The Sands China Asian Youth Elite Fencing League will return to Macao from 26 to 28 December, bringing together around 1,200 young fencers from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond for three days of competition and community activities at the Venetian’s Cotai Expo.
According to a joint statement by co-organisers Sands China and Asia Sports Development (ASD), this year’s event will introduce new competition categories, including individual events for the U6 age group and team events for U8 and U12 athletes, in a move aimed at expanding participation and encouraging fencing development from a younger age.
Organisers described the Asian Youth Elite Fencing League as the first Pan-Asia fencing competition designed specifically for children and cadets, covering multiple youth age groups from U6 to U14.
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Participants are expected from the Chinese mainland, Macao, Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Admission will be free.
The competition will be staged on FIE-certified international-standard pistes, with matches officiated by International Fencing Federation (FIE) referees. Video refereeing systems will be used during the elimination rounds. Organisers said the league aims to develop into an Asian youth fencing ranking circuit, while supporting sports development among young people in the Greater Bay Area and promoting fencing heritage.
A range of extended activities will run alongside the competition, including the “Sands Cares Presents: Community Sharing by Champion Fencers – Lei Sheng & Deng Xiaohao” session on 27 December, featuring the two gold medallists. The ASD Elite Karate League will also take place throughout the three-day event, with 60 food and sports booths set up at the venue.
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Ahead of the main league, the 2025 Sands China Future Champions Fencing Camp will be held from December 21 to 25, offering specialised training for young fencers aged 9 to 20.
The camp will feature a high-profile coaching lineup, including five-time Olympic gold medal-winning foil coaches Stefano Cerioni and Giovanni Bortolaso, Paris Olympics sabre silver medallist Yoon Jisu, London Olympics sabre gold medallist Oh Eun Seok, and Han Won Lee, head coach of the Dong-Eui University Fencing Team.
The league was first launched in Hong Kong in 2023, followed by its Macao debut in 2024, which attracted more than 3,200 spectators, according to organisers. Further details are available on the Venetian’s website.
