A New Era Begins: The World Fencing League Redefines Fencing for a Modern Global Stag
Los Angeles, USA (November 20, 2025) – The World Fencing League (WFL) will make its global debut in Los Angeles in April 2026, introducing a bold new era for the world’s most elegant and enduring combat sport. Rooted in 16th-century European sword fighting and one of the original modern Olympic events, fencing is the world’s most historic and pure form of combat. Now, The World Fencing League is igniting a thrilling transformation, combining rapid proprietary blade tracking technology, data-driven rule changes and elite athletes to deliver a global sporting spectacle unlike anything else before. Its tagline, “Live by the sword, die by the sword,” captures the sport’s rivalry reinterpreted for modern fans.
At the helm is Miles Chamley-Watson — the founder, athlete and visionary leader who has become fencing’s most recognized global ambassador. A three-time Olympian, Olympic Bronze Medalist, two-time World Champion and first ever African American World Champion, Chamley-Watson has built a career on breaking barriers both on and off the piste. Known for blending athletic excellence with cultural influence, he has recently appeared at Vogue World 2025 and collaborated with Nike on the launch of his signature sneaker, “Airmiles.” He’s backed by brands including Nike, Airbnb, Mercedes, CashApp, and Richard Mille, amongst others. His mission is to transform fencing from a niche Olympic discipline into a sport that connects and inspires fans around the world.
“The World Fencing League is modernizing the sport for today’s fans and the next generation,” said Founder Miles Chamley-Watson. “We’re not just creating a moment we’re creating a movement that will redefine how people see and experience fencing – it’s going to be game changing.” (Miles Chamley-Watson trademark is “Create a Legacy Not a Moment” which he is certainly doing).
At the heart of this evolution is the Fencing tracking and visualization system, a proprietary marker less blade-tracking technology from Dentsu Lab Tokyo / Rhizomatiks. Originally developed for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, it detects the ultra-fast movements of the blades in real time using only camera images with no special markers or modifications to the weapons. This technology turns fencing’s invisible speed and tactics into an intuitive visual layer of data, helping any viewer anywhere in the world follow how each bout unfolds.
RWS Global, the creative team behind the Paris 2024 Olympic sport presentation, will lead the live event production, creating a world-class arena experience that blends competition with cinematic storytelling. The World Fencing League Debut will be a one-day event featuring a condensed, fan-first format: 12 elite fencers from regions across the world including USA, Europe, Asia and Africa will be competing across mixed-gender teams in timed bouts with live scoring graphics, motion-capture replays and prize purses. The event will be produced for a global streaming broadcast with expansion plans into the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Among the competitors are Miles Chamley-Watson (USA) and Lee Kiefer (USA), the reigning Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion, who becomes the first female athlete officially signed to compete in the league. The World Fencing League also draws expertise from Yuki Ota, Japan’s Olympic medalist, former President of the Japan Fencing Federation, International Olympic Committee member and International Fencing Federation member.
“We’re excited to be building something that bridges heritage and innovation, with plans for a full league launch post-debut event. This will be a global league with elite athletes from all over the world” said Zhen Ren Teo, CEO of the World Fencing League. The World Fencing league has secured its first round of funding through a private family office with ties to the sport, signaling early conviction and strong traction at this stage.
The World Fencing League (WFL) is incubated by Chiron Sports Group, a global family office-backed investment group dedicated to transforming sports for the future through value creation in operational excellence, community building and technology enhancement. Under founder and CEO Leo Rifkind, Chiron has been known for successful brand ambassador growth strategies for its portfolio including partnerships with Drake in Venezia FC, Didier Drogba in E1 Team Drogba Global Africa and Rob Gronkowski in Legacy25. The partnership with Miles represents a natural allegiance of Chiron’s mission and Miles’ vision.
