You’ve probably heard terms thrown around at your club or at national fencing tournaments, such as NACs or Summer Nationals:  “World Cups,” “Grand Prix,” “Zonals,” or “Cadet World Cup.” Maybe your fencer has started asking about international fencing competitions, or you’ve watched Youtube streams, or FIE FencingTV channel, or Instagram reels from these tournaments and wondered how they all fit together.

The international fencing competitions landscape can be confusing. There are different competition structures for different age groups, varying point systems, qualifying requirements, and a hierarchy of events that determines everything from world rankings to Olympic qualification.

So I decided to create a series of blogs to cover all these international competitions in depth. This is the first in a series of posts where I’ll break down the international tournament system in a high level. Then in every following post that focuses on specific age category, I’ll explain what these competitions are, how they work, who can participate, and what they mean. If your fencer is pursuing international competitions, I hope it will also help you as a parent to navigate this complicated landscape and be better informed about what’s next.

The FIE: Fencing’s Governing Body

All international fencing competition falls under the Fédération Internationale d’Escrime (FIE) – the International Fencing Federation. The FIE establishes rules, sanctions official competitions, maintains world rankings, and oversees everything from cadet-level events to the Olympic Games.

Some competitions are directly organized by the FIE. Others operate under the auspices of regional confederations (like European Fencing) but still follow FIE rules.

Why does FIE-sanctioned matter? Because only these competitions award the international ranking points that determine seeding at major championships and, for senior fencers, Olympic qualification.

Age Categories and International Fencing Competitions Structures

International fencing competitions are divided into four main age categories, each with its own unique competitive structure:

Cadet (Under 17)

The cadet circuit includes four different types of competition:

European Cadet Circuit (ECC) – These are the entry point for most young fencers exploring international competition. While organized under the European Fencing Confederation rather than directly by the FIE, ECC events are open to fencers worldwide. They happen throughout Europe during the season and are good international experience at a slightly lower pressure level than official FIE events.

FIE Cadet World Cup – These competitions are relatively new, established only this season and they run in conjunction with the FIE Junior World Cups. While in their first season these competitions are not yet designated tournaments for most nations, but this is expected to change in a year or two, in my opinion.

Zonal Championships – Up until this season this was the first official FIE competition for cadets. “Zonals” divide the world into geographic regions (Pan-American, European, Asian-Oceanic, African). Each zone holds championships once per year. These are significant events that often are qualifiers for World Championships for fencers in participating countries.

World Championships – The pinnacle of cadet competition. Held once per year, simultaneously with Junior World Championships. This is where national teams compete and individual world champions are crowned in each weapon.

Junior (Under 20)

Junior fencing marks the beginning of the full FIE competitive structure:

World Cups – Multiple events throughout the season in different countries. These are the main competitive circuit for juniors, awarding FIE ranking points and providing opportunities to fence against the best junior fencers globally.

Zonal Championships – Once per year, structured similarly to cadet zonals. Important for team competition, FIE points, and regional pride.

World Championships – The major championship event, held simultaneously with Cadet Worlds. Individual and team medals in all three weapons, and two world champions are crowned – one Individual, and one Team.

Junior competition is where many fencers build the international reputation that can carry forward into senior fencing.

Senior (Open Age)

Senior fencing represents the highest level of competitive fencing and has the most complex tournament structure:

Satellite Tournaments – The entry level for senior international competition. These events happen in various locations and are designed to be more accessible for developing senior fencers. Lower travel costs, smaller fields, but still official FIE events awarding (some) ranking points.

World Cups – Five events per season in each weapon. These are the main competitive circuit, featuring the world’s best fencers. Strong results here significantly impact world rankings. World Cups are both Individual and Team Events.

Grand Prix – Three events per season, representing the highest level of regular competition outside of World Championships and Olympics. The ranking points are more valuable. GP is Individual Events only.

Zonal Championships – Once per year, the major zonal competition and super important. In such fencing-”rich” zones as Europe and Asia, with many countries so strong that any of them can be a champion, both individual or team, being Zonal champion is very prestigious. In African and Pan American zone there is traditional dominance of Egypt and USA respectively, so while the global weight of the Zonal Champion is the same as in Europe and Asia, the prestige is slightly different (more about this later)

World Championships – The annual pinnacle event (except during Olympic years). Individual and team competition in all weapons determines world champions. World and Zonal Champions go down in the annals of history and are remembered for several generations.

Olympic Games – Every four years, replacing World Championships in Olympic years. The ultimate goal for elite senior fencers. I wrote excessively about Olympic Games and I will briefly cover it again from a different perspective in this series.

The senior circuit operates year-round with competitions on every continent. Building and maintaining a high world ranking requires consistent international travel and competition throughout the season.

Veteran (Age 40+)

Veteran fencing divides into age categories every ten years (40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+). The primary international competition is:

World Championships – Annual event with individual and team competition in all weapons across all age categories. This is where veteran fencers from around the world compete, often with remarkable skill and enthusiasm that reminds everyone why they fell in love with fencing in the first place.

Individual vs. Team Competition

Most international fencing tournaments include both individual and team events. Individual competition is straightforward – every fencer competes for themselves. Team events feature squads of three fencers (plus one reserve) from the same country competing in relay format.

At major championships (Zonals, Worlds, and Olympics), team competition carries additional special significance. National pride, medal counts, and the experience of competing for your country add layers of meaning beyond individual achievement.

What’s Coming in This Series

In upcoming posts, I’ll dive deep into each competitive level:

• How cadet international competition actually works, what it costs, whether ECC events are worth it, newly established FIE Cadet World Cups, and when your young fencer should start competing internationally
• The junior circuit – World Cup travel, ranking systems, the transition from national to international competition, and how junior results impact future opportunities
• Senior fencing’s complex ecosystem – from Satellites to the Olympics, understanding rankings, qualification systems, and what it really takes to compete at this level
• The veteran circuit – because fencing doesn’t end when your senior competitive “prime” does

For the cadet category, I’ll explain not just the logistics but the developmental value, the financial reality, and the decision-making framework families need when considering international competition.

International fencing competitions can be an incredible experience – culturally enriching, competitively challenging, and personally transformative. It can also be expensive and logistically complex, of course. 

My goal with this series is to help you understand the landscape well enough to help you understand international fencing at every level and enjoy it – whether as a participant, their parent or a fencing fan.

Stay tuned for the next post, where we’ll start with the cadet competition and the question every parent of a promising young fencer eventually asks: “Is my child ready for international tournaments?”

Photo: Augusto Bizzi #BizziTeam