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The Commonwealth Fencing Federation (CFF) has awarded Nigeria the hosting rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships.
Nigeria Fencing Federation (NFF) secured the bid ahead of Australia in a decision ratified by the CFF Board on March 27, 2025.
A letter signed by CFF President Marie-France Dufour confirmed the majority decision to award the hosting rights to Nigeria after the CFF Technical Committee’s evaluation.
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CFF statement on Nigeria’s selection
“The CFF received bids from two prospective hosts for the 2026 CFF Senior-Veteran Championships, a statement from CFF reads.
“After some discussion, it was resolved, by a majority decision of the Board, to provisionally award the event to the Nigerian Fencing Federation, subject to their addressing certain shortcomings in their original bid.”
A new era for Nigerian fencing
The NFF President, Adeyinka Samuel, hailed the decision as a milestone for fencing in Nigeria, attributing it to Nigeria’s successful hosting of the 2024 Fencing World Cup.
“We bid for the hosting rights alongside Australia, and nobody gave us a chance to win. But after successfully hosting the 2024 Fencing World Cup, the CFF was convinced that we are ready for any world-class tournament.”
He expressed gratitude to stakeholders, including Charter House Lagos and NFF board members, for their contributions and called for public and private sector support.
“With what we have achieved in the past year, the world now sees Nigeria as a nation with the potential to produce champions and host top-class events.”
Nigeria will use the 2025 African Senior Championships and World Cup as test events ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Championships.
