Tournaments & Competition

Running a Tournament: The Organizer's Checklist

By HILT Official · Mar 01, 2026 · 11 min read

Everything that can go wrong at a HEMA event, and how to prevent it, from venue logistics to referee coordination.

It's Harder Than It Looks Running a HEMA tournament is one of those things that looks simple from the outside and is actually a logistics nightmare. A club sparring session with 20 people requires almost no coordination. A tournament with 40 people, referees, spectators, and a schedule requires military-grade planning. This article is the checklist we wish someone had given us before our first event. 6+ Months Before Venue. You need more space than you think. Each fighting ring needs a minimum of 8m x 8m clear space, plus buffer zones between rings. Add spectator areas, a registration desk,…

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