The 2028 LA Olympics Qualifications period begins with the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam, which starts next week, (June 19-21). The final Olympic ranking list published on June 15, 2028.
It’s been determined that a total of 372 players will compete in the LA Olympics. Of that lot, some 238 judokas will qualify through ranking points. Basically the top 17 players in the IJF Olympic Ranking list, for each weight category will make it. This applies to male and female players.
A further 104 judokas will qualify through continental quotas. Each continent have their own quotas. Europe has the most, with 26 (equally split between male and female judokas). Africa and Asia each have 24. The Americas have 22. And, Oceania has eight.
The host nation, USA, gets to send a full team of 14 judokas (seven males and seven females).
To ensure diversity, 10 athletes will be chosen under the “Universality” category. These are sometimes referred to as “Wild Card” spots. Applications for these slots are handled through the IOC’s Tripartite Commission.
Lastly, six judokas will be able to qualify through Mixed Team invitations. One place is allocated to an eligible country from each continent. That gives you a total of five. A sixth slot will be awarded based on the World Mixed Team rankings. Note that judokas who receiving these places qualify for both the individual tournament and the Mixed Team event.
