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World desk3 min

How Recurve Archery Scoring Works: Arrow Values, Sets and Tie-Breaks

Recurve arrows score from 10 to 1, but qualification totals and match-play set points work differently. Here’s how ring values, line calls and tie-breaks are decided.
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In international outdoor target recurve, arrows score from 10 down to 1 according to where they land; a miss scores zero. Qualification ranks archers by the total of 72 arrows, while individual elimination matches are decided by set points. If an individual match is tied at 5–5, each archer shoots one arrow, and the arrow closest to the centre wins.

How many points is each ring?

The target face has ten concentric scoring rings in five colours. Each colour contains two scoring values, so colour alone does not give the exact score: the arrow shaft’s position within the face determines it.

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Colour, centre outward Ring values
Yellow 10, 9
Red 8, 7
Blue 6, 5
Black 4, 3
White 2, 1
Outside the scoring face 0

For international outdoor target recurve, World Archery specifies a 122 cm face and a 12.2 cm diameter 10-ring. These dimensions describe that event setup, not every practice session or local competition. See World Archery’s target archery overview.

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Does touching a line count as the higher score?

Yes. Under World Archery’s current target rules, if the arrow shaft touches two colours or a dividing line between scoring zones, the arrow scores the higher of the two values. For example, a shaft touching the boundary between the 8- and 9-rings scores 9.

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Do not remove or touch arrows, the target face or the butt until all arrow values on that target butt have been recorded. The rule appears in World Archery Book 3, Article 12.2 (version 2026-01-27).

How qualification scores are counted

In the international target format described by World Archery, qualification comprises 72 arrows. The archer’s cumulative total determines their ranking and seeds the elimination brackets; the score is not decided by sets in this phase. World Archery’s recurve overview describes the outdoor event at 70 metres. Check the rules for a particular event or local competition, since other formats can differ.

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Qualification and match-play use different scoring units:

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  • Qualification: add the values of all 72 arrows to rank archers.
  • Individual elimination: compare each set’s three-arrow total and award set points; the match winner is the first to six set points.

World Archery describes these formats in its recurve overview.

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How individual recurve match-play works

An individual set consists of three arrows. The archer with the higher total for the set earns two set points; if the set is tied, each archer earns one. The first archer to reach six set points wins the match.

That is different from adding every arrow across the whole match. Set points decide the winner, so an archer can win after taking enough sets even if their total arrow score across the match is lower.

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How team and mixed-team sets differ

World Archery uses longer sets for team formats. Each side earns two set points for winning a set or one each for a drawn set; a team advances by reaching five set points.

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Match format Arrows per set Set points to win
Individual 3 6
Mixed team 4 5
Team 6 5
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How does a tie-break work?

Individual match

If an individual match reaches 5–5 after five sets, each archer shoots one tie-break arrow. The arrow closest to the centre wins; this is a direct comparison, not an ordinary set score. If a judge cannot determine which arrow is closer, World Archery says another shoot-off may be called.

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Team or mixed-team match

In a team tie-break, each archer shoots one arrow. First compare the teams’ total scores; the higher total wins. If the totals are tied, the side with an arrow closest to the centre wins. If those arrows are equally distant, compare the next arrows, continuing as needed. A judge may call another shoot-off if the arrows still cannot be differentiated after the last arrow.

Who calls the score, and what if archers disagree?

Under World Archery’s Book 3 rules, scoring takes place after each end or set. The athlete, or their agent, calls arrow values in descending order, and the other archers on the target check them. If there is a disagreement, the assigned judge makes the final decision.

During simultaneous match-play shooting, the athlete calls the value and the opponent checks it; a judge decides if they cannot agree. If a paper scorecard and electronic card show different arrow values, the paper scorecard takes precedence. These procedures are set out in Book 3, Article 12.2.

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Which formats do these rules cover?

These scoring details concern international outdoor target recurve. They should not automatically be applied to indoor, field, para or local-club formats, which World Archery treats separately or which may have their own event rules. Recurve set-play is also distinct from compound match scoring; consult the competition’s published rules if its format is unclear.

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