IBJJF Rule Changes for 2027: What BJJ Competitors Need to Know

The IBJJF has announced 13 updates and clarifications to its rules. They take effect on 1 January 2027 and cover fouls, scoring, guard pulling, No-Gi clothing and age divisions. Some apply to every competitor; others depend on age or belt.

Jumping guard becomes a severe foul

For competitors aged 15 and under, and white belts of every age, jumping into closed guard on a standing opponent becomes a severe foul. The rule also covers attacks started by jumping guard, such as flying triangles and flying armbars.

The referee will disqualify the athlete from the match when the foul occurs.

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Straight foot lock rules change

There are two changes to the straight foot lock rules:

• Juveniles aged 16 and 17, and white belts of every age: the straight foot lock becomes illegal.
• Blue and purple belts: turning towards the foot that is not being attacked becomes legal, as it already is for brown and black belts.

The turn is allowed for blue and purple belts from Adult through Master 8. The change does not make the straight foot lock itself legal in divisions where it is prohibited.

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Takedown scoring when an opponent stays suspended

If an athlete grips the opponent’s trousers and the opponent pulls closed guard but stays suspended in the air, the athlete with the grip must make them land on their back, side or seated to score the takedown.

The three-second limit for making the opponent land is removed. The usual requirement to stabilise the top position on the ground for three seconds still applies.

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Double guard pulls

After a double guard pull, the referee starts a 20-second countdown. If neither athlete has reached the top position or scored when it ends, the referee stops the match, penalises both athletes and restarts them standing.

A submission being held or a scoring move being close to completion will no longer prevent the restart.

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Lapel or belt guard: 20 seconds to progress

If an athlete grips their opponent’s lapel or belt and wraps their own leg in a controlling position, they have 20 seconds to pursue positional progression. If they have not progressed by then, they receive a lack-of-combativeness penalty, regardless of their intention.

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Disciplinary disqualification

The IBJJF may convert a severe foul into a disciplinary disqualification if an athlete acts intentionally or knowingly accepts the risk of injuring their opponent, including through disproportionate force.

An athlete may also be disqualified for conduct intended to injure, or that knowingly risks injury, even if the action is not listed as a severe foul. These decisions are at the IBJJF’s discretion and must be formally requested by the event’s Referee Coordinator.

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New referee “calm down” gesture

The IBJJF is adding a gesture for referees to ask one or both athletes to calm down. The referee raises both hands in front of the body, palms forward, then lowers and extends the arms with the palms facing down.

This is a new communication gesture, not a scoring change.

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Match interrupted during a submission

If a match is interrupted while a submission hold is in place for a reason not attributable to either athlete, and the rulebook does not specify another procedure, the match restarts with both athletes standing in the centre of the combat area.

The athlete who had the submission hold receives two points.

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Guard-passing progression

The progression concept already used for sweeps will also be applied to guard passing. The IBJJF describes this as a concept update that does not change the written rulebook. Competitors and coaches can review the example video on the official rule changes page.

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No-Gi uniform changes

The No-Gi clothing rules change in several ways:

• White belts: shirts must be more than 50% white. Black is the only permitted secondary colour.
• Black belts: shirts must be more than 50% black. White is the only permitted secondary colour. A small red area is still allowed if it does not obscure the rank colour.
• Grey through brown belts: shirts must show at least 10% of the competitor’s belt colour, clearly visible from the front or back. A shirt entirely in the belt colour is also permitted.
• Shorts: must not extend below the knee, and the hem must be no more than 15 cm above the middle of the knee. In children’s divisions, shorts must cover at least halfway down the thigh.
• Men’s compression wear: compression pants, or spats, and compression shorts are allowed under shorts in the permitted colours.

The new white-belt shirt rule applies across all age divisions.

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New Master 8 division

A Master 8 division will be introduced for athletes aged 66 and older. Matches will be four minutes long. Master 7 will cover athletes aged 61 to 65, with five-minute matches.

Master 8 will also be included in the age-related illegal-move and tie-break provisions.

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2027 IBJJF rule changes at a glance

These changes take effect on 1 January 2027. Check the rules for your specific age, belt and competition format before competing. If there is any doubt, the IBJJF says the official rulebook takes precedence.