IBJJF Rule Changes for 2027: What Changes on January 1

On November 13, 2026, the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) published 13 rule changes that take effect on January 1, 2027. Most of them are small. Three are not: jumping guard becomes an immediate disqualification for kids and white belts, the straight foot lock becomes illegal for white belts and juveniles, and a guard built on a lapel grip now runs on a 20-second clock.

This post walks through each change in plain language, using IBJJF's own 2027 rule changes page as the source. The numbers in brackets are the Rules Book articles IBJJF cites. Where this summary and the official Rules Book differ, the Rules Book wins, so read the official wording before you compete.

New to the sport? Start with what BJJ is. These rules apply at IBJJF events. Other tournaments set their own rules, and what is allowed in a tournament is separate from what a coach allows in class.

The 13 changes at a glance

Kids and white belts: jumping guard now ends the match

Jumping to closed guard on a standing opponent becomes a severe foul [6.2.3 M] in the under-15 divisions at every belt and for white belts in every age group. The penalty is disqualification at the moment it happens. IBJJF's wording includes attacks that start from the jump, and it names flying triangles and flying armbars as examples.

The move was already restricted for the same athletes. Until now the referee stopped the match and stood both athletes back up. From January 1 there is no restart.

The 2027 update does not change the rule for other divisions. If you are a parent, this is the one to explain to your child before their next IBJJF event: pulling guard is still allowed, but jumping to closed guard on a standing opponent is not. Our parents' guide to kids jiu-jitsu covers the rest of what to expect.

White belts and juveniles: no straight foot lock

Until now a white belt could use the straight foot lock, often called the straight ankle lock, at an IBJJF event. From 2027 it is illegal [6.2.3 N] for:

• White belts from Adult through Master 8.
• Juveniles aged 16 and 17 at every belt.

It was previously illegal only in the 4 to 12 and 13 to 15 age divisions. An illegal move in IBJJF's table is a severe foul for that category, so an attempt costs you the match.

Rulesets differ on this. At our own no-gi submission-only open in October 2026, beginner divisions could use straight ankle locks. A white belt at an IBJJF event from January cannot. Check the rules for the event in front of you, and read our guide to leg locks for how the attacks differ.

Blue and purple belts: you may turn inward

When finishing a straight foot lock, turning toward the foot that is not being attacked used to be illegal for blue and purple belts. From 2027 it is allowed for blue and purple belts from Adult to Master 8 [6.2.3 N]. Brown and black belts could already do it.

This does not open the foot lock to anyone new. IBJJF states that athletes who cannot apply the straight foot lock still cannot apply it, with or without the turn.

Guard pulling and lapel guards

Takedown points when a guard puller stays suspended

Sometimes an athlete pulls closed guard and hangs on a standing opponent instead of going to the mat. Under the old wording [4.1.12], the standing athlete had three seconds to put the opponent's back on the ground to earn takedown points. In 2027 that three-second limit is removed. The standing athlete has to make the opponent land on their back, on their side, or seated, and then hold the top position for three seconds as usual.

Double guard pull

When both athletes pull guard at the same time, the referee starts a 20-second count. From 2027, if neither athlete has come up to the top position or scored when the count ends, the referee stops the match, penalizes both athletes, and restarts them standing [6.2.1 C]. IBJJF says this now applies even if a submission is locked in or a scoring move is about to finish. Under the old rule those two situations kept the match going.

Lapel or belt grip with a leg wrapped

This rule is new [6.2.1 G]. An athlete who grips the opponent's lapel or belt and wraps their own leg into a controlling position has 20 seconds to progress. If they do not, they receive a lack of combativeness penalty, and IBJJF's wording says that applies "regardless of intention."

If you play a guard that wraps the lapel around your own leg, the position is still legal. You now have to move it toward a sweep, a submission, or a better position inside 20 seconds.

Refereeing and match procedure

• Disciplinary disqualification [6.1.7 and 6.1.8]. IBJJF may turn a severe foul into a disciplinary disqualification when an athlete commits it on purpose or knowingly risks injuring the opponent, including by using disproportionate force. A second new article covers any action meant to injure, even one that is not on the list of severe fouls. The event's Referee Coordinator has to request it formally, and the decision is IBJJF's.
• A "calm down" gesture. The referee raises both hands in front of the body with palms forward, then lowers and extends the arms with palms down. There is no verbal command. If you see it, the referee is asking you to settle.
• Match interrupted during a submission [1.3.7]. If a match is interrupted while a submission hold is in place, for a reason that is neither athlete's fault, and the Rules Book has no specific procedure for it, the match restarts standing in the center. The athlete who was applying the hold receives two points.
• Progression applied to guard passing. IBJJF says the progression concept its referees already apply to sweeps now applies to guard passes too, and that this does not change the text of the Rules Book. The official page explains it with video examples, so watch those instead of relying on a written summary. Our guide to BJJ points covers how sweeps and passes score in general.

No-gi uniform changes

The no-gi attire rule [8.1.16] changes in four ways. IBJJF also published a no-gi uniform guide with photos.

• White belts: the shirt must be more than 50% white, and black is the only other color allowed. This applies to white belts in every age division.
• Colored belts, grey through brown: the existing rule that at least 10% of the shirt shows your rank color now applies to these belts only, and the rank has to be identifiable from the front or the back.
• Black belts: the shirt must be more than 50% black, with white as the only other color, plus the small red area the rule already allowed.
• Shorts: no longer than the knee, with the hem no more than 15 cm above the middle of the knee. In the kids' divisions, shorts must cover at least halfway down the thigh.

Separately, men may now wear compression pants or compression shorts under their no-gi shorts. The permitted colors are black, white, black and white, or the athlete's belt color.

If you are buying no-gi gear for an IBJJF event, check it against the guide first. Our gi vs. no-gi guide explains the two formats.

A new Master 8 division

IBJJF is adding a Master 8 division for athletes aged 66 and older, with four-minute matches [1.3]. Master 7 becomes ages 61 to 65, with five-minute matches. The illegal moves table and the tie-break lists now run from Adult to Master 8.

What to do before your next tournament

1. Check the date. The changes start January 1, 2027. An IBJJF event before then runs under the current rules.
2. Check the organizer. These are IBJJF rules. A local or submission-only event may allow or ban different techniques.
3. Find your row in the illegal moves table. IBJJF reorganized the table by age and belt. Look up your own category instead of trusting what was legal last year.
4. Tell your coach which event you entered. Your coach can adjust what you drill, especially if your plan included a straight foot lock, a jump to closed guard, or a lapel guard.
5. Check your no-gi kit. The shirt color and shorts length rules above are new, so last year's kit may not pass.

Planning your first event? Start with our first BJJ tournament checklist. If you want to train with us, see the class schedule or start with the two-week special.

Sources

• IBJJF Rule Changes 2027, checked November 14, 2026.
• IBJJF news: Official IBJJF Rules Update, published November 13, 2026.
• IBJJF Rules Book and videos. The Rules Book text is the final word.