Two of every three athletes in Benidorm come from AETF nations. Here is what the numbers say about Team Europe.
When the 10th ITF Taekwon-Do World Cup opened its doors at the Palau d’Esports l’Illa de Benidorm, it did so as the largest World Cup the ITF has ever staged. 2,681 athletes from 57 nations have entered 5,674 competition entries. Behind these record numbers, one continent stands out.
65.3%: Europe fills the arena
1,751 of the 2,681 athletes in Benidorm, 65.3%, come from AETF member nations. That is almost two in every three competitors on the mats. 30 of the AETF’s 40 member nations have travelled to Spain, and together they account for 66.0% of all entries.
The picture is the same beyond the athletes. European clubs make up 64.1% of all clubs and teams. Europe also brings 470 coaches (60.3%) and 67 umpires (52.3%) to the World Cup.
Europe’s 65.3% is more than twice the Americas (26.1%), the second-largest continent. Asia (4.2%), Oceania (2.3%) and Africa (0.8%) complete the field, alongside 35 Individual Neutral Athletes (1.3%).
The biggest teams are European
Seven of the ten largest national teams in Benidorm are AETF members:
- Ireland brings Europe’s biggest team, 261 athletes. Only Argentina, with 386, fields more.
- Spain follows with 194 athletes, making the host nation Europe’s second-largest team.
- Norway (170), England (159), Poland (154), Ukraine (134) and Finland (87) complete Europe’s top seven.
Young, balanced, European
If the World Cup offers a look at the future of ITF Taekwon-Do, that future is strongly European:
- Juniors: 71.0% of all athletes aged 15–17 and 69.9% of those aged 12–14 represent an AETF nation.
- Under 18s: 59.5% of Team Europe is under 18, compared with 55.2% of the whole field.
Team Europe also stands out for its balance. It is 53.1% male and 46.9% female, far closer to parity than the rest of the world, where the split is 62.1% male and 37.9% female. In the 12–14 and 18–35 divisions, European men and women are almost exactly level.
Where Europe leads
- Special technique: 78.0% of all entries are European, and so are 73.5% of pre-arranged sparring entries.
- Categories: 97.7% of the 221 categories have at least one European competitor, and 80.1% have a European majority. In the junior categories (ages 12–17), 91.9% are majority-European.
- All-rounders: 24 of the 41 athletes who enter all four individual disciplines are European.
- The busiest categories: in Female 15–17 Pattern 1st Dan, 82.3% of entries come from AETF nations.
The engine of the ITF
Taken together, the numbers tell a clear story. Europe is not just the largest continent at this World Cup. Its clubs, coaches, umpires and, above all, young athletes are driving ITF Taekwon-Do forward.
Good luck to every European athlete in Benidorm. Let’s make these numbers count on the mats!
Source: official WC26 entry statistics (SET Online / sportdata.org). Figures may change slightly with late withdrawals and on-site accreditation. “Europe” refers to the AETF member nations, with England, Scotland and Wales counted separately.
Read the full report in PDF here.
