Section 3: Playing Area
3.1 Competition Mat
The Contest Area must have a flat surface free of obstructing projections and be covered with an elastic, non-slip mat. It may be installed on a platform 0.6–1 m high, in which case the outer part of the Outer Line is inclined at a gradient of less than 30 degrees for contestant safety (Article 3.1). Two shapes are permitted — square and octagonal (Article 3.1). The square Contest Area is 8 m × 8 m including a 60 cm boundary line (Article 3.1.1). The octagonal Contest Area measures approximately 8 m in diameter, each side of the octagon approximately 3.3 m (Article 3.1.2).
3.2 Boundary and Safety Zone
The Competition Area envelopes both the Contest Area and the surrounding Safety Area, and shall be no smaller than 10 m × 10 m and no larger than 12 m × 12 m (Article 3.1.1). The Safety Area is therefore the margin between the outer line of the Competition Area and the boundary line of the Contest Area (Article 3.1.2) — roughly 1 m per side at the minimum Competition Area size and up to 2 m per side at the maximum. Where the Contest Area sits on a platform, the Safety Area may be increased as needed to ensure contestant safety (Article 3.1.1). The Contest Area and Safety Area may be different colours, as specified in the relevant competition's Operational Manual (Article 3.1.1).
3.3 Markings and Positions
Two starting positions are marked on the mat: one for the blue (chung) competitor and one for the red (hong) competitor, each approximately 4 m from the center and 1 m apart. The referee's position is marked at the center edge of the mat. Corner judge positions are designated at four corners of the competition area. An athlete designation area for each competitor (including their coach) is located outside the safety zone on opposite sides of the mat.
3.4 Multiple Court Layouts
At World Championships and Grand Prix events, multiple competition courts operate simultaneously. Each court is designated by number and operates with its own independent set of officials, PSS equipment, and IVR system. Courts are separated by sufficient distance (minimum 2 m between safety zones) to prevent interference between adjacent matches. A central results area displays live scores from all active courts.
3.5 Venue Requirements
The competition venue must provide adequate lighting (minimum 1,500 lux at mat level for televised events), temperature control, and ventilation. A scoreboard visible to competitors, officials, and spectators must be positioned prominently. Medical facilities and personnel must be accessible within 30 seconds of the competition area. An Instant Video Replay (IVR) system with multiple camera angles is required at WT-promoted events. For Olympic and World Championship events, a minimum of six camera positions per court are mandated for IVR coverage.