2026 USA Fencing Summer Nationals Coming to Portland, Ore.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — It’s the Rose City — famed for its craft coffee, riverside skyline, and Olympians like Mariel Zagunis and Magda Skarbonkiewicz. Next summer, Portland, Ore., will earn another distinction: host of the 2026 USA Fencing National Championships and July Challenge — better known as Summer Nationals.

From June 27–July 6, 2026, thousands of fencers, coaches, officials and families will converge on Portland’s Oregon Convention Center for 10 straight days of national-title bouts in every weapon, age and division. 

Confirmation of the 2026 Summer Nationals location means the 2025–26 fencing season is nearly complete. Rather than waiting to announce tournament locations until after Summer Nationals, as USA Fencing did up until two years ago, we’ve started announcing them as soon as we’ve confirmed dates with our local partners. 

Here are the national events announced to date:

• October 2025 North American Cup: Oct. 3–6, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah
• November 2025 North American Cup: Nov. 14–17, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas
• 2026 Junior Olympics: Jan. 9–12, 2026 in Kansas City, Mo.
• March 2026 North American Cup: March 6–9, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio
• April 2026 North American Cup: April 24–27, 2026 in Richmond, Va.
• 2026 Summer Nationals: June 27–July 6 in Portland, Ore.

Still to be announced: Locations for our two Super Junior & Cadet Circuit (SJCC) tournaments and the February NAC will be announced as soon as possible on USA Fencing’s Events page.

Portland is no stranger to the sport of fencing. 

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Mariel Zagunis and 2024 Olympian Magda Skarbonkiewicz both hail from the area and honed their craft at the storied Oregon Fencing Alliance, one of several local programs — including Northwest Fencing Center — that consistently produce national champions while welcoming newcomers. 

The city last hosted a USA Fencing national tournament in March 2024, when nearly 2,300 youth competitors fenced in a North American Cup.

But Portland hasn’t hosted USA Fencing’s signature summer event since 1977 — back when USA Fencing was known as the Amateur Fencers League of America, or AFLA.

Portland pairs big-city amenities with Pacific Northwest beauty. 

Between bouts or on days off from competition, fencers and families can sample award-winning food carts, ride the MAX light rail to vibrant neighborhoods, stroll the riverfront and its architecturally striking bridges, or plan day trips to waterfalls, wine country and the Oregon Coast. 

It’s all part of what makes Portland — famously quirky and wonderfully welcoming to visitors — a perfect stage for the country’s largest fencing tournament.

“Portland’s fencing heritage, paired with its vibrant, outdoors-loving culture, makes it the ideal home for the 2026 Summer Nationals,” says Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Fencing. “We can’t wait for athletes and fans to experience world-class competition amid Portland’s unique Pacific Northwest charm.”

Mark your calendars now — and get ready for 10 unforgettable days of blades, bridges and Rose City hospitality at the 2026 USA Fencing Summer Nationals!

“Portland and Oregon are thrilled to be hosting USA Fencing’s signature event in 2026, and our hospitality partners are eager to showcase our city and state to the fencing community,” says Sport Oregon CEO Jim Etzel. “While Portland will serve as ground-zero for the competition, we encourage all participants to experience their own unique Oregon adventure before and after the event.”