Chung, Hong" is treated as withdrawn.
The glossary has the contest, the round, the golden round, the best of three entry, chung and hong and the referee's commands.
Tricky cases
The clock reaches zero while a kick is in the air. Does it count?
The round ends when the match clock expires, whether or not the referee has called "Keu-man". The rules read do not say what happens to a kick that lands after it.
Can a penalty be given after the clock has run out?
Yes. A gam-jeom "can be given and registered in score even after expiration of match clock".
An athlete arrives at the mat without a mouthguard when called. What happens?
An athlete who is not fully attired, protective equipment included, when the referee calls "Chung, Hong" is regarded as withdrawn and the opponent is declared the winner.
Is the contest always three rounds of two minutes?
No. The Technical Delegate may shorten it for an event, and team competition has its own lengths.
Why the rule exists
Short rounds suit a sport of fast kicks: two minutes is long enough for a lead to change hands and short enough to keep the pace high. The stopped clock means a pause for a fall or a penalty costs nobody any fighting time.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard system | Points of three rounds added; golden round if tied | WT Article 7.1.1; 12.4 |
| Best of three | Two rounds won wins the contest; no golden round | WT Article 7.1.2; 12.4.1 |
| By decision of the Technical Delegate | 1 min x 3, 1 min 30 s x 3, 2 min x 2 or 5 min x 1 | WT Article 7.2 |
| Team competition | Rounds of three minutes in a tag format | WT Article 22.5 |
From the rule book
World Taekwondo, Competition Rules & Interpretation (in force 1 June 2026), Articles 7, 10 and 12.4. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: WT Competition Rules & Interpretation, 1 June 2026 (PDF).