The 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships have officially begun in Lagos, marking the first time the senior championships are being hosted on African soil.

The six-day tournament, which began on Sunday at Rugby School Nigeria in Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, has attracted delegations from 20 countries for the competition.

The event features Senior and Veteran competitions, while U-23 individual events have also been introduced to provide younger fencers with opportunities to compete at international level.

Wheelchair fencing is also making its debut as an official medal event at the championships, following its previous demonstration at the 2022 Commonwealth Fencing Championships.

Commonwealth Fencing Federation President Marie-France Dufour praised Nigeria's preparations for the tournament, expressing confidence that the event would help increase the popularity of fencing across Africa.

The Nigeria Fencing Federation President, Adeyinka Samuel, has described the championships as a historic milestone for Nigerian fencing and the wider Commonwealth fencing community.

The competition will run until August 14, with athletes from participating countries competing for medals across the various categories.