From October 24 to November 1, Astana will host the World Championships in Greco-Roman, freestyle and women's wrestling, with Bank RBK as a partner. Entries have been submitted by representatives of 135 countries — the widest geographic spread in the history of senior wrestling world championships, infohub.kz reports.
The world championship will bring the planet's strongest athletes to Kazakhstan. Fans will get the chance to see world-class wrestling on home soil, while Astana will host one of the biggest events on the international sporting calendar.
"For Kazakhstan, hosting a world championship of this scale is a great honor and a source of pride. When the strongest athletes from 135 countries come to our country, Kazakhstan becomes the center of a global sporting event, showcasing its strong traditions and high potential. For Bank RBK, it is important to be part of this event, which unites countries, inspires young athletes and strengthens the belief that the biggest victories begin at home," said Natalya Akentyeva, chairwoman of the management board of Bank RBK.
Interest in the championship has already surpassed previous figures for participant geography. By comparison, the record set in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2011 stood at 102 countries.
According to preliminary estimates by the organizers, around 1,000 wrestlers will take part in the competition. Over nine days they will contest medals in 30 weight categories. A total of 2,231 people have registered — athletes, coaches, heads of national federations and delegation members. More than 10,000 tourists are also expected to arrive during the championship.
On the eve of the competition, on October 23, a United World Wrestling congress will be held in Astana with representatives of the international wrestling community taking part.
More than 51,000 children and teenagers train in wrestling at sports schools in Kazakhstan. For them, the world championship is a chance to see the strongest athletes in person, support the national team and experience the atmosphere of top-level competition.
"Holding the world championship in Astana is a major event for the entire wrestling family of Kazakhstan. Over nine days, spectators will see world-class competition, and our athletes will get the chance to fight for medals with the support of their home stands. It is especially important that such a tournament is being held in a country where wrestling has strong traditions and unites tens of thousands of children and teenagers. We are grateful to Bank RBK for its partnership and support, which help make the world championship more accessible to fans and attract a new generation to the sport," said Yerkin Okasov, president of the Wrestling Federation of Kazakhstan.
*License No. 1.1.821.135, dated 07/15/2026, issued by the ARDFM.