Junior Selection Procedures

In order to be eligible for the 2026 USA Judo Junior and Cadet Pan American/Oceanian Championships Team and/or the Cadet World Championships Team and/or the IJF Junior World Championships Team, athletes must meet the following criteria:

1. Must have been born 2009-2011 if competing under the Cadet division.
2. Must have been born 2006-2011 if competing under the Junior division.
3. Must be a United States citizen, unless they meet the criteria of the International Judo Federation’s (IJF) refugee program and are currently approved with proof of documentation/acceptance from the IJF to participate in this program. Please provide a copy of the documents toalex.bates@usajudo.us.
4. Athletes currently approved under the IJF refugee program must have also followed the same steps above to earn their spot on the 2026 Cadet Pan American/Oceanian Championships Team and/or 2026 Junior Pan American/Oceanian Championships Team and/or 2025 Cadet World Championships Team and/or 2025 Junior World Championships Team.
5. As long as an athlete meets the criteria of the International Judo Federation’s (IJF) refugee program and is currently approved with proof of documentation/acceptance from the IJF to participate in this program, then the athlete may compete at USA Judo-sanctioned point events and earn points on the USA Judo national roster.
6. If you are a recent citizen or hold dual citizenship, you must have secured the necessary approvals to be eligible to represent the United States Internationally.
7. Must be a current member in good standing with USA Judo.
8. Please note, in order to be a direct qualifier for the 2026 Cadet and Junior Pan American/Oceanian Championships Teams, you must finish in the top 4 in your division at the 2026 USA Judo Youth National Championships.
9. Please note, in order to be a direct qualifier for the 2026 Cadet and Junior World Championships Teams, you must finish in the top 4 in your division at the 2026 USA Judo Junior Olympics National Championships.
10. The Wild Cards are the ONLY athletes that will be chosen off the USA Judo National Cadet and IJF Junior rosters as of end of day, March 30, 2026 for the Cadet and Junior Pan American/Oceanian Championships Team.

2026 Cadet and Junior Pan American Championships/Mixed Teams (Location/Date: TBD)

Updated as of November 11, 2025

Team Selection for 2026 Cadet and Junior Pan American Championships

• Cadet Team: 10 male and 10 female athletes will represent USA Judo at the 2026 Cadet Pan American/Oceanian Championships.
• Junior Team: 9 male and 9 female athletes will represent USA Judo at the 2026 Junior Pan American/Oceanian Championships.

Direct Qualification Criteria

• The Cadet and IJF Junior Gold Medalists in each division at the 2026 USA Judo Youth National Championships will earn a direct qualifier spot in their respective divisions.
• Silver medalists will serve as first alternates.
• Bronze medalists will serve as second alternates.
• Fourth-place finishers will serve as third alternates.

Wild Card Selection

• Each team (Cadet and Junior) may include two male and two female wild card athletes per age group—four for Cadet and four for Junior—if applicable.
• Wild cards will be awarded to the two male and two female athletes not directly qualified with the highest point totals on the USA Judo National Cadet and IJF Junior rosters with results through March 15, 2026 (up to and including 2026 Youth Nationals). 
• Points cannot be combined across divisions.
• No country may enter more than two athletes per division.
• Wild card athletes are not required to compete at the 2026 USA Judo Youth National Championships but must have at least 14 points on the respective roster with results through March 15, 2026 (up to and including 2026 Youth Nationals).
• Wild card selections cannot be in the same division.
  If the PJC or IJF modifies the number of athletes allowed per tournament, USA Judo reserves the right to adjust these criteria accordingly.