Costa Rican taekwondo took an important step toward professionalization with the second introductory seminar on Kombat Taekwondo, a historic event that marked the first official collaboration with the Professional Taekwondo Federation (PTF) in the country.
The seminar, focused on raising awareness of this innovative professional competition format, trained coaches and practitioners with the aim of laying the foundations for the launch of junior and senior leagues in Costa Rica. It was held in La Garita de Alajuela and brought together approximately 40 participants from schools affiliated with both the ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) and WT (World Taekwondo, Olympic style). This diversity underscores the inclusive spirit of Kombat Taekwondo, which seeks to integrate all forms of the Korean martial art into a global professional circuit.
Kombat Taekwondo is positioned as the world's leading professional league, endorsed by the PTF, and allows high-level combat with rules that combine traditional techniques, full contact, and show elements, attracting athletes who seek to compete beyond the amateur or Olympic circuits. In Costa Rica, this initiative comes at a key moment, following the announcement of the organization's official arrival in the country in 2025 (with figures such as Rodrigo Camacho and Pablo Solano at the helm), and recent Costa Rican achievements such as the world title won by Pablo Solano in December 2025 in Guadeloupe.
“The seminar was a complete success in terms of participation and enthusiasm. Seeing ITF and WT instructors working together toward a common goal demonstrates the potential this format has to grow in our country.”
The event is part of a broader strategy by the PTF and Kombat Taekwondo to expand training, instructor licensing, and competitions in Latin America. The aim is to prepare coaches and academies to join the Minor League (aimed at youth and development categories) and the Major League, which could open up opportunities for Costa Rican talent to gain international exposure.
The local taekwondo community is optimistic about these developments, especially given that Costa Rica has already demonstrated its competitiveness at the global level in this sport. More training activities and possibly the first league dates are expected in the coming months.
