You can find many karate events taking place across the UK each year. The various official karate federations in the UK run many of their own competitions that you can attend, and there are always conventions, expos and seminars for the eager fan or practitioner. It can be quite hard to find information about karate events online, so for more detailed information it can often be a good idea to contact the venues and organisations directly, or to speak to your karate club.

UK Open Karate Championships

This event offers a lot for spectators. It has categories for all ages and experience levels, and is open to anyone with a karate licence, giving spectators the chance to see competition at various levels of ability - really great for sparking an interest in the sport! The event also features both kata and kumite competitions, so you can see karate showcased in slightly different ways. In 2023, this event will take place at the University of Warwick in April.

WUKF World Karate Championships

For those in Scotland, or who fancy a holiday there, the WUKF World Karate Championships will be taking place in Dundee over four days in July 2023. This event is open to all ages and over 4,500 people are expected to be in attendance - including competitors, coaches and spectators. If your kids aren’t ready to compete, spectator tickets are available, so they can see what top level karate competitions look like. 

Kaizen Martial Arts Expo

Though this event showcases all martial arts, you can be sure that karate will feature prominently. The expo is organised like a convention, meaning attendees can walk around to check out stalls, watch demos and even attend seminars. It is usually held in June in the Nottingham area. This event gives children the chance to immerse themselves in martial arts, and many big-name instructors and clubs will be around to answer questions and give demonstrations.

AMA International Karate Championships

Taking place at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield, this competition returns in March 2024. Run by the Amateur Martial Arts Association, this event sees over 1000 people of all ages competing over the two days. The event kicks off with the Kata events on the first day, followed by the Kumite events on the second, so you can choose whether to watch it all or specialise. Competition entry is through clubs and has to be organised in advance, however spectator tickets are available.

GB Open Karate Championships

A mid-sized competition which is perfect for first-time attendees, this competition has a great online presence through social media. With over 1125 entries and taking place in the Birmingham area, it is a great place to take children to see for themselves what karate looks like in practice. Information on the event can be easily found on the GB Open Karate Championship app, available for iOS and Android.

Photo by Artem Podrez