Major rule changes to be tested at the 2025 Archery World Cup, Antalya

Big changes are coming to international archery. At the third stage of the 2025 Hyundai Archery World Cup, set to take place in Antalya, World Archery will trial several significant rule adjustments that may reshape scoring, scheduling, and competition structure in the sport.

Among the most impactful: the maximum score per arrow will no longer be 10. For the first time, hitting the small central X-ring will be worth 11 points.

Additionally, qualification rounds will be reduced from 72 arrows to 60, and the competition schedule will be compressed to streamline event operations.

Here’s a closer look at the three major changes being tested in Antalya:

1. 11-Point Ring

Until now, hitting the X-ring—the smallest circle at the center of the target—has scored 10 points, the same as the broader gold zone. Starting in Antalya, however, that inner ring will be upgraded to 11 points, effectively introducing a new definition of a “perfect” shot.

This change is being considered as a response to the increasing competitiveness in elite archery, especially in the compound category. With so many archers scoring similar totals, ranking differences have become razor-thin.

For instance, in Stage 2 of the World Cup in Shanghai, there was a three-way tie at 714 points in the compound men’s qualification. Under the 11-point X-ring system, Mike Schloesser would have emerged as the clear leader, with Rishabh Yadav just one point behind, and only a two-way tie for third place.

Antalya will mark the first test of this system in both compound and recurve events—an experiment that could influence how athletes train, compete, and aim for precision going forward.

2. 60 Arrows

The Antalya event will also experiment with a shorter qualification round, reducing the total number of arrows from the traditional 72 to 60.

The idea has been debated for some time and was formally discussed during World Archery committee meetings held in Lausanne earlier this year. Data indicates that 60 arrows still provide enough statistical spread to fairly rank competitors, especially given how tight the margins already are among the sport’s top athletes.

This change also aligns the outdoor qualification format more closely with indoor competitions, such as the 18-metre round, which already uses a 60-arrow format.

Beyond competition fairness, the reduction could offer practical benefits: less time required for rounds, reduced physical strain on athletes, and a better fit for venues with tighter schedules or space limitations.

3. Schedule Changes

While the previous two changes involve the rules of the sport, this third one is about how events are run logistically.

For the first time, the competition schedule has been compressed, starting on Wednesday instead of Tuesday, and featuring an overlap of major events. The final compound matches and the last recurve elimination rounds will both happen on Saturday, making it a supercharged day for fans and broadcasters.

This change is part of a bigger push to make major tournaments more efficient. At the upcoming 2025 World Archery Championships in Gwangju, Korea, there will be six consecutive days of arena matches, showcasing more live action in front of crowds and cameras than ever before. Meanwhile, early-stage matches will happen on separate fields.

Using multiple fields at the same time is a major shift from how international tournaments are usually run, where all matches typically take place on a single field.

With rising travel and hosting costs, shortening tournament durations is essential. Overlapping events could help national teams reduce expenses, while still giving fans maximum action.