2023 UWW Beach World Series grows to cover five events in three continents, with first-ever event in Asia

The venue on Mamaia Beach for the final stop of the UWW Beach Wrestling World Series at Constanta, Romania on September 04, 2022. Photo by © Dean Treml


High flying action is guaranteed when the Beach Wrestling World Series sets off in 2023!


The Beach Wrestling World Series continues to gather popularity with its incredible athleticism, non-stop action, easy to understand points system and rules, as well as a growing recognition in relevance from the world of sports.


Already the fastest growing style on the United World Wrestling (UWW) calendar, beach wrestling gets underway in a brand new location as the season opener takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina on the 7th-8th May, following on from the conclusion of Wrestling’s Senior Pan-American Championships, a first return to the continent for the World Series since the inaugural season in 2019.


Next the tour will head to its first ever stop on Asian sands as it touches down in Singapore between 10-11th June, another brand new location on the 2023 calendar. The first two stops of the World Series are also qualifying events for the ANOC World Beach Games, which take place in Bali in August with Beach Wrestling being a core event at the Games.


The third stop sees the wrestlers move to the sensational sands of Saint Laurent du Var bringing that Cote D’Azur French flair to the season for the third year in a row with the event doubling up as the sports U17 and U20 European Championships.


The penultimate event takes place between 9-10th September on neat Neversea Beach in Constanta, Romania which has been the venue for the final stop of the World Series’ past two seasons. With the World Junior and Cadet Championships taking place in the days before, the sand will be wholly warmed up so that the seniors can show their skills.


The final stop sees the Kings and Queens of the Beach coronated in Sarigerme, an area of marvellous Mugla, Turkey, and site of the 2022 season opener, between 14-15th October as the curtain comes down on another year of the strongest show on sand.

Beach Wrestling World Series 2023

07-08 May - Buenos Aires (ARG) – Olympic Training Center **

10-11 June - Singapore (SGP) – Singapore Sports Hub **

29-30 June - Saint Laurent du Var (FRA) – Cousteau Beach

09-10 September - Constanta (ROU) – Neversea Beach

14-15 October - Mugla (TUR) – Sarigerme Beach

** - Final two qualifiers for the World Beach Games in Bali

Editor's Note: U.S. Senior men and women athletes who wish to compete should immediately contact Jaimie McNab of USA Wrestling at jmcnab@usawrestling.org



The Beach Wrestling World Series is popular with fans and athletes alike, providing a festival atmosphere as the sun shines on the sand stars, the music plays and the spectators’ "ooohs" and "ahhhs" accompany the wrestlers on their way to gold.


The adrenaline filled action helps feed the vibe and it’s easy to see why the crowds sandside continue to grow with each event. With Beach Wrestling being named one of ANOC’s Beach Games core disciplines for 2023 and 2025 the popularity of the sport is sure to continue to grow at the rapid rate it has so far.


More than 700 athletes from 48 countries have participated in the World Series since its introduction in 2019, 267 women and 445 men have taken to the sand with World Series gold in their sights and more new faces, talents and potential title challengers are expected for the new season as more federations rush to take part.


The venue on Mamaia Beach for the final stop of the UWW Beach Wrestling World Series at Constanta, Romania on September 04, 2022.


Registration is open for four different weight categories for both the men and women, with the men competing in -70kg, -80kg, -90kg and +90kg, and the women competing in -50kg, -60kg, -70kg and +70kg. Each bout lasts three frantic minutes, or first to 3 points.


The UWW have put prize money of 1000CHF for the gold medalists, 500CHF for silver medalists and 250CHF for the bronze medalists as well as the ‘Top Technique’ award for the best move over the weekend, voted for by the fans via the World Series’ official Instagram page, which sees the winners take home 1000CHF for each gender.


Who will take home the gold this series? Will the Big Gun, Azerbaijan’s Oyan Nazariani make a victorious return after an injury hit 2022? Will the Glorious Georgians go on another gold run? Will anyone be able to match Romania’s 50kg ‘heavyweight’ Stefania Princeputu? Can the ever growing Team USA make an impression on this year’s event?


Will the impressive Indian team continue its upwards trajectory, or will the brilliant Bulgarians shine on the sand? It’s anyone’s guess as we head towards the start of the series with competitors from all over the world gearing up for the biggest Beach Wrestling World Series to date.


Tune in to see how the drama unfolds and who will be the sand kings and queens come October in Mugla.

UWW Beach Wrestling

UWW, then known as FILA, codified the form of beach wrestling in 2004. Beach wrestling is standing wrestling done by wrestlers, male or female, inside a sand-filled circle measuring 7 meters (23 ft) in diameter. The style originally mirrored the rules used before the use of wrestling mats, and beach wrestling has been regarded as the oldest version of international competitive wrestling. The international rules have been modified in 2015 by UWW, with the current rules allowing wrestlers to score points via takedowns, pushing their opponent out of bounds, or bringing the opponent down to their back. 



Introduced in 2019, the Beach Wrestling World Series will crown the Beach Wrestling World Champions during the final of the 5-legged competitive season in beach locations across South America, Asia and Europe in 2023.

Weight classes: Women: 50 kg, 60 kg, 70 kg, and +70kg | Men: 70 kg, 80 kg, 90 kg, and +90kg.