The Commonwealth Fencing Federation (CFF) has officially granted the Nigeria Fencing Federation the hosting rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships, ahead of Australia.
This follows the provisional hosting rights granted to Nigeria a few months ago, marking a significant achievement for the country. With this, Nigeria becomes the first sub-Saharan nation to host the prestigious event, building on its success as the host of the junior epee World Cup held in Lagos last December.
In a letter dated March 27, 2025, signed by CFF President Marie-France Dufour, the Federation communicated to its member nations the board’s majority decision to award Nigeria the event’s hosting rights after a thorough review of the technical committee’s report.
The letter stated: “The CFF received bids from two countries for the 2026 CFF Senior-Veteran Championships. After discussion, it was agreed to provisionally award the event to Nigeria, contingent upon addressing identified shortcomings in their initial bid. Additional information was provided and reviewed by the CFF Technical Committee on March 19, 2025. Following this, the committee’s recommendations were discussed, leading to the board’s decision to formally award Nigeria the hosting rights.”
The Nigeria Fencing Federation (NFF) President, Adeyinka Samuel, expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity, highlighting the confidence the CFF has in Nigeria’s capacity to host international sporting events.
“We were up against Australia, and many doubted our chances. However, after our successful hosting of the Fencing World Cup in 2024, the CFF recognized that Nigeria is ready to host any world-class competition. This success would not have been possible without the support of well-meaning individuals, Charter House Lagos, and my board members,” Samuel said.
“We are proud that the world now sees Nigeria as a nation with the potential to produce champions and host elite sporting events. We are committed to making the 2026 championships a resounding success, and we will use this year’s African Senior Championships and the World Cup as preparation for the event,” Samuel added.
This decision signifies Nigeria’s rising prominence in the international fencing arena, and the country is now set to host its most significant fencing event to date in 2026.
