What is the difference between ITF and WT taekwondo?

World Taekwondo (WT) is all about competition and athletic excellence. The focus is on speed, precision, and landing those high-scoring kicks in a controlled, full-contact environment. The International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) keeps the martial art’s original emphasis on self-defence, philosophy, and discipline—making it feel more like an art form than a sport. To summarise these differences, WT vs. ITF Taekwondo represents the sport and athleticism separate from the traditional martial art. WT Competitions are fast and high-flying with full-contact sparring with strict rules on technique and a heavy emphasis on powerful, fast kicks. ITF Competitions are tactical and traditional with semi-contact sparring that integrates self-defence and a strong emphasis on patterns and martial arts philosophy. If you want Olympic-style, high-speed kicking, WT is for you. If you prefer a balance of self-defense and sparring, ITF might be your match. While WT Taekwondo embodies the Olympic spirit—competition, unity, and global recognition, ITF remains rooted in martial arts tradition—discipline, self-improvement, and philosophy. Think of WTF vs. ITF Taekwondo as the high-speed, high-performance athlete and as the disciplined martial artist honing their craft.

ITF est plus traditionnel et axé sur l'autodéfense, il permet des coups de poing au visage et les coups de poing dans ses formes sont lancés de plus haut au-dessus de la hanche que dans le WTF. ITF est aussi souvent appelé une école nord-coréenne de Taekwondo. WTF d'un autre côté, est décrit comme plus moderne et axé sur le combat, c'est la forme compétitive de Taekwondo comme on le connaît des Jeux Olympiques, qui n'autorise pas les coups de poing au visage, ses formes ont des coups de poing lancés de la hanche et on dit que c'est le Taekwondo qui a pris racine en Corée du Sud. Les formes de l'ITF ont des coups de poing lancés de plus haut au-dessus de la hanche que dans le WTF. WTF ne permet pas les coups de poing au visage. Les formes du WTF ont des coups de poing lancés de la hanche.