UWW Change of Nationality Regulations November 2025

About the November 2025 editionChanges from June 2019

Key changes from the previous edition

1. Annual cap for the releasing federationThe newest and most significant restriction in this edition. Until now only the host federation was subject to a cap; now each releasing federation may consent to a maximum of three changes of nationality for men and three for women per year, across all styles and all age categories. The text states expressly that this decision lies entirely within the discretion of the releasing federation, that the international federation plays no part in it, and that a refusal by the releasing federation provides no basis for any claim against the international federation.
2. The host federation's cap, now split by genderThe host federation may accept one foreign wrestler of each gender per year; previously the cap was one person per year without distinction by gender.
3. Application window: 1 October to 20 DecemberThe application submission window, previously 1 to 31 December, has changed to 1 October to 20 December — that is, it opens earlier and closes earlier. The licence, as before, takes effect from 1 January of the following year.
4. Ninety-day deadline for the international federationFor the first time the international federation is required to determine an application within ninety days of receiving a complete file. A file is considered complete once all necessary documents have reached the federation's office.
5. New and defined terminologyThe text has acquired a definitions section: Host federation, Releasing federation, national wrestler and naturalised wrestler. The expression "sporting nationality" has also been simplified to "nationality" throughout the text.
6. A separate route for veteransA lighter procedure is provided for the veterans category: an application is accepted at any time of year and at least 45 days before the Veterans Championships, only the host federation's application and the releasing federation's consent are required, and the three-year rule does not apply to veterans.
7. Flexibility for youth categoriesThe three-year waiting period may still be reduced or waived by agreement of the two federations and a decision of the Executive Board; in addition, for wrestlers aged fifteen at the time of the application, or those whose only record of participation with the releasing federation was in the under-fifteen category, that decision is taken by a simpler route.
8. Olympic competitions referred to the Olympic CharterThe detailed, step-by-step section on Olympic qualification rules added in the 2019 edition has been removed and replaced by a short reference: at the Olympic Games and their qualifying competitions, the rules of the Olympic Charter govern.
9. Training compensationThe releasing federation may claim training compensation and an administrative fee on the basis of a scale set out in these regulations.