"The 'Satba War' ... Goseong to Decide Gyeongnam's Strongest Ssireum Champion"

349 Athletes Representing 11 Cities and Counties to Compete

Winners to Advance to the National Ssireum King Selection Tournament in November

The "Satba Battle" to determine the strongest Ssireum wrestler representing Gyeongnam is set to begin in Goseong, Gyeongnam.

Goseong County announced that the "2026 Gyeongsangnam-do Ssireum Championship" will be held for two days from the 12th to the 13th at the exclusive Ssireum Arena in Goseong County.

The strongest Ssireum wrestler in Gyeongnam will be determined in Goseong.
Photo by Goseong County

This competition will feature 349 representative athletes from 11 cities and counties in Gyeongnam, competing individually across 10 categories: elementary, middle, high school, university, young adults, middle-aged, seniors, as well as the women's Maehwa (up to 60 kg), Gukhwa (up to 70 kg), and Mugunghwa (up to 80 kg) classes.

By region, the number of participants is as follows: 51 from Changwon, 45 from Goseong, 42 from Haman, 36 from Gimhae, 32 from Hadong, 31 from Geoje, 30 from Tongyeong, 27 from Sacheon, 13 from Yangsan, 12 from Geochang, and 10 from Sancheong.

The tournament will follow a single-elimination (tournament) format, with both preliminary and final rounds operated as best-of-three matches. Athletes are expected to fiercely compete for the title of Gyeongnam's best in each division.

In particular, this tournament is especially meaningful as it serves as a gateway to the National Ssireum Championship, which will be held in Goseong this November. Athletes who win their respective divisions and are selected as Gyeongnam representatives will go on to compete at the National Ssireum Championship in November as representatives for Gyeongsangnam-do.

Accordingly, this event is not just a provincial competition but also an important tournament to select the top Ssireum champion in Gyeongnam and choose representatives who will go on to the national stage, predicting intense competition among the athletes.

In addition, based on the results of the tournament, overall rankings by city and county will be determined, and comprehensive awards will be given to the first, second, and third place teams. The overall ranking will be decided by combining individual placings and medal points, so competition is expected both in individual events and for the overall city and county rankings.

Goseong County expressed hope that, as Ssireum athletes from all over Gyeongnam gather to showcase their skills, this tournament will serve as an opportunity to expand the foundation of Ssireum in the region, revitalize amateur sports, and widely promote Goseong's Ssireum infrastructure.

County Governor Ha Hakyeol stated, "I hope that the athletes representing each city and county in Gyeongnam will fully demonstrate the skills they have honed here in Goseong," adding, "I also hope that those who achieve good results in this tournament will deliver outstanding performances representing Gyeongnam in the National Ssireum Championship to be held here in Goseong this coming November."

With both the National Ssireum Championship and the National Children's Ssireum Championship to be held in Goseong early next year, Goseong hopes to be known as a festival venue where Ssireum enthusiasts and future prospects gather together in celebration of the sport.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.