FIE Fencing World Championships 2023 is almost here and here is all you need to know about the event and its schedule
Over a thousand competitors from 158 different countries will compete in 12 events in the annual Fencing World Championships, which will be held in Milan, Italy, in July.
FIE Fencing World Championships Milan 2023 schedule, date, time, format, venue, live stream telecast
From July 22 through July 30 in Milan, Italy, more than 1000 fencers from around the world will assemble, competing for Olympic qualification spots in Paris in 2024. These World Championships are the only events covered under the Olympic qualification ranking period of the International Fencing Federation (FIE), which began on April 3, 2023, and runs through April 1, 2024.
There will be a total of 12 competitions, including individual and team competitions for men and women using the épée, foil, and sabre, the three traditional weapons.
With seven athletes entered in the men’s épée and all three of the women’s solo events, independent neutral athletes will compete in an international fencing event for the first time since the IOC adopted its most recent guidelines for athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport.
In the épée competitions, the French will be a force to be reckoned with. The reigning individual champions, Romain Cannone and Alexandre Bardenet, are ranked fourth and fifth in the world individually. They are the top-ranked team and the defending team winners.
The hosts, Italy, who is currently ranked second in the world for the team competition and has the world numbers 2 and 7, will present them with challenging competition. Along with Kano Koki, the top-ranked individual épée fencer in the world, Davide di Veroli and Federico Vismara competed in the individual competition. Gergely Siklosi, the third-ranked player in the world and a native of Hungary, cannot be completely ruled out.
The team to watch in the foil is Team USA, which is led by three athletes who are ranked in the top 10 in the world. Given the presence of Alexander Massialas (first), Ferek Meinhardt (3rd), Nick Itkin (8th), and Miles Chamley-Watson (16th) in their ranks, the Americans are the clear favourite in the team competition. The hosts and current team champions, Italy, will once more pose a formidable challenge.
In contrast to the other two weapons, the sabre presents a unique set of challenges. Although the top-ranked team, the Republic of Korea, is the defending champions in the team competition, their highest-ranked individual fencer, Oh Sanguk, is ranked ninth in the world.
FIE Fencing World Championships 2023
All times Central European Summer Time (UTC +2 hours)
Saturday 22 July
- 08:30–18:00 – Men’s sabre, women’s épée qualifying
Sunday 23 July
- 08:30–18:00 – Men’s épée, women’s foil qualifying
Monday 24 July
- 08:30–18:00 – Men’s foil, women’s sabre qualifying
Tuesday 25 July
- 08:30–15:50 – Women’s épée, men’s sabre round of 64, round of 32, quarter-finals
- 16:00–18:50 – Opening ceremony, women’s épée, men’s sabre semi-finals and final
Wednesday 26 July
- 08:30–17:40 – Women’s foil, men’s épée round of 64, round of 32, quarter-finals
- 17:40–20:35 – Women’s foil, men’s épée semi-finals and final
Thursday 27 July
- 08:30–14:00 – Men’s team sabre qualifying, 9th-32nd place matches
- 08:30–17:00 – Women’s team épée qualifying, 9th-32nd place matches
- 10:00–17:20 – Women’s sabre, men’s foil round of 64, round of 32, quarter-finals
- 17:20–19:45 – Women’s sabre, men’s foil semi-finals and final
Friday 28 July
- 08:30–17:00 – Men’s team épée qualifying, 9th-32nd place matches
- 09:30–16:30 – Women’s team foil qualifying, 9th-32nd place matches
- 10:00–13:00 – Women’s team épée, men’s team sabre quarter-finals, 5th-8th place matches, semi-finals
- 13:00–19:15 – Women’s team épée, men’s team sabre bronze- and gold-medal finals
Saturday 29 July
- 08:30–14:00 – Women’s team sabre qualifying, 9th-32nd place matches
- 08:30–15:30 – Men’s team foil qualifying, 9th-32nd place matches
- 10:00–13:20 – Women’s team foil, men’s team épée quarter-finals, 5th-8th place matches, semi-finals
- 13:20–19:25 – Women’s team foil, men’s team épée bronze- and gold-medal finals
Sunday 30 July
- 10:30–13:10 – Women’s team sabre, men’s team foil quarter-finals, 5th-8th place matches, semi-finals
- 13:10–19:15 – Women’s team sabre, men’s team foil bronze- and gold-medal finals, closing ceremony
FIE Fencing World Championships 2023 live streaming and broadcasting details: Where to watch?
The Olympic Channel, the FIE YouTube channel, and the FIE website all offer live streaming of the FIE Fencing World Championships Milan 2023 (territorial restrictions may apply).