Irish Judo Association

What Irish Judo Association does

The Irish Judo Association (IJA) is the National Governing Body for the sport of judo in Ireland, responsible for developing, fostering, promoting, and organizing judo activities across the island while preserving the integrity and principles of the sport. It is affiliated with the International Judo Federation (IJF), European Judo Union (EJU), Olympic Federation of Ireland, and Sport Ireland, and operates through four provincial councils (Leinster, Munster, Connacht, and a partnership with Northern Ireland Judo Federation for Ulster). The IJA serves judo practitioners of all ages and skill levels — from beginners and youth to elite athletes, veterans, and adaptive judoka — as well as affiliated clubs, coaches, referees, and schools.

Its core products and services are structured as a complete development pipeline: membership programs, an affiliated club network, provincial and national squad training (including international camps), national grading examinations for kyu/dan promotions, referee and coach certification seminars, kata certification courses, an Adaptive Judo Program, Veterans and Masters Squad sessions, and a competitive calendar spanning Mini-Mons entry-level events, Provincial Championships, and the All Ireland Schools Championships. As of 2026, the IJA managed commissions in Adaptive, Coaching, Competition, Grading, Kata, Refereeing, Veterans, and Women in Sport, with a professional staff of 1-10 employees.

The revenue model is a non-profit federation model. Direct income sources are granular: individual membership fees, per-session mat fees (€5-€20), per-player event entry fees (€20), and certification fees (€20). Commercial and public funding provide supplementary support: Arachas serves as a commercial sponsor, and Sport Ireland along with the Department of Culture, Communications & Sport provide government funding, anti-doping services, and policy oversight. The IJA is preparing to fill a Chief Executive Officer role as of mid-2026, signaling institutional development. Revenue, headcount, and financials are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Irish Judo Association

Legal name

Irish Judo Association

Website

https://irishjudoassociation.ie

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Irish Judo Association is Ireland's National Governing Body for judo, affiliated with the International Judo Federation, European Judo Union, and Olympic Federation of Ireland. It manages membership, competitions, gradings, coach certification, and athlete training pathways from grassroots to elite levels across four provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Federation / National Governing Body

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grappling & Submission Arts Training (Judo, BJJ, Wrestling) (HSADADAC)

Keywords

• National judo governing body
• Judo membership programs
• Judo competition events
• Coach certification courses
• Athlete development pathway

Headquarters

HQ city

Irish Town

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Irish Judo Association is the National Governing Body for judo in Ireland, providing individual memberships, a network of affiliated clubs across four provinces, structured training programs from grassroots to elite level, official belt gradings, and a tiered national competition pathway. It also runs coach, referee, and kata certification courses, adaptive and veterans squads, and supports Ireland's Olympic judo pathway through its affiliation with the IJF, EJU, and Olympic Federation of Ireland.

Product overview

The Irish Judo Association serves as the National Governing Body for judo in Ireland, operating a comprehensive ecosystem of programs and services. The core offerings include membership programs, a network of affiliated clubs, and structured competitive pathways across multiple levels. The organization runs Provincial Squad Sessions (Connacht, Leinster, Munster) for regional development, a National Squad Training program for elite athletes including international camps, and Veterans Squad Sessions for older athletes. Additional services include National Grading for belt promotions, Referee and Coach Seminars and Kata Certification Courses for officials' development, Mini-Mons Competitions for youth entry-level participation, and Provincial Championships as selection events. The Adaptive Judo Program provides inclusive opportunities for athletes with disabilities, while the Masters Squad Program supports veteran athletes pursuing international competition. All programs feed into national competitions including the All Ireland Schools Championships, creating a complete pathway from grassroots to elite levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IJA Membership Annual membership program that lets individuals join the Irish Judo Association, providing official recognition and access to sanctioned competitions, training sessions, and gradings within the Irish judo community.
• Club Network (Affiliated Judo Clubs) Directory and support network of affiliated judo clubs across Ireland, including resources for finding a club, starting a new club, and accessing club policies and safeguarding procedures.
• Provincial Squad Sessions Regional training programs for judoka in Connacht, Leinster, and Munster provinces, including squad sessions and development training offered on a recurring basis.
• National Squad Training (including International Camp) High-performance training program for elite judoka, including international camps and intensive training sessions for cadet, junior, and senior athletes pursuing Olympic-level competition.
• Veterans Squad Sessions Training sessions specifically designed for veteran judoka (older athletes), organized through the Veterans Commission on a recurring schedule.
• Adaptive Judo Program Programs and training sessions for judoka with disabilities or additional support needs, led by the Adaptive Commission and informed by member and coach surveys.
• National Grading Official grading examinations for eligible IJA members to achieve dan and kyu promotions in accordance with IJA regulations, with results compiled by the Grading Commission.
• Referee and Coach Seminars Educational courses for referees and coaches, including certification programs, new referee workshops, and hybrid seminars for development.
• Kata Certification Courses Technical certification courses for judo kata disciplines including Nage No Kata (€20), Katame No Kata, and other traditional forms.
• Mini-Mons Competitions Entry-level competitions for younger children and beginners, organized regionally with entry fees of €20 per player and accompanied by referee seminars.
• Provincial Championships Regional closed championships for Leinster, Munster, and Connacht, serving as selection events for national teams and inter-provincial competitions.
• All Ireland Schools Championships Annual national competition for school students, attracting 200+ competitors from across Ireland, held at Phibblestown Community Centre in Dublin 15 (e.g. 29 March 2026; 25 May 2025).
• Masters Squad Program Squad program for veteran athletes aged 30+ pursuing European Masters and World Masters Championships qualification.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 210 young judoka competed in All Ireland Schools Championships 2026

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sport IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment sports body that provides funding, anti-doping services, and governance oversight. IJA is recognized as the National Governing Body for judo.
• International Judo Federation (IJF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal governing body for judo that sets international rules, organizes world championships, and manages Olympic qualification.
• European Judo Union (EJU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinental governing body for European judo that organizes European Championships and development programs.
• Olympic Federation of IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Olympic Committee that manages Ireland's participation in Olympic Games and athlete pathway programs.
• Sport Ireland Anti-DopingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership on anti-doping rule violations, testing, and compliance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards.
• ArachasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Irish Judo Association providing commercial sponsorship support.
• Department of Culture, Communications & SportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment department that provides funding and policy oversight for sport in Ireland.
• Northern Ireland Judo Federation (NIJF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for Northern Ireland judo activities, jointly organizing competitions and events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Judo Canada: National governing body for judo in Canada, affiliated with the IJF and Pan-American Judo Confederation. Highly comparable to IJA in role, products (membership, national grading, coach certification, national team programs), and small-market / English-speaking federation profile.
• Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA): Peer Irish National Governing Body for boxing, sharing the same Sport Ireland funding relationship, Olympic Federation of Ireland affiliation, Irish anti-doping compliance regime, and small-staff non-profit operating model as the IJA.
• USA Judo: U.S. national governing body for the sport of judo, recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and IJF. Operates the same core functions as IJA — national championships, national team pathway, coach/referee certification, athlete development, and anti-doping compliance — at a much larger scale.
• British Judo Association: National governing body for judo in the United Kingdom and the closest geographic peer to the IJA, operating the same tripartite model of membership dues, provincial/regional councils, schools championships, national squad, grading, referee/coach certification, and affiliation with the IJF and EJU.
• Swim Ireland: Irish National Governing Body for swimming and a direct domestic peer operating under the same Sport Ireland recognition, provincial structure, and Olympic Federation of Ireland affiliation as the IJA. Same funding flow, governance expectations, and small-staff non-profit profile.

Broad incumbents

• Fédération Française de Judo (FFJDA): One of the largest national judo federations globally, covering the full membership, grading, club affiliation, and high-performance pathway that the IJA also operates but at substantially greater scale. Directly comparable in function and product mix, though much larger in member base and resource depth.
• Deutscher Judo-Bund: German national judo federation operating under the same IJF/EJU umbrella as IJA. Comparable governance structure (member clubs, regional associations, national squad, grading commission, anti-doping compliance) but at significantly greater scale and budget.

Regional players

• Northern Ireland Judo Federation (NIJF): Partner organization for Northern Ireland judo activities that jointly organizes competitions and events with the IJA. Comparable NGB function but scoped to Northern Ireland rather than the all-island jurisdiction that IJA covers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/intent/post
• Facebookfacebook.com/IrishJudoka
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/irish-judo-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Irish Judo Association