The piste is moving east.
From July 22 to 30, Hong Kong hosts the 85th FIE Senior Fencing World Championships — the first time the sport’s flagship event has ever landed in the city. Over 1,000 athletes from 200+ countries, 12 individual and team events across all three weapons, and a prize pool of over USD 1 million on the line.
This is the biggest fencing event of the year. Possibly the decade, for Hong Kong.
Here’s everything you need to know — whether you’re competing, watching, or just living the sport from home.
The Basics
What: Kerry Fencing World Championships 2026 — 85th edition of the FIE Senior Worlds
When: July 22–30, 2026
Where: AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong — 7,000-seat arena
Weapons: Foil, Épée, Sabre — men’s and women’s, individual and team
Events: 12 in total
Prize money: USD 1 million+ distributed to individual and team medallists
Tickets: Available via Klook
Watch live: FencingTV.com — free account required
Why Hong Kong Is a Big Deal
This isn’t just another host city rotation.
Hong Kong hasn’t staged a top-tier international fencing competition featuring all three weapons since the 2017 Asian Championships. Nearly a decade. The FIE awarded the Worlds here after the city’s flawless delivery of the 2024 Foil World Cup at the same venue — AsiaWorld-Expo. That event sealed it.
The timing is loaded. Hong Kong’s fencing scene is arguably at its highest point ever:
Ryan Choi Chun-yin — reigning Men’s Individual Foil World Champion, currently ranked #1 in the world, defending his title on home soil.
Edgar Cheung Ka-long — double Olympic Foil Champion. When asked about competing at home, he said he’s already looking forward to hearing Cantonese chants from the stands. That’s the kind of energy that changes bouts.
Kaylin Hsieh Sin-yan — double World University Games Épée Champion, fresh off gold at the 2025 FISU Games in Germany.
Vivian Kong Man-wai — 2024 Paris Olympic Épée Champion, now retired. Her legacy is woven into the crowd that will fill that arena.
Four world-class fencers, one city, one home crowd. There will not be another moment like this for a long time.
The Competition Schedule
Wed, Jul 22 Men’s Foil Individual — pools to Top 64; Women’s Épée Individual — pools to Top 64
Thu, Jul 23 Women’s Sabre Individual — pools to Top 64; Men’s Épée Individual — pools to Top 64
Fri, Jul 24 Women’s Foil Individual — pools to Top 64; Men’s Sabre Individual — pools to Top 64
Sat, Jul 25 Men’s Foil Individual Finals; Women’s Épée Individual Finals; OPENING CEREMONY
Sun, Jul 26 Women’s Sabre Individual Finals; Men’s Épée Individual Finals
Mon, Jul 27 Women’s Foil Individual Finals; Men’s Sabre Individual Finals
Tue, Jul 28 Men’s Foil Team; Women’s Épée Team
Wed, Jul 29 Women’s Sabre Team; Men’s Épée Team
Thu, Jul 30 Women’s Foil Team; Men’s Sabre Team; CLOSING CEREMONY
Note: the Opening Ceremony takes place on Saturday, July 25 — after the first three days of individual pools. Schedule is provisional; check fencing2026.com for updates.
How to Watch
In Hong Kong: Tickets on sale via Klook. AsiaWorld-Expo sits directly on the Airport Express rail line — easy access from anywhere in the city.
Everywhere else: FencingTV.com streams all events live. Register for a free account. The FIE also posts highlights and live updates on @FIE_fencing across Instagram and X.
Regional broadcasters vary by country — check your national federation’s website for local coverage.
Stand Out From the Stands
What to Watch For
Here’s the thing about being a fencing fan at an event like this.
You know things other sports fans don’t. You know the difference between a fleche and a running attack. You know why the bout was stopped. You know what allez sounds like before the referee says it.
The crowd around you mostly doesn’t.
That’s not a complaint — it’s an opportunity. The fencing community is small, globally connected, and intensely tribal. The World Championships is the one week a year when thousands of people who all get it are in the same arena.
FNCNG was built for exactly this moment. Not for the sport. For the identity. For the people who live this off the piste, not just on it.
If you’re heading to Hong Kong, or watching from home with people who know the difference between a parry quarte and a parry six — you already know which side of the stands you’re on.
Wear it that way.
Shop FNCNG before the Worlds — and arrive sharp.
Twelve gold medals. Six weapons. One city that’s never hosted this before.
Here’s who to watch — by weapon, by gender, by story.
Men’s Foil
Ryan Choi Chun-yin defends his title on home soil. The reigning world champion and current world #1 won gold in Tbilisi last year in a stunning performance — and now he does it in front of his own crowd, in his own city. Edgar Cheung Ka-long, double Olympic champion, is right behind him in the rankings. Two Hong Kong blades, one piste. The foil events on July 25 and 27 are unmissable.
Women’s Foil
Lee Kiefer is the standard. The American double Olympic champion and 2025 world champion is the most decorated U.S. fencer in history, and she doesn’t stop. Expect her again at the top of the draw — and expect competition from France’s Pauline Ranvier, who took silver in Tbilisi, and Italy’s deep team bench.
Men’s Épée
Japan’s Koki Kano took gold in Tbilisi, his Olympic title already in hand from Paris 2024. Hungary’s Gergely Siklósi pushed him to silver, and the two have been the story of men’s épée for two seasons running. Both will be in Hong Kong. Both will be dangerous.
Women’s Épée
Ukraine’s Vlada Kharkova won the 2025 individual world title in a 15-14 thriller against Estonia’s Katrina Lehis. Hong Kong’s own Kaylin Hsieh Sin-yan, double World University Games champion, is the local crowd’s pick — and a genuine podium threat. The women’s épée final has the makings of a classic.
Men’s Sabre
Georgia’s Sandro Bazadze made history in Tbilisi — the first-ever world champion from his country, winning his home crowd gold. He’s the reigning world champion, but the sabre world doesn’t stay still: Hungary’s Áron Szilágyi (three-time Olympic champion) is still competing, Italy’s Luca Curatoli is always a final threat, and France’s Jean-Philippe Patrice pushed Bazadze all the way in Tbilisi’s final.
Women’s Sabre
Yana Egorian (competing as AIN — neutral) took the 2025 individual gold. Japan’s Misaki Emura, twice a world champion, is the consistent force in this weapon, and she’ll be chasing the title she narrowly missed in Tbilisi. France, the 2025 team gold winner, enters with momentum.
Nine days. Every bout matters. The steel is sharp in Hong Kong this July.
Allez.
Source
- Kerry Fencing World Championships 2026 — Official Website (competition schedule, venue, tickets)
https://www.fencing2026.com/en—https://www.fencing2026.com/en/schedule - FIE Official Press Release, June 24, 2026 — 85th edition, July 22–30, 1,000+ athletes, 200+ countries, USD 1M+ prize pool, FencingTV info
https://fie.org/articles/1667 - FIE Competition Page
https://fie.org/competitions/2026/251 - FIE Country Page — Hong Kong — Ryan Choi #1 world ranking, Kaylin Hsieh #4, Edgar Cheung ranking
https://fie.org/country/HKG - China Daily HK, October 3, 2025 — Ryan Choi world title, Edgar Cheung home Worlds quote, Vivian Kong Paris 2024 gold, HKFA announcement
https://www.chinadailyhk.com/hk/article/621113 - South China Morning Post, October 3, 2025 — Edgar Cheung “Cantonese chants” quote, three HK events announcement
https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3327834/ - DotDotNews, May 11, 2026 — “Kerry Fencing World Championships 2026” official name, 7,000-seat arena, Klook ticketing, May 9 press conference
https://english.dotdotnews.com/a/202605/11/AP6a01afbbe4b09ea23314f448.html
