Grey
Listed from Mighty-Mite through Teen
IBJJF Youth Guide · 2026
Youth BJJ belts, explained.
Grey. Yellow. Orange. Green. The youth belt system is simple to name but easy to misunderstand once competition age divisions are added. This guide separates belt progression from the belts IBJJF actually lists as eligible for each kids division.
The table below uses the official belt-and-age divisions published for the 2026 IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu CON Kids International. Graduation rules can change, so the current IBJJF Graduation System remains the controlling reference for promotion eligibility.
The short version
Age determines which youth belts can enter a division.
Yellow
Added beginning with Pee-Wee
Orange
Added beginning with Junior
Green
Added beginning with Teen
2026 competition eligibility
Which belts can compete at each kids age division?
This is an event-eligibility table, not a promotion schedule. It reflects the belts IBJJF lists for each birth-year division at Jiu-Jitsu CON Kids International 2026.
| Year of birth | Age division | Belts listed |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Mighty-Mite 1 | Grey |
| 2021 | Mighty-Mite 2 | Grey |
| 2020 | Mighty-Mite 3 | Grey |
| 2019 | Pee-Wee 1 | Grey, Yellow |
| 2018 | Pee-Wee 2 | Grey, Yellow |
| 2017 | Pee-Wee 3 | Grey, Yellow |
| 2016 | Junior 1 | Grey, Yellow, Orange |
| 2015 | Junior 2 | Grey, Yellow, Orange |
| 2014 | Junior 3 | Grey, Yellow, Orange |
| 2013 | Teen 1 | Grey, Yellow, Orange, Green |
| 2012 | Teen 2 | Grey, Yellow, Orange, Green |
| 2011 | Teen 3 | Grey, Yellow, Orange, Green |
Promotion vs. competition
These are related rules, not the same rule.
The IBJJF Graduation System governs how athletes advance through belt ranks. Individual championship pages then publish the belts accepted for each age division at that event. A promotion does not automatically mean every competition division is available at that new belt.
IBJJF competition rules also address athletes whose belt does not exist for their current age range: athletes under 18 must compete in a belt rank that matches the athlete's current age group.
A real 2026 example
Teen 1 includes orange belt.
For athletes born in 2013, Jiu-Jitsu CON Kids International 2026 lists Teen 1 with Grey, Yellow, Orange and Green belts. Bailey Heinsohn's canonical event record documents her confirmed Teen 1 · Orange · Feather registration for the same weekend.
Follow Bailey at Jiu-Jitsu CON →Official sources