Organizers of the IX International KARDO Award in Street Culture and Sports reported that Uzbekistan has been included in the list of twenty countries with the highest number of registered participants, submitting 190 applications.
The grand final of the ninth season of the award will take place in Vladivostok from September 17 to 20, 2026. This is the first time in the nine-year history of the project that the final events are being held in the Far East of Russia. The main venue will be the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island.
More than 500 finalists from 70 countries gathered in Vladivostok, selected from over 51,000 applicants from around the world. Approximately 45% of the finalists came from countries outside of Russia.
The award program includes competitions in 13 directions, divided into three categories. Extreme sports cover BMX, roller skating, scooters, and skateboarding. Street sports include tricking, workout, freerunning, and parkour. In the street culture category, events are held for DJing, graffiti, rap, hip-hop, and breaking.
In addition to sporting and creative competitions, participants attend educational lectures, master classes, and meetings with industry experts. The project also includes a video contest, a grant contest, a young street fashion designer contest, and an award for contribution to sector development.
Andrey Betin, CEO of the presidential platform 'Russia — Country of Opportunities', noted that KARDO serves as a platform for talent development through sport, culture, and creativity, as well as for exchanging experience among youth from different countries.
The KARDO Award was founded nine years ago as a festival of Russian street culture. Over time, the project has transformed into an international platform uniting participants, experts, and representatives of street communities from various countries.
The 2026 final is held with the support of the President of the Russian Federation as part of the national project 'Youth and Children'.
