The CIS Koresh Championship to Take Place in the Ancient City of Bolgar

The city of Bolgar (Republic of Tatarstan, Russia) will once again become a major destination for koresh enthusiasts: from May 15 to 17, 2026, the international “CIS Championship” tournament will be held there.

The event will bring together the strongest wrestlers from the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and will become a significant occasion in the region’s sports and cultural calendar.

The tournament will be held in several stages: qualification competitions in Moscow, preliminary bouts at the Olimp Sports Complex in Bolgar, and on May 17, 2026 — ceremonial events and the final matches.

The final stage will take place on the grounds of the Bolgar State Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve as part of the Izge Bolgar Jiyene gathering — the culminating event of the cultural program of the 17th International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum.”

More than one hundred wrestlers from CIS countries — national champions in traditional wrestling styles — will take part in the competition. Athletes will compete in ten weight categories, allowing the strongest representatives of koresh belt wrestling across the Commonwealth to be determined.

Honored guests of the tournament traditionally include high-ranking officials, among them:

• Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov;
• President of the International Koresh Federation Jauhat Minnakhmetov;
• spiritual leaders and delegates from CIS countries and regions of Russia.

The tournament not only contributes to the development of koresh belt wrestling as a sport, but also strengthens cultural and sporting ties between CIS countries, promoting traditional values and a healthy lifestyle.