Federation Software Comparison: ITF, WT and Independent Schools

ITF and WT taekwondo look similar from outside but their competition formats, scoring rules and software needs are wildly different. If you run events for either — or for an independent school that mixes both — here is what you actually need from your competition manager.

ITF Taekwon-Do

ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) events typically include four disciplines: sparring, patterns, special technique, and power breaking. Sparring uses semi-contact rules with foot and hand protection, judged on points by 4 corner judges. Patterns are compared head-to-head with judges showing flags. Special technique and power breaking are judged on board breaks and height/reach.

Key software needs for ITF: multi-discipline support per fighter (one entry, four events), patterns scoring with head-to-head flag judging, breaking score recording with multiple attempts, and category cross-referencing across disciplines.

WT (World Taekwondo)

WT (formerly WTF) events use full-contact electronic body protector scoring with PSS (Protector and Scoring System) for sparring. Patterns (Poomsae) are increasingly popular as a separate event with its own world championships. Most senior WT events use 3-round sparring with an 8-second knockdown count and electronic head guards on the higher levels.

Software needs for WT: integration with PSS scoring units (or manual override), Poomsae scoring (5-judge mean-average system, drop highest and lowest), and weight categories aligned with WT standards (Fin, Fly, Bantam, Feather, Light, Welter, Middle, Heavy).

Independent schools

Independent schools — TAGB, ITC, BTC, BUTF and dozens of smaller organisations — borrow rules from both. Most use ITF-style sparring with WT-style category structures. The software need is flexibility: you cannot lock the tool to a single ruleset.

Software comparison

Most off-the-shelf tools commit to one federation. TKD Competition Manager is intentionally federation-agnostic. The bracket and scoring engines work with any ruleset because they treat scoring as a generic input — points, flags, time, breaks — and let the operator decide how to interpret them.

For federation-scale events with national rankings and squad implications, read our federation management guide.

Quick decision matrix

• Single-discipline ITF club — TKD Manager Starter (£149/event)
• Multi-discipline ITF club with patterns + sparring + breaking — TKD Manager Standard (£349/event)
• WT-only with PSS — currently best served by federation-supplied software (Daedo / KP&P)
• Independent school running mixed rules — TKD Manager Standard or Professional
• National federation — TKD Manager Federation (£7,999/year unlimited)