The Commonwealth Fencing Federation (CFF) has announced that 20 nations, including Nigeria and Australia, have completed their entries ahead of the registration cut-off for the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Lagos, running from 9 to 14 August.
Key takeaways
- Twenty countries have registered for the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Lagos from 9–14 August.
- India is set to bring the biggest team, with 67 fencers across Veteran, U-23, Para and Senior events.
- For the first time, U-23 individual competitions will be folded into the Senior and Veteran championships.
- Wheelchair fencing will debut as a medal discipline, following a para-fencing showcase in London in 2022.
- Nigeria’s federation says the tournament will be the first time the Senior and Veteran championships are hosted in Africa.
Large entries confirmed for Lagos
India will lead the field with 67 participants competing in epee, foil and sabre, with coverage spanning the Veteran, U-23, Para and Senior divisions. Alongside India, the CFF has listed other confirmed teams as Bangladesh, Botswana, Cyprus, England, Ghana, Guernsey, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, The Gambia, Togo and Wales.
A return to Africa and major format changes
CFF president Dufour Marie-France said the Lagos championships represent the return of the event to the continent after a ten-year absence. She pointed out that the previous African staging took place in Cape Town in 2016, where the cadet bracket (U17) was introduced for the first time. That Cape Town edition also served as the first Junior-Cadet Championships in Commonwealth fencing history.
Marie-France added that the 2026 programme is expected to be equally significant. The CFF will incorporate U-23 individual contests into both the Senior and Veteran championships for the first time, expanding the range of opportunities for younger athletes to gain experience at the international level. In addition, wheelchair fencing will be recognised as an official medal event for the first time, after a para-fencing demonstration in London in 2022.
Nigeria hails the historical milestone
Nigeria Fencing Federation president Adeyinka Samuel called the event historic, saying it will mark the first occasion that the Senior and Veteran Commonwealth Fencing Championships are hosted in Africa. He added that the federation, working alongside the CFF, is proud to welcome athletes from across the Commonwealth, with the tournament anticipated to highlight top-level performances while strengthening connections between nations.
