Kickboxing (WAKO) — Official Rules

Kickboxing is governed internationally by WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations), recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and a member of WADA. Only the WAKO Board of Directors may officially decide rule changes; a change to a discipline chapter becomes operative a minimum of one (1) month after the decision, while changes to the General Rules may be made at any time with proper communication. No rule changes may be introduced immediately before or during World or Continental Championships.

WAKO recognises seven (7) competition disciplines, divided into two families. Ring sports (fought in a boxing ring, full-contact knockouts permitted): Full Contact, Low-Kick and K-1 Style. Tatami sports (fought on a matted area, semi-/light-contact): Point Fighting, Light Contact, Kick Light and Musical Forms. A fighter may compete in only one ring discipline at a given championship and may not also enter the tatami sports (and vice-versa); among tatami sports a fighter may enter Point Fighting, Light Contact and Kick Light.

Official WAKO competitions held under WAKO authority include World and Continental Championships (for cadets, juniors and seniors in all disciplines), Regional Championships, World Cups, Continental Cups and Open Championships. World and Continental Senior Championships are staged in alternating years. In World, Continental and Regional Championships only national teams may participate; clubs and federation members may enter World and Continental Cups.

For 2026 the WAKO Board issued two published amendments to the standing rules: (1) Gender - an amendment addressing athlete eligibility and the gender framework for competition; and (2) Participation of WAKO members in other dissident organisations - reinforcing that WAKO members and athletes may not take part in non-WAKO ("dissident") national, continental or professional kickboxing bodies (e.g. WKA, WKN, WKF, ISKA), with breaches subject to expulsion. These amendments sit on top of the consolidated chapter rulebook and apply in 2026.

In all ring disciplines (Full Contact, Low-Kick, K-1) at every WAKO competition the amateur bout format is three (3) rounds of two (2) minutes (3 x 2) with a one (1) minute break between rounds, in all age categories. WAKO permits a maximum of two (2) matches per fighter per day in ring sports during Continental or World Championships. (Professional WAKO-Pro title bouts use longer formats outside these amateur rules.)

In WAKO Senior fighting styles (Point Fighting, Light Contact, Kick Light) bouts are three (3) rounds of two (2) minutes at World and Continental tournaments. Juniors also fight 3 x 2 minutes; Older Cadets 2 x 2 minutes; Younger Cadets 2 x 1.30 minutes; Veterans 2 x 2 minutes - each with a one-minute break. Because of large entries, championships may reduce bouts to 1 x 2 minutes or 1 x 1.30 minutes. There is no limit on the number of matches per day in tatami sports.

In tatami sports a bout that ends level goes to extra time: the fight is extended by one (1) minute without any break. If still drawn at the end of that minute, the winner is the next fighter to score - the sudden-death system. In ring sports a winner is always declared at the end of the three rounds (or by stoppage); a tied score is resolved by the electronic system in favour of the fighter who scored more in the last round, otherwise by the judge.

Ring sports are fought in a boxing ring of international standard size with an ordinary canvas (no tatami mats on the ring floor). The ring has four (4) ropes (three are permitted only in case of force majeure) joined by straps, and four corner pads: one red, one blue and two white (neutral) corners. Required ringside equipment includes a sound gong/bell, stop watches, foldaway stools, water, a first-aid kit with plastic gloves for the referee, and the WAKO-approved electronic scoring system.

Tatami sports are fought on a competition area called the tatami, measuring 7 x 7 metres at all WAKO Championships and World Cups (A/B/C class), surrounded by a one (1) metre no-entry matted safety boundary. The tatami is laid on the bare floor from non-slip, suitably coloured interlocking mats. For Musical Forms the performance area is larger, at 10 x 10 metres.

Senior men's ring categories are: −51, −54, −57, −60, −63.5, −67, −71, −75, −81, −86, −91 kg and +91 kg. Senior women's ring categories are: −48, −52, −56, −60, −65, −70 kg and +70 kg. Older Juniors use the same classes as seniors; Younger Juniors have their own scaled-down classes. A fighter may compete in only one weight class at a World or Continental Championship, and at most one division above their actual weight.

Senior tatami men's categories are: under 57, 63, 69, 74, 79, 84, 89, 94 kg and over 94 kg. Senior tatami women's categories are: under 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 kg and over 70 kg. Junior and Veteran (Master Class, age 41-55) categories follow their own published scales. The same one-class / one-division-up restriction applies at World and Continental Championships.

There is no weight allowance - every fighter must be on or below the category limit. At the registration weigh-in an over-limit fighter gets one second chance one (1) hour after the first attempt; the registered weight is then final. Ring sports also have mandatory daily weigh-ins during the tournament, with the second chance allowed a maximum of 45 minutes after the first attempt. Failing the second weigh-in results in disqualification. If weighing on the day of the bout, fights start at least three (3) hours after the weigh-in.

Each ring bout is controlled by one (1) Referee inside the ring and scored by three (3) Judges seated, one on each of three sides of the ring, who independently choose the winner. Kick-counters (mandatory at World and Continental Championships) sit at neutral corners and report any missing kicks after each round. A Timekeeper manages rounds and breaks. The Referee uses the commands "FIGHT", "STOP", "BREAK", and "STOP TIME" / "TIME" to control the bout.

WAKO ring sports use a point-counting (hit-count) system, not a ten-point-must system. For every legal technique - punch, kick or sweep - landed cleanly on a legal target with speed, focus, balance and power, each Judge awards a point by clicking the corresponding corner (red or blue) on the electronic open-scoring system. Points accumulate across all three rounds, displayed live for audience and coaches. The winner is the fighter with the highest total; a tie is resolved in favour of the fighter who scored more in the last round.

In Point Fighting the bout is stopped each time a clean point is scored and restarted. Technique values are: hand technique (punch) = 1 point; kick to the body = 1 point; foot sweep (bringing the opponent to touch the floor with any part other than the feet) = 1 point; kick to the head = 2 points; jumping kick to the body = 2 points; jumping kick to the head = 3 points. Light Contact and Kick Light are scored continuously without stopping on each point.

Full Contact uses only punches and kicks above the waist. Legal targets are the front, side and top of the head and the front and side of the torso (above the waist); foot sweeps are legal at ankle level only. Hand techniques: direct, uppercut, hook. Kicks: front, side, roundhouse, heel, crescent, axe, jump and spinning back kick. No attacks below the waist, no knees or elbows, and no back-fist/spinning-back-fist. Mandatory equipment includes head guard, 10 oz gloves, mouth-guard, groin guard, shin guards and foot protection (boots).

Low-Kick adds kicks to the legs to the full-contact arsenal. Punches and kicks may target the head and torso as in Full Contact, plus kicks to the thighs (low kicks); kicks to the upper leg must land at least 3 cm above the knee. Knees and elbows remain prohibited. Equipment is as for K-1 (shin guards covering shin and instep, no foot boots); fighters wear shorts that leave the knees visible and bare so leg kicks can be judged.

K-1 Style is the most permissive ring discipline. Legal targets: front and side of the head, front and side of the torso, and the legs (all parts including joints). It adds knee techniques (to legs, body or head) and brief active clinching (max 5 seconds): a fighter may hold the opponent's neck/shoulders with one or both hands to deliver knees, but only one knee per single attack when both hands hold. Foot sweeps are at ankle level only. Prohibited: elbows, head-butts, attacks to throat/back/spine/groin/back of head, grabbing the leg, and front/side kicks to the front of the thigh, knee or shin.

All ring fighters must wear: head protection (covering the top of the head), a mouth-guard (upper teeth, or both upper and lower), hand wraps (250 cm long, 5 cm wide), 10 oz gloves for contact sports, groin protection (mandatory for men and women), and shin guards. Female fighters must wear breast protection under the top. Spectacles are forbidden during a bout; soft contact lenses are allowed. A beard may be no longer than 2 cm.

Prohibited acts across the disciplines include: attacking the throat, kidneys, back, spine, groin, neck, back of the head and top of the shoulders; using the elbow, head-butt, thumb or shoulder; turning the back, running away, falling down, intentional clinching, wrestling, throwing and ducking below the opponent's waist; attacking an opponent who is caught in the ropes, falling, or already on the floor (as soon as one hand or knee touches down); continuing after "STOP", "BREAK" or the end of the round; oiling the body; and voluntarily spitting out the mouth-guard.

In Full Contact each fighter must deliver a minimum of six (6) kicks per round - eighteen (18) over the three rounds. The kick-counter reports any shortfall after each round and the fighter may recover the missing kicks in the next round. Failing to make up the deficit by the final round draws a minus point (point deduction). The referee may give a maximum of two minus points for kick shortfalls; kick minus points and other-foul minus points are not cross-accumulated, but a third minus point overall causes automatic disqualification.

On a clearly seen illegal blow to the groin, the referee stops the fight, sends the offender to the neutral corner and gives the injured fighter up to two (2) minutes to recover before warning the offender and resuming. If the referee did not see it, the judges are consulted. An authorised blow to a legal target that injures the opponent so they cannot continue gives victory to the uninjured fighter; an unauthorised blow that injures the opponent leads to the disqualification of the offender and victory to the injured fighter.

A caution is a verbal warning given by the referee for breaking a rule, without stopping the time. The third caution leads to the last verbal warning. To deliver it the referee stops the fight (not the time) and explains the violation to the fighter; after the last verbal warning, an official warning is given. An official warning requires the referee to stop the bout and stop the time, send the opponent to the neutral corner, and point out the offender to the Chief of the Ring and timekeeper.

If a fighter breaks the rules but does not deserve disqualification, the referee stops the fight and issues an official warning (or, for graver fouls decided by majority of officials, a minus point / point deduction). A fighter who receives four (4) official warnings within the same bout is disqualified. The referee may disqualify a fighter with or without a warning for a serious offence, and may disqualify a coach or second who refuses to obey orders.

A fighter behaving unsportingly receives one warning, after which the normal penalty/disqualification procedure follows; for gross unsportsmanlike conduct the fighter may be given a minus point or be disqualified depending on severity, decided by majority. Stomping a downed opponent likewise leads to a minus point or disqualification. Wider unsportsmanlike behaviour by a delegation (verbal/physical abuse, intimidation, attempting to influence judges) can incur fines and disqualification of the whole delegation for up to two (2) years from WAKO events.

When a fighter is knocked down by a legal blow, the referee orders "STOP" and counts at one-second intervals while the opponent waits in the neutral corner. There is a mandatory count to eight: even if the fighter is ready, the bout does not resume before "eight". After eight the referee checks readiness and either says "FIGHT" or continues the count. A knockdown adds one (1) additional point to the scorer's total in the open electronic system.

If the downed fighter cannot stand and resume by the count of ten (10), the bout ends in a Knockout (KO) and the opponent wins. A fighter knocked completely outside the ropes is given the count and time to return; failing to return is treated as a KO/stoppage. After any KO the winner is suspended from further participation in that tournament for medical reasons, and the next-round opponent advances by a bye.

For the Younger Juniors age category the two-knockdown (2-KD) rule applies: the bout is stopped if a fighter is knocked down twice (2) in the same fight, protecting young athletes. Knockdowns caused by illegal blows are handled under the foul procedure rather than counted as scoring knockdowns. The referee may stop a contest at any moment on health-and-safety grounds if it is too one-sided.

If a bout goes the full distance, the winner is the fighter with the higher accumulated points decided by the judges. In ring sports a draw is broken by the electronic system in favour of the fighter with more points in the last round (otherwise by the judge); in tatami sports a draw goes to extra time and sudden death (first to score). Medical and injury stoppages from authorised blows give victory to the uninjured fighter on the result then standing.

The referee may stop the contest at any moment if it is too one-sided, if a fighter is unable to continue, or on the doctor's advice (the doctor has up to two (2) minutes to assess a cut, bleeding or injury). A second may abandon on the fighter's behalf by tossing the sponge or towel into the ring - except while the referee is counting. The doctor's maximum medical-stop time is two (2) minutes per fighter in tatami sports and per call in ring sports.

A fighter is disqualified for a fourth official warning, a serious foul, an injury-causing unauthorised blow, or failing the weigh-in/medical. A Walkover (WO) is declared if a fighter does not arrive after being called three times within two (2) minutes. Protests must be lodged in writing to the Chief of the Ring/Tatami within 30 minutes of the bout, with a complaint fee, escalating to the WAKO Appeal Committee; the deposit is refunded only if the protest succeeds. Video footage is not used to resolve queries.