British Senior Championships 2026

BF Events & Championships > 2026 British Senior Championships

Entries are now open – entries close on April 1st, 2026

ENTER HERE

WITHDRAWAL FORM HERE 

The 2026 British Senior National Championships (Individual and Team) will be held on the 25th-26th April 2026 at EIS Sheffield, Coleridge Road, Sheffield, S9 5DA.

Also taking place alongside this event:

• 2026 British Para Fencing National Championships.
• 2026 GB Cup (DEU Championships). Click here to learn more about the BF Ratings Scheme.

Schedule

Saturday 25th April 

British Senior Championships (Individual Events)

• Fencers must report to the referee on their piste, ready to fence, 15 mins before the scheduled start time of the poules
• Poules will be drawn and displayed online at 6pm the day before the competition.  Information will also be displayed at the venue.
• Fencing can start a maximum of 10 mins before the official start time if all fencers for the competition are present at their piste.

Weapon	Start Time
Mixed/Men’s Epee	09:00
Mixed/Men’s Foil	09:00
Women’s Epee	11:00
Women’s Foil	11:00
Mixed/Men’s Sabre	13:00
Women’s Sabre	14:00

Sunday 26th April

British Team Championships

Weapon	Draw for Team Order
Mixed/Men’s Team Epee	08:30
Mixed/Men’s Team Foil	08:30
Mixed/Men’s Team Sabre	09:00
Women’s Team Sabre	12:30
Women’s Team Epee	12:30
Women’s Team Foil	12:30

Eligibility and Membership Level

British Championships at Junior, Under 23 and Senior levels will be open only to those holding British nationality, including those holding multiple nationalities, provided the fencer does not hold an FIE or World Ability Sport licence issued for a country other than Great Britain. More information on eligibility can be found here: Eligibility for British Championships

For the British Team Championships, each team may have a maximum of one fencer who does not hold British nationality or holds an FIE licence for another federation other than British Fencing.

NOTE: All fencers for both the individual and team events must hold a British Fencing Compete Membership.

Please note the changes to the BF gender policy that came into effect on 1st January 2025. After reading the policy and the FAQs if you need to make a request to change your gender, please email membershipqueries@britishfencing.com

Entry Process

2026 BRITISH SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS ENTRY PROCESS – BRITISH FENCING

Entry Timeline (Individual Events)

• 2nd March 2026 – Senior ranking lists to be used to invite top eligible fencers.
• 4th March – 11th March 2026 (5pm) – Entry window for top eligible fencers to enter.
• 18th March  (9am)– 1st April  2026 (5pm) – Entry window for open entry (all eligible British fencers are able to enter).

Timeline can be subject to change with warning.

Entry Fee: £98

Timeline for Wildcard Process 

• Wildcard applications open on 4th March 2026
• Wildcard applications close on 11th March 2026
• Wildcard invitations sent on 12th March 2026
• Acceptance of invitation by 17th March 2026

WILDCARD PROCESS FOR 2026 BRITISH SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – BRITISH FENCING

British Team Championships

Eligibility and Membership Criteria

• Restricted to teams from BF Affiliated clubs, with strict criteria for representing the club (no ‘scratch’ teams).
• Limited to one team per club in each weapon (additional spaces may be available if entry limits are not reached).
• Teams are limited to one club member per team who is not eligible to compete for GBR. All must hold a BF Compete membership.

Qualification for European Club Championships

• The top two teams in each weapon qualify for the European Cup – the EFC European Club Championships (in previous years this has taken place in early October).
• Should the top two qualifying clubs not confirm participation, places will be offered to the next team in result order.

Entry Timeline (Team Events)

• 4th March – Entries open for clubs to enter one team per weapon.
• 25th March – 5th April – Clubs able to put in second team if spaces are not filled.

ENTER TEAM HERE

Entry Fee Support Scheme

Entry Fee Support Scheme: BF is mindful of the rising costs of attending fencing events and the potential barrier to participation this creates for some members of our community. As a result, BF is offering a limited number of free entries. These will be offered based on financial need, not on ability.  This scheme will cover 100% of the entry fee cost.

Applications must be completed per athlete. For multiple athletes from one household, please complete separate application forms.

Applications close:

Wednesday 18th March 2026 at 5pm (first entry window – top eligible fencers)
Wednesday 25th March 2026 at 5pm (open entry)

All applicants will be told the outcome of their application by close of play on Friday 20th March (first entry window) or Friday 27th (open entry).

Applicants will then be contacted by the BF Events Team with further information on how to enter the event.

APPLICATION FORM 

Equipment and Weapons Control

It remains the fencer’s responsibility to ensure that personal fencing kit meets safety standards.

Weapons Control Opening Times:

Friday 24th April– 6-8pm

Saturday 25th April – 8am -1.30pm

Equipment: All fencers must wear the correct kit as per British Fencing rules. This will include FIE chest protectors (m.25 4(c) ) and 800N sabre gloves (please see important reminder here: Sabre Gloves)

Masks with two rear safety systems ARE required for British Senior Championships – see further information from the Safety Committee here: Rear Safety Systems

Weapons Control: Weapons control will be in operation for the  British Senior Championships Individual Foil and Sabre events, focusing on conductivity testing.

The following items ONLY will be required to be presented to weapons control:

1. Foil lame
2. Foil mask and bib
3. Sabre glove
4. Sabre lame
5. Sabre mask

For foil and epee, masks, gloves, weights and gauges will be checked on the piste by referees.

Please note that the weapons control is not intended to act as a full safety check. The primary purpose of the check is to ensure equipment is fair and legal meets the conductivity requirements – i.e. scoring hits are registered. However, equipment may still fail due to safety reasons.

It remains the fencer’s responsibility to ensure that personal fencing kit meets safety standards.

Withdrawals

For individual events (25th April 2026), fencers can withdraw up to 12noon the day before their competition using the online form here (TBC)

Any fencer who has entered and does not present themselves to fence, except in a case of properly authenticated ‘force majeure’, will be penalised with a £250 fine. Their British Fencing membership is suspended until the payment of fine is received.

On the day withdrawals can be done via phone using Event team contact number which is available via Sport80. Entered athletes will be emailed with further details closer to the event.

WITHDRAWAL FORM PRESS HERE

Video Refereeing

We anticipate that video refereeing will be in place from the finals of the individual events, which will take place on the two ‘finals’ pistes.

Media, Streaming and Photography

Please see this page for BF event Media Information: BF EVENT MEDIA INFORMATION – BRITISH FENCING

Live Streaming: We are continuing our commitment to live streaming at BF events. Further information on streaming schedule will be released in the weeks leading up to the event.

Media:  Please note there will be filming and photography including live streaming at this event for BF purposes. If you do not give photography and filming permission for yourself or your athlete, please contact events@britishfencing.com before the event.

Photography Policy:  Photography and video using smartphones for personal use only (including coaching and social media) is permitted.

Please be mindful of the age of participants, and read our photography safeguarding policy: https://www.britishfencing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/8_photography_policy.pdf

‘Live streaming’ or broadcasting video in any way, from any device including smartphones, is not permitted.

Media Accreditation

Anyone wanting to take photographs using any kind of professional or semi-pro camera equipment must apply for media accreditation in advance of the event – accreditation will not be available during competition. This means any kind of camera with a detachable lens, and/or using any kind of tripod or monopod.

Media accreditation is for still photography only – no pro or semi-pro video equipment is permitted.

Deadline: Tuesday 14th April, 5pm

Media Accreditation Form

British Fencing reserves the right to refuse or withdraw photographic accreditation at any time without giving a reason.

NOTE: Any person taking photographs of any kind with any device must follow any instructions given by the BF media representatives, the Event Director, and / or the referees. 

Accreditation

Accreditation: Accreditation will be in place for access to the Field of Play (FoP) at the event. There will be no access to the Field of Play without an accreditation.

To apply for accreditation follow the links below:

COACHES ACCREDITATION

MEDICAL SUPPORT ACCREDITATION

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

Deadline: Tuesday 14th April, 5pm

General information

Shop: Leon Paul will have a stand at the venue throughout the weekend.

Welfare: There will be a dedicated welfare officer at the event who will be clearly visible throughout. All welfare issues that arise at the event must be reported to the welfare officer present.

Sustainability: As part of BF’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our sport, no single-use plastic bottles will be permitted on the field of play. We hope that the community will support efforts in this area and ensure that everyone brings re-useable bottles to the event.

Prayer Room: There will be a prayer room available at the venue for all three days. Please ask at reception or speak to a member of the team and they will direct you.

Disabilities: BF recognises that many disabilities are hidden and participants in competitions may need additional support throughout the event. Any disability information that you provide in your membership profile (provided that you have given permission to share) will be passed to the organising team and a member of the event welfare team will get in touch to discuss how we can help.

Alternatively you can contact us in advance either by emailing the events team directly events@britishfencing.com, or the BF Lead Safeguarding Officer, (safeguarding@britishfencing.com).

Finally, you can ask speak to a member of the onsite team at check-in. Please note the earlier you raise any additional support needs, the better able we are to make reasonable accommodations.