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Details of the 2017 World Championship Seeding System

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (April 10) -- United World Wrestling has approved a seeding of the top four athletes in each weight category at the 2017 World Championships in Paris. The seeding is based on the results of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio (BRA), the 2016 Senior World Championship in Budapest (HUN) and the 2017 Senior Continental Championships

The points will be awarded as follows:

*If a weight category only has one bronze medal (by example Nordic System), the athlete ranked in the fourth place will get 7 points.

The number of participants for each event also effects the points calculation. For instance, if at 70 kg, there were 40 participants at the World Championships, the world champion will receive 25 + 40 pts = 65 points. This way, competitions with many participants will award more points than the ones with fewer participants.

An athlete only receives points within the weight class they participated at the Olympic Games, World Championship and the Continental Championship. Seeding is also linked directly to the athlete, not the national federation. If the National Wrestling Federation replaces the concerned athlete, they will lose this position and the conventional drawing-of-lots shall be administered.

Position of the top seed athletes in the bracket

N°1:     He/She will be paired at the first position of the bracket (top of the upper part)
N°2:     He/She will be paired at the last position of the bracket (bottom of the lower part)
N°3:     He/She will be paired at the top of the lower part of the bracket
N°4:     He/She will be paired at the bottom of the upper part of the bracket

If there is a qualification round, the top seeded athletes will be paired last. If the number of athletes oblige the top seeds to participate in the qualification round then it will progress from N°4, N°3, N°2 and then N°1.

Example of a bracket with 17 to 32 athletes:

If the number of registered athletes is between 17 and 28, the top seeds athletes won’t have a qualification round. The bouts of the qualification round will be paired from the bottom to the top of the bracket by avoiding the top seeds.

  • If 29 athletes are registered, the top seed N°4 will participate in the qualification round.
  • If 30 athletes are registered, the top seed N°4 and N°3 will participate in the qualification round.
  • If 31 athletes are registered, the top seeds N°4, N°3 and N°2 will participate in the qualification round.
  • If 32 athletes are registered, we will have the perfect number and the competition will start from the 1/16 of finals for all the athletes.

This system will be also followed for the bracket with 9 to 16 athletes.

If one or several top seeds athlete(s) is not entered (replaced or not registered), the next top seed will take his place. No other athlete will be able to replace a top seed. Wrestlers shall be paired off in the order of the numbers they drew. 

Freestyle Rankings

Women's Wrestling

Greco-Roman Rankings

 

تعداد شرکت کنندگان هر وزن نیز بر محاسبه امتیازات تاثیرگذار است. برای مثال اگر در وزن 70 کیلوگرم 40 شرکت کننده در مسابقه‌های جهانی حضور داشته باشند قهرمان جهان 65=40+25 امتیاز دریافت می‌کند. در این سیستم مسابقه‌هایی که تعداد شرکت کنندگانش بیشتر باشد امتیاز بیشتری دارد.

 

هر کشتی‌گیر تنها در هر وزنی که در مسابقه‌های المپیک، جهانی و قاره‌ای شرکت کرده باشد، امتیازاتش در همان وزن محاسبه می‌شود. همچنین این سیدبندی مربوط به خود کشتی‌گیر می‌شود و به فدراسیون ملی او ارتباطی نخواهد داشت. اگر فدراسیون کشتی یک کشور فرد دیگری را جایگزین کشتی‌گیر مربوطه کند، موقعیت کشتی‌گیر قبلی در سیدبندی از بین می‌رود و کشتی گیر جایگزین شده به صورت قرعه‌کشی در مسابقه‌ها شرکت می‌کند.

 

موقعیت چهار کشتی‌گیر برتر در جدول هر وزن به ترتیب زیر است:

 

کشتی‌گیر شماره یک در سیدبندی: این کشتی‌گیر در مکان نخست قسمت بالایی جدول قرار می‌گیرد.

 

کشتی‌گیر شماره دو در سیدبندی: این کشتی‌گیر در مکان آخر از قسمت پائینی جدول قرار می‌گیرند.

 

کشتی‌گیر شماره سه در سیدبندی: این کشتی‌گیر در مکان نخست قسمت پایینی جدول قرار می‌گیرد.

 

کشتی‌گیر شماره چهار در سیدبندی: این کشتی‌گیر در مکان آخر از قسمت بالای جدول قرار می‌گیرد.

 

اگر دور مقدماتی نیز لازم به انجام مسابقه باشد، کشتی‌گیران برتر سیدبندی در پایین قرار می‌گیرند. اگر تعداد کشتی‌گیران شرکت کننده طوری باشد که چهار کشتی‌گیر برتر سیدبندی شده مجبور به حضور در دور مقدماتی باشند، به ترتیب از کشتی‌گیر چهارم تا نخست مبارزه خواهند کرد.

 

برای مثال جدولی که 17 تا 32 کشتی‌گیر در آن حضور دارند به ترتیب زیر است:

 

اگر تعداد شرکت کنندگان بین 17 تا 28 نفر است 4 کشتی‌گیر برتر سیدبندی، در دوره‌های نخست مسابقه نخواهند داد. بنابراین مسابقه‌های مقدماتی از انتها به بالای جدول خواهد بود تا کشتی‌گیران سیدبندی شده در دور نخست مسابقه ندهند.

 

اگر مسابقه‌ها 29 شرکت کننده داشته باشد تنها کشتی‌گیر شماره 4 سیدبندی در دور مقدماتی شرکت می‌کند.

 

اگر مسابقه‌ها 30 شرکت کننده داشته باشد، نفرات شماره 3 و شماره 4 سیدبندی در دور مقدماتی شرکت می‌کنند.

 

اگر مسابقه‌ها 31 شرکت کننده داشته باشد، کشتی‌گیران چهارم، سوم و دوم سیدبندی در دور مقدماتی شرکت می‌کنند.

 

اگر مسابقه‌های 32 شرکت کننده داشته باشد، تعداد نفرات کامل است و همه کشتی‌گیران از مرحله یک شانزدهم نهایی مسابقه‌های خود را انجام می‌دهند.

 

اگر یکی از 4 کشتی‌گیر برتر سیدبندی شده در مسابقه‌ها شرکت نکند و یا کشتی‌گیر دیگری جایگزین او شده باشد، نفر بعدی در سیدبندی جای او را خواهد گرفت و کشتی‌گیر دیگری نمی‌تواند جایگزین نفری که شرکت نکرده است شود.

رنکینگ کشتی آزاد

رنکینگ کشتی زنان

رنکینگ کشتی فرنگی

Wrestling 2026 Season Preview: Freestyle, Women's Wrestling, Greco-Roman

By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 2) -- The 2025 World Championships in Zagreb marked a turning point in international wrestling as 18 first-time world champions were crowned, signaling the arrival of a new generation well before the qualification cycle for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games begins.

A few scenes in Zagreb showed what the titles meant. A women’s champion hugging anyone she could find, a Freestyle winner delivering revenge, and a Greco-Roman champion lifting a nation’s pride. Now, 2026 will determine whether those champions can turn a breakthrough into sustained dominance, or if the veterans will reclaim control.

For traditional powers like the United States, Iran, and Japan, maintaining dominance will be harder than ever as more countries close the gap.

In Women’s Wrestling, Japan is being challenged by the DPR Korea, while in Freestyle the U.S. and Iran remain the central rivalry. In Greco-Roman, Iran is undoubtedly the best team in the world but Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are closing the gap as another strong season approaches.

As wrestling moves toward LA 2028, 2026 becomes the year where storylines start to stick. The UWW Pro Series is part of that shift, taking its final shape before launch. Wrestlers will be rewarded for their ranks for the year and will stand a chance to win a grand prize.

The fans can follow wrestling with United World Wrestling through UWW+ on uww.org, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube.

Freestyle

A Sadulaev vs Yazdani final at the World Championships. A match-up like no other can happen in 2026.

The 2026 season begins with a question: when will Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) return? A dream match against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) is now firmly on the cards. Yazdani, the 2016 Olympic champion at 74kg, is now competing at 97kg, ten years later. Sadulaev, who won Olympic gold at 86kg in Rio, moved to 97kg soon after that gold.

The Iranian may compete at the Zagreb Open or at the Tirana Ranking Series. If the return is delayed, world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) will likely carry the weight for Iran early in the season.

At the same time, several major stars are preparing comebacks. Olympic champion Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) is expected to return after recovering from shoulder surgery, while Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) is also set to resume competition, most likely around May.

READ THE FULL FREESTYLE PREVIEW HERE

Women’s Wrestling

Japan captured five of the 10 medals on offer at the World Championships and nothing less is expected from its wrestlers. But out of the first four weight classes, it managed to win only one gold and missed out on medals in two of them.

Missing a medal at 50kg is rare for Japan. It happened in 2009, then in 2019 and in 2025. So what can be expected from the best country in Women's Wrestling or perhaps wrestling?

The DPR Korea, China, India, Ukraine and the United States keep challenging Japan at various competitions but it has managed to hold its own. With the gap closing, 2026 will be a similar story.

Continental Championships will be the first test for countries building towards the year-ending World Championships. But these tournaments can also witness the returns of a few wrestlers. Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), Amit ELOR (USA), Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR), and possibly VINESH (IND).

Additionally, several medal contenders are shifting weight classes in 2026, opening their paths to medals at the World Championships and later at the Olympics.

READ THE FULL WOMEN'S WRESTLING PREVIEW HERE

Greco-Roman

Iran ruled Greco-Roman in 2025 with dominant performances at all levels, and it was not even close. Barring that one battle with Uzbekistan at the U17 World Championships, Iran remained untouched. In 2022 and 2023, it showed signs of long-term dominance and in 2024, it won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Then in 2025, it won team titles at all age-group levels.

At the World Championships in Zagreb, it won four gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Out of the 10 wrestlers, eight won medals, missing only at 77kg and 60kg. Will 2026 be Iran's year again?

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) and Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) make the core team. World champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) has been the latest sensation, going unbeaten in 2025 and winning the U23 world gold at 87kg. Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI) is also a proven wrestler at 87kg having won an Olympic and world silver.

Iran has a second team which can challenge any established star in the world. U20 and U23 world champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) is a wrestler waiting for his turn at 130kg. Hedayati is getting closer to beating Mirzazadeh in selection for the Iran team.

Payam AHMADI (IRI), Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) and Ahmadi VAFA (IRI) are already part of the team while younger stars wait for their turns.

But there has been an influx of talent in Greco-Roman in the new cycle especially with Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Japan, Armenia and UWW wrestlers stepping up.

READ THE FULL GRECO-ROMAN PREVIEW HERE