48th CISM World Military Fencing Championship kicks off in Seville

SEVILLA (ESP) - Sevilla is making history as the first Spanish city to host the CISM World Military Fencing Championship, taking place from 15 to 21 September 2025 at the Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo. The competition is organized by the Spanish Air and Space Force with the support of the International Military Sports Council (CISM) and the Sevilla City Council. The event was officially presented at the Plaza de San Francisco with the participation of Colonel Nilton Rolim, CISM President, Silvia Pozo, Delegate of Sports of the City of Sevilla, and Lieutenant General Fernando Torres San José, Head of Personnel Command of the Air and Space Force.

The championship brings together 250 military athletes representing 17 nations from three continents, competing under the CISM motto “Friendship Through Sport.” Over the course of one week, the world’s best military fencers will compete in épée, foil and sabre in both men’s and women’s categories, individually and in teams. Among the participants are Olympic medalists and world champions who proudly serve in their respective armed forces.

This edition is marked by two historic firsts. It is the first time that the Military Fencing World Championship takes place in Spain. On 20 September, for the first time in CISM history, a wheelchair military fencing exhibition will be held. Spanish fencers Carlos Soler Márquez, sixteen-time national champion and member of the Air and Space Force, together with Gustavo Molina Martínez of the Army, runner-up in the 2025 Spanish sabre championship, will lead this groundbreaking exhibition.

Colonel Pedro Díaz Herrero, Secretary of the Central Board of Physical Education and Sports of the Spanish Air and Space Force, emphasized that this initiative represents a firm commitment to inclusivity and marks a milestone in building a more accessible and integrative vision of sport within the international military community.

Sevilla is also reinforcing its reputation as a vibrant sports capital. The Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo has hosted European and World Championships in basketball, handball, swimming and rhythmic gymnastics. With this event, it now adds the World Military Fencing Championship to its long list of prestigious competitions. Silvia Pozo underlined that the values of fencing, such as discipline, respect and inclusion, are strongly aligned with the city’s identity and with its capacity to welcome world-class events.

The championship also reflects CISM’s commitment to sustainability through the implementation of concrete measures including the reduction of single-use plastics, responsible waste management and shared mobility for delegations.

More than a sporting competition, the event stands as a symbol of diplomacy through sport, fostering unity and mutual respect among armed forces worldwide and reinforcing the CISM spirit of Friendship Through Sport.

For more information and real-time updates, visit www.cism-48wmcfencing.es. Full results are available on: https://engarde-service.com/tournament/cism/48th

(Source: CISM Media & Communication Department & http://cism-48wmcfencing.es/news)