Liguria 2025: the European Fencing Championships come to Genoa. from june 14 to 19, the olympic azzurri take center stage.
Genoa, the beating heart of international fencing. From Saturday, June 14 to Thursday, June 19, Liguria, the European Region of Sport 2025, will host the European Fencing Championships, supported by the European Commission, the Ministry for Sport and Youth, the Liguria Region, and the Municipality of Genoa. The event is organized under the auspices of the European Fencing Confederation and endorsed by CONI and Sport e Salute. The Local Organizing Committee, chaired by Beppe Costa, is at the helm, with the collaboration of the Italian Fencing Federation. The ambassador for this edition of the European Championships is the multiple Olympic champion Valentina Vezzali. Joining her are Bianca Del Carretto, Toni Terenzi, Michele Maffei, Benedetta Durando, Stefano Carozzo, Roberto Cirillo, Giacomo Falcini, and Marco Pistacchi. Over 40 nations with 2,000 participants, including athletes, delegations, coaches, and staff, will arrive in Genoa.
“Hosting the European Fencing Championships in Genoa,” explains Marco Bucci, President of the Liguria Region, “is an important recognition for all of Liguria. It is an event of international significance that rewards our region’s organizational capabilities and highlights a discipline with a long tradition and widespread practice at all levels, from schools to elite athletes. Thanks to collaboration with national and continental federations, our region is ready to ensure the highest standards in terms of facilities, logistics, and hospitality, offering an experience worthy of a major international event. It will be a week of great sport, but also a showcase for Liguria and an opportunity to introduce many young people to fencing, a sport that has always brought prestige to Italy worldwide.”
“As Mayor of Genoa,” writes Silvia Salis, “I am proud to welcome the best male and female athletes from the continental scene, as well as the Azzurri of our National Teams, to our city. Together, we will celebrate a noble and elegant discipline that has brought an impressive number of medals to our country. From June 14 to 19, we will see the best European exponents of this sport on the piste, competing in three different but equally fascinating and engaging weapons, offering us emotions and spectacle. It will be a fantastic showcase for Genoa, an event combining the spectacle of sport with tourism visibility, supporting the local economy and inspiring new generations to take up sports. To the athletes who will compete, bout after bout, I extend warm wishes and hope they will cherish precious memories of Genoa for a lifetime.”
“Hosting the European Fencing Championships in Genoa is a source of great pride for Liguria, awarded the title of European Region of Sport 2025,” emphasizes Simona Ferro, Liguria Regional Councillor for Sport. “It will be an extraordinary opportunity to showcase our sporting and organizational excellence, as well as to promote the values that make sport a powerful tool for inclusion, growth, and identity. Genoa and Liguria are ready to welcome the best of continental fencing in an event that will combine spectacle, culture, and community participation. The eyes of Europe will be on our land—an opportunity we will make the most of.”
Schedule.
The event kicks off on Saturday, June 14, with the women’s foil and men’s sabre preliminaries at 9:00 AM at the Jean Nouvel (Blue Pavilion), followed by the opening ceremony (5:45 PM) and finals (6:15 PM) at the new Palasport. On Sunday, June 15, men’s épée and women’s sabre will take center stage, starting at 9:00 AM with preliminaries at Jean Nouvel and finals at 6:00 PM at the Genoa Sports Hall. The same schedule and locations apply on Monday, June 16, for women’s épée and men’s foil. Team competitions begin on Tuesday, June 17, with women’s foil and men’s sabre at Jean Nouvel at 9:00 AM, followed by 3rd/4th place finals at 3:30 PM and 1st/2nd place finals at 5:30 PM, both at the Sports Hall. The same schedule and locations apply on Wednesday, June 18 (men’s épée and women’s sabre) and Thursday, June 19 (women’s épée and men’s foil).
Opening and Side Events.
In the days leading up to the event, on Thursday, June 12, and Friday, June 13, the European Fencing Confederation Congress will be held at the Starhotel President, attended by the top representatives of the 44 European federations, chaired by European President Pascal Tesch (Luxembourg). On Friday, June 13, an EFC delegation will attend the premiere of “The Magic Flute” at the Carlo Felice Theatre. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 14, at 5:45 PM. It will begin with a performance by the Kataklò dancers, in the presence of the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi. Among the side events is the conference “Sport and Mental Health: A Tool for Prevention and Social Inclusion,” scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, at the Panathlon International headquarters in Rapallo, starting at 9:30 AM.
Open Village for All.
A free “fencing village” will be set up at Jean Nouvel, where visitors can explore two exhibitions daily from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The first exhibition, titled “From History to Fencing,” was conceived by Alessandro Rizzi in collaboration with Giancarlo Toran, director of the Agorà Fencing Museum (National Center for Art, Science, History, and Culture of Fencing) in Busto Arsizio (VA), at the Pro Patria Fencing headquarters. The exhibition will open on Saturday, June 14, at 2:30 PM, featuring a fascinating journey from ancient armored duels to today’s sport, with contributions from leading international experts. On Sunday at 11:30 AM (at the Jean Nouvel Mezzanine), Giancarlo Toran will lead the conference “From the Blood of Dueling to Olympic Fencing,” an intriguing reconstruction of how fencing has evolved alongside civil society, transforming from a military art to a tool of self-affirmation in honor duels, and finally to an Olympic and Paralympic sport where Italy has always excelled. The second exhibition, titled “The Magic of Olympic Torches,” will showcase original torches from Summer and Winter Olympics, celebrating Italy’s fencing legacy.
Tickets.
Tickets for the Genoa 2025 European Fencing Championships can be purchased on Vivaticket at the following link: https://efcgenova2025.vivaticket.it/, as well as at authorized Vivaticket outlets. During competition days, tickets will also be available at the Sports Hall and Jean Nouvel during the following hours: Jean Nouvel Pavilion (9:00 AM–4:00 PM) and Sports Hall (5:00 PM–7:00 PM). The Jean Nouvel ticket grants access to the pavilion for preliminary rounds up to the individual quarterfinals (or team semifinals). The Sports Hall ticket provides access to the finals. The Daily Ticket is a day pass allowing access to both venues. Discounts are available for Under 14 and Over 65, as well as for Federscherma members.
“It has been a long and challenging journey, but we are proud to have built this project for Genoa and Liguria,” says Beppe Costa, President of the Genoa 2025 Organizing Committee. “After the success of last year’s Italian Cadet and Youth Championships, we are now presenting the European Championships thanks to teamwork with clubs, institutions, schools, sponsors, and partners. Everyone is united for a major event that will bring Genoa’s name to Europe and the world. We have brought fencing to the streets in many stages across Liguria, the European Region of Sport. We have promoted fencing among young people in an extraordinary way, and we are ready to offer the many delegations arriving in Genoa an exciting experience, especially in terms of hospitality. We can’t wait to see the Azzurri in action. The Genoese and Ligurian audience will surely cheer them on toward new shining goals.”
The Azzurri.
The Italian fencing delegation consists of 28 fencers. The men’s foil team, the same quartet that won silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics, features Guillaume Bianchi, Alessio Foconi, Filippo Macchi, and reigning European and world champion Tommaso Marini. The women’s foil team includes reigning champion Arianna Errigo, Martina Favaretto, Anna Cristino, Martina Batini (competing only in individual), and world champion Alice Volpi, who will replace Batini in the team event. The men’s sabre team will compete in both individual and team events: Luca Curatoli, Michele Gallo, and Pietro Torre will participate in both, while Dario Cavaliere will compete only in individual, with Matteo Neri replacing him in the team event. The women’s sabre team (missing the injured Eloisa Passaro) includes Michela Battiston, Chiara Mormile, Manuela Spica, and Mariella Viale, with Alessia Di Carlo as reserve. The men’s épée team features Davide Di Veroli, Matteo Galassi, Andrea Santarelli, Valerio Cuomo (individual only), and Gianpaolo Buzzacchino (team only). The women’s épée team includes Rossella Fiamingo, Giulia Rizzi, and Alberta Santuccio in both events, Sara Maria Kowalczyk in individual, and Lucrezia Paulis in the team event. Italy enters the home European Championships with 59 World Cup podiums. Liguria will applaud 12 Olympic medalists.
“We are living the final days before the Genoa European Championships with excitement and emotion,” says Luigi Mazzone, President of the Italian Fencing Federation. “The Italian Absolute Championships are currently underway in Piacenza, the last event before this highlight, which we care deeply about because it will not only be a great competitive moment but also an extraordinary opportunity to promote our sport. It will be a spectacle of excellence, and as Federation President, I thank all those working to make these European Championships possible in grand style. Italy presents a strong and ambitious delegation, a mix of established champions and emerging young talents, including two under-20 athletes. We are confident we can be competitive in all competition days, and to further boost our performance, we count on the support of the Genoese audience.”
United in Diversity.
This is the motto of the European Union: sport is a universal language that transcends barriers and unites people. The European Commission is a partner of the European Championships, a testament to the value of a competition that increasingly puts Genoa on the world stage. Claudia Colla, Head of the European Commission Representation for Northern Italy, states: “The European Commission believes in sport as a tool for inclusion, development, and social participation. That is why we support projects promoting education, respect, and solidarity. Genoa, already European Capital of Sport 2024, is also the capital of Liguria, European Region of Sport 2025. With its new Waterfront and Casa della Vela, Genoa is a concrete symbol of sustainable urban regeneration, made possible also thanks to European funds. Fencing, with its discipline and fairness, embodies the very values of the European Union. With this event, we celebrate them together in a decisive week for European sport.”
Sustainability.
At the heart of the “Genoa 2025” European Fencing Championships, in agreement with the University of Genoa, is a sustainability project. Rina will focus on assessing the origin of supplies and related consumption, from setup to event execution, analyzing the certification of origin for electricity, water, and waste management. Interviews with suppliers and questionnaires will be conducted. Tetis is tasked with conducting a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) study, evaluating raw material acquisition, design, production, transportation, usage, and end-of-life treatment to determine the event’s environmental impact.
Partnerships.
The collaboration between the Chamber of Commerce and the Genoa 2025 Organizing Committee includes a farewell dinner for delegations and international representatives on Wednesday, June 18, at the Chamber of Commerce’s representative office on Via Garibaldi. Convention Bureau Genoa will support the hotel hospitality system. The event’s success, in terms of perception by national teams and the public, will also depend on the passion, smiles, and energy of over 200 volunteers from Italy and across Europe (Ireland, France, Greece, Germany, and Switzerland). Partners of the 2025 European Championships include Costa Edutainment, Banca Passadore, Silomar, PSA Italy, Saar Port Terminals, Toyota, Gruppo Spinelli, Elah, Riberti, Iveco Bus, Columbus Informatica, Ishi, Mapslate, Montallegro, Noberasco, Controfluid, Homberger, Mediapoint, and San Giorgio Sein. Thanks to an agreement between the Municipality of Genoa and AMT, athletes and their technical staff will enjoy free public bus services. Media partners include Rai, Sky Sport, Italpress, Il Secolo XIX, Mentelocale, and Netweek. Finals will be broadcast live daily on Rai 2 and Sky.
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