Astana to host 2026 World Wrestling Championships
United World Wrestling (UWW) has officially confirmed Astana as the host city for the 2026 World Wrestling Championships, Qazinform News Agency cites the Kazakh National Olympic Committee.
The UWW Executive Committee approved the decision following a meeting in which members reviewed current geopolitical factors, including ongoing challenges affecting international travel.
The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in Manama, Bahrain, which had been awarded hosting rights last year. However, UWW and the Bahrain Wrestling Federation issued a joint statement announcing the event’s relocation.
Following inspection visits and an assessment of venue readiness, Kazakhstan was selected as the new host country. The championships will be held at the Barys Arena in Astana, which previously hosted the 2019 World Championships.
The competition schedule and additional organizational details will be announced at a later date.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan had partnered with UWW to establish the International Wrestling Academy, which would house comprehensive training facilities for Greco-Roman, freestyle, women’s, and beach wrestling, as well as medical and sports science laboratories.