According to the information, the new system will come into effect from the 2028 Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles.
Within each of the 18 Olympic weight categories, 16 licenses will be contested, which can be obtained based on the results of:
- the 2027 World Championship
- continental competitions
- the world qualifying tournament.
Stage one — World Championship (72 licenses)
At the 2027 World Championship, 72 licenses will be distributed, which will be awarded to all medalists in the Olympic weight categories — those who take 1st, 2nd, and two 3rd places.
Stage two — UWW ranking (54 licenses)
After the World Championship, three licenses in each weight category will be awarded to the top athletes in the world ranking from countries whose athletes did not qualify for the World Championship.
In forming the UWW ranking, seven major tournaments held before the Olympics will be taken into account:
- continental championships in 2027
- series of ranking tournaments in 2027 (3 tournaments)
- the 2027 World Championship
- series of ranking tournaments in 2028 (1 tournament)
- continental championships in 2028
Stage three — continental qualification (Europe, Asia, Pan America, Africa, and Oceania).
At these tournaments, two licenses will be contested in each weight category.
The fourth stage — world qualification
At the world qualifying tournament, 18 quotas will be distributed, which will be awarded to the winners in each weight category.
Only those countries that have not secured a quota in the previous three stages may participate in the world qualification.
Participation rules in ranking tournaments
Each country may enter a maximum of two wrestlers in each weight category.
