NJPW Announces Format Changes For G1 Climax 34

NJPW will host the 34th annual G1 Climax this year, and the format has been officially revealed. The company announced a change in the format, with this year featuring 20 men in each block, with two competitors for each block determined via a tournament on July 5th.

The full announcement reads:

Details revealed for G1 Climax 34!
A special video presentation during Dominion saw the first details revealed for G1 Climax 34, with some returns to classic formats, and new twists added with a fresh feel for 2024.

After two years of four block formats, G1 Climax 34 will return to the two block, twenty entrant form of competition, starting July 20 and 21 with Opening Weekend, where both nights will have ten league matchups.

18 entrants will be revealed in their blocks next week at New Japan Soul June 16. But two more will be determined with a play in qualifier tournaments, taking place during the New Japan Soul tour and ending with finals in the Tokyo Budokan July 5.

Once the G1 proper gets underway, after 20 minute time limits during G1 33, this year league matches will be back to 30 minute, grueling contests. As ever, two points for a win and one for a draw will be the standard up to the league’s final nights.

This year though, it will be the top three finishers that advance. Second and third place finishers will face off in Makuhari August 15, with the top point scorer receiving a bye to Ryogoku August 17. There, semifinals will determine an overall winner for each block, to compete in the grand final August 18!

It’s going to be a red hot summer- don’t miss a second of G1 Climax 34!