9th World Championship in Massage breaks record for number of participants

The 9th World Championship in Massage in Copenhagen was a record-breaking edition of the international event.

Held in early July 2026, the championship welcomed 290 participants representing 59 countries.

Organised by the International Massage Association (IMA), the event provided a global platform for massage therapists to showcase their skills, exchange knowledge and connect with industry colleagues.

Competitors were assessed by judges from 27 countries across five key criteria: technique, ergonomics and body mechanics, flow, innovation, and client contact and empathy.

The competition featured categories including Swedish, wellness, Thai, freestyle eastern, freestyle western, facial, body shaping and chair massage.

Japan takes overall title

Yuka Someya of Japan was named the overall champion, with Cengizhan Tatar of Turkey taking silver and Panuwat Srisamajarn of the USA winning bronze.

Japan also claimed the gold medal in the Wellness Massage category, while Turkey took the top prize in Freestyle Western Massage.

Other category winners included Rasa Aakkiene of Lithuania in Swedish Massage, Amornrat Wannaphong-Koch of Thailand in Thai Massage and Haojun Qiu of China in Freestyle Eastern Massage.

Turkey was named the winning nation in the Nations Tournament, followed by Norway, the Czech Republic, Thailand and Japan.

A total of 28 countries were represented by the minimum three participants required to enter the team competition.

A platform for professional development

Beyond the competition itself, the championship offered opportunities for networking, education and professional recognition.

The event also saw the induction of Slav Marinov and Anna Tsankova into the IMA Hall of Massage Fame.

The championship reflects the growing international profile of massage as a professional discipline and highlights the breadth of techniques, approaches and expertise shaping the sector.

The next World Championship in Massage will take place in Copenhagen in July 2027, marking the event’s tenth edition.

To find out more about this year’s event, click here:

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