The organizers of the 2026 Southeast Asian Karate Championship said that the events will be contested from July 9 to July 12.
This is the 13th time the Southeast Asian Karate Championship has taken place.
At the tournament, the organizers will include in the competition the events for teenagers, children, U21 and champions. It is expected that the champion group will compete for 17 sets of medals for kumite (combat) and kata (performance) for men and women.
Previously, Vietnam hosted the 2014 and 2018 Southeast Asian Championships. Ninh Binh Provincial Sports Center used to be the venue for the karate event of the 31st SEA Games in 2022, when Vietnam was the host.
Last year, the 2025 Southeast Asian Karate Championship held in Brunei attracted 9 countries including Brunei (host), Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, Laos to participate.
At the end of the competition, the Vietnamese karate team won 28 gold medals, 31 silver medals, and 17 bronze medals in the participating events to rank first overall.
Currently, preparations for the 2026 Southeast Asian Karate Championship are being actively implemented in Ninh Binh. The facilities of the gymnasium and the professional refereeing work will be thoroughly inspected by the Professional Board of the Southeast Asian Karate Federation before the tournament kicks off.
The organizers expect to attract all top Southeast Asian martial artists, including many players who have participated in SEA Games 33, to Vietnam to compete. The host karate team Vietnam will participate with a force of many martial artists with good expertise in kumite and kata events.
