Press Conference Held Ahead of the World Judo Championships

On 16 July, a press conference dedicated to preparations and organizational matters for the Senior World Judo Championships was held.

The event was attended by Azerbaijan Judo Federation (AJF) Vice President Elnur Mammadli, AJF Executive Vice President Rashad Rasulov, Head of the Sports Department at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Elnur Mammadov, representatives of the National Olympic Committee, members of the media, and invited guests.

The press conference began with the presentation of the official logo video and promotional film for the World Championships, which will take place in Baku from 4 to 11 October.

Speaking at the event, AJF Executive Vice President Rashad Rasulov stated that preparations for the World Championships are progressing according to plan. He noted that the Azerbaijan Judo Federation is working in close coordination with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Olympic Committee, and the International Judo Federation (IJF) to ensure the successful organization of the event.

Rashad Rasulov announced that ticket sales for the World Championships began on 2 July. Fans can purchase tickets both online and through iTicket sales outlets across the city. Highlighting the strong public interest, he noted that 670 tickets had already been sold.

He also stated that the official event outlines were published by the IJF on 3 July and that all organizational processes, including media accreditation, are progressing according to the approved schedule.

It was announced that the World Championships are expected to welcome more than 600 judoka from nearly 100 countries. Leading judo nations such as Japan and France have already announced their squads. Olympic, world, and continental champions will compete in Baku, bringing together the sport's elite athletes.

Speaking about the national team's preparations, Rashad Rasulov noted that since the beginning of the year the team has participated in international training camps in Austria, Belgium, France, Uzbekistan, Czechia, Georgia, Spain, Italy, and Mongolia. Several members of the team are currently training in Japan, while the main squad continues its preparations in Gusar. He added that the national team is scheduled to take part in an international training camp in Kazakhstan from 5 to 15 August. In addition, several international training camps involving foreign national teams are planned to be held in Baku in the coming months.

It was further announced that Azerbaijan's final squad for the World Championships will be confirmed after the Hungary Grand Slam, scheduled for 11–13 September. Team selection will be based primarily on athletes' performances at Grand Slam events and their professionalism throughout the training process.

During the press conference, information was also provided regarding media accreditation for the World Championships. Applications are being accepted through the IJF Media Platform, with the accreditation deadline set for 27 September.

The event concluded with a question-and-answer session, during which officials responded to questions from media representatives.