Hamburg Sambo Open 2026 Brings Together Representatives of 15 Countries

From September 25 to 27, the German city of Hamburg hosted the international Hamburg Sambo Open 2026, bringing together athletes, coaches and referees representing 15 countries. The geography of the participants extended far beyond Germany, with representatives from Mexico, Israel, Iceland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and many other European countries taking part in the tournament. The tournament featured competitions in both Sport SAMBO and Combat SAMBO.

“From the very beginning, the idea behind the Hamburg Sambo Open was about more than simply organizing an international competition. One of the main goals of the tournament was bringing people together through SAMBO – creating a platform where athletes, coaches and referees from different countries could not only meet on the mat, but also exchange experience, establish new professional connections and strengthen friendships,” – organizers said in the statement.

The international character of the event was also reflected in the refereeing team. Referees representing nine countries worked on the mats of the Hamburg Sambo Open. An important part of the program was the International Referee Seminar, held on September 25, ahead of the start of the competition. Participants discussed the latest changes to the SAMBO rules, practical aspects of refereeing and a unified approach to interpreting various situations during competition.

“For us, it was important not simply to organize another international tournament. We wanted to create a meeting place for the international SAMBO community – a place where people are opponents on the mat, but outside it they communicate, share their experience and become friends. SAMBO has the ability to unite people regardless of country, language or culture. This is exactly the atmosphere we wanted to create here in Hamburg,” – Viktor Airich, one of the tournament organizers

The organizers intend to continue developing the Hamburg Sambo Open as an international platform that combines sporting competition, referee development, exchange of experience and friendly communication between members of the SAMBO community from different countries. In their work, they are guided by the motto: “Competition ends on the mat – friendship continues beyond it”.