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Fencing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

Fencing will be part of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The Games run July 14–30, 2028 in Los Angeles, California, and LA28 — the organizing committee — has slated fencing for July 15–23, 2028 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with 12 medal events across foil, epee, and saber. This guide covers what’s confirmed so far, what’s still to be finalized, and how to follow along.

Some details below — especially exact competition dates and session times — are still labeled preliminary by LA28 itself and can change before 2028. Where that’s true, we say so explicitly rather than guess.

Quick facts

  • Host city: Los Angeles, California, USA — the city’s third time hosting the Olympics, after 1932 and 1984.
  • Games dates: July 14–30, 2028. Opening Ceremony July 14; Closing Ceremony July 30.
  • Fencing dates: July 15–23, 2028, per LA28’s initial competition schedule (LA28 states all dates are “subject to change” until the Games).
  • Fencing venue: Los Angeles Convention Center, Hall 1, in downtown LA near Crypto.com Arena.
  • Events: 12 medal events — individual and team, for both men and women, in each of foil, epee, and saber.
  • Governing bodies: the FIE (Fédération Internationale d’Escrime, fencing’s international governing body) sets the sport’s rules and qualification system; USA Fencing is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport in the United States.
  • Paralympics: the LA28 Paralympic Games run August 15–27, 2028, and include wheelchair fencing.
  • US broadcast: NBCUniversal (NBC and Peacock) holds US media rights to the Olympics through at least 2036, so it’s confirmed to air LA28, though a fencing-specific channel/session schedule hasn’t been published yet.

When are the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics?

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games run from Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 30, 2028. LA28 announced these dates in a formal ceremony with the IOC. The Opening Ceremony on July 14 is split between two venues — the LA Memorial Coliseum and the stadium in Inglewood — and the Closing Ceremony on July 30 is at the LA Memorial Coliseum. The Paralympic Games follow from August 15–27, 2028. (LA28 games dates announcement)

Is fencing on the program for LA 2028?

Yes. Fencing has been on the program at every modern Summer Olympics since the first Games in 1896, and LA28’s official games plan confirms fencing as one of the 2028 sports, with 12 medal events. (LA28 fencing games plan)

That 12-event program is identical in structure to Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024: individual and team competition, for both men and women, in each of foil, epee, and saber. Olympic fencing does not currently include a mixed-gender team event — unlike several other LA28 sports (archery, athletics, artistic gymnastics, rowing, golf, and table tennis are adding new mixed-team events in 2028) and unlike LA28’s own Paralympic wheelchair fencing program, which is adding mixed team epee and mixed team foil events for 2028. (World Para Fencing)

What events will be contested in fencing at LA 2028?

Weapon Individual Team
Foil Men’s, Women’s Men’s, Women’s
Epee Men’s, Women’s Men’s, Women’s
Saber Men’s, Women’s Men’s, Women’s

That’s 6 individual events and 6 team events, 12 total. Each event’s exact draw size and daily schedule will be published closer to the Games; LA28’s November 2025 schedule release gives a first look but is explicitly marked as preliminary. (LA28 competition schedule)

When and where does Olympic fencing happen in LA 2028?

LA28’s current competition schedule has fencing running July 15–23, 2028, with individual events contested first (roughly July 15–17) and team events following (through July 23). The venue is the Los Angeles Convention Center (Hall 1), a downtown LA facility next to Crypto.com Arena. (NBC Olympics fencing preview)

LA28 explicitly states that “all events and sessions of the Olympic competition schedule are subject to change leading up to the competitions and until the end of the LA28 Olympic Games.” Treat the dates above as a strong first look, not a final schedule — LA28.org will carry the confirmed version closer to 2028.

How does Olympic fencing scoring work?

Each of the three weapons — foil, epee, and saber — has its own target area and rules. Fencers score touches using an electric scoring system: a hit registers a light and a tone, and a referee (with video review available at the Olympic level) confirms the touch.

  • Epee is a point weapon, which means touches are scored only with the tip of the blade. The valid target is a fencer’s entire body. Epee has no right-of-way rules — if both fencers land a touch within about 1/25 of a second of each other, both score.
  • Foil is also a point weapon, but the valid target is limited to the torso. Foil is a conventional weapon, which means that when both fencers land a hit, a referee applies a set of priority rules — “right of way” — to decide who scores.
  • Saber is an edge weapon, which means a fencer can score by hitting with any part of the blade, not just the tip. The valid target is everything above the waist (excluding the hands). Like foil, saber uses right-of-way rules.

For a beginner-friendly walkthrough of right of way and the three weapons, see fencing.net’s Welcome to the Olympic Sport of Fencing guide.

How do fencers qualify for LA 2028?

Fencers and teams reach the Olympics through a mix of pathways set by the FIE:

  • Team qualification: the FIE Senior Team Ranking as of April 1, 2028 (built from results across the April 2027–April 2028 season) allocates 144 team quota places — 48 teams total, 8 teams per team event, across the six team events.
  • Individual qualification: fencers can qualify through the FIE’s Absolute/All-Encompassing Olympic Ranking (AOR), which tracks individual results across the qualification period.
  • Zonal qualification: a final pathway for nations that haven’t already qualified through team ranking or the AOR — continental zonal events in spring 2028 each send one qualifier per weapon, with a cap of one athlete per event per National Olympic Committee (NOC) through this route.
  • Host-country places: as the host nation, the United States receives 6 quota places it can allocate at its own discretion, within FIE eligibility rules.

The FIE plans to publish the final list of qualified athletes and teams by May 8, 2028. (FIE/Olympics.com fencing qualification system)

How can I watch fencing at the LA 2028 Olympics?

In the United States, NBCUniversal holds the media rights to the Olympics through at least 2036 under its extended deal with the IOC, so NBC and its streaming service Peacock are confirmed to carry LA28, including fencing. Exact channel assignments and session-by-session streaming details for fencing haven’t been published yet and typically arrive close to the Games. Outside the US, check your national Olympic broadcaster or Olympics.com for rights-holder listings as they’re announced.

Frequently asked questions

Will wheelchair fencing be at LA 2028? Yes — as part of the Paralympic Games (August 15–27, 2028), not the Olympic Games. LA28’s wheelchair fencing program is adding two new mixed team events (team epee and team foil) alongside existing men’s and women’s team sabre and individual events in all three weapons.

Is the fencing venue confirmed for LA 2028? LA28’s official games plan currently names the Los Angeles Convention Center (Hall 1) as the fencing venue. As with the schedule, LA28 notes venue assignments can still change before 2028 — check LA28.org for the latest.

How many fencers will compete at LA 2028? Not yet finalized. Paris 2024 hosted 212 fencers across the same 12-event program; LA28’s confirmed quota so far includes 144 team places (48 teams) plus individual quota places distributed through the AOR, zonal, and host pathways described above. A precise total for LA28 will firm up once qualification concludes in 2028.

Is fencing an easy sport to follow for a first-time Olympic viewer? Yes, once you know the basics of target area and scoring for each weapon. Start with our Welcome to the Olympic Sport of Fencing guide, which explains foil, epee, and saber, right of way, and answers common beginner questions.

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