WILDCARD PROCESS FOR 2026 BRITISH SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (‘THE NATIONALS’)
The criteria and process for wildcard places at the British Senior Championships 2026 (‘the Nationals’), for eligible athletes outside of the automatic qualification places of the BF Senior Rankings on 2nd March 2026.
Following the invitation of automatic qualifiers for the British Senior Championships 2026, those fencers outside of the automatic qualification places who believe they are eligible for a wildcard place can now apply.
Criteria
- Senior or U23 athletes returning from a significant period of absence, a major injury, pregnancy, change of nationality or other significant life events have made them unable to compete and fallen out of the automatic qualification spaces; who were previously ranked in the top 25 of the BF Senior Rankings within the last three years – or top 100 of the FIE Rankings.
- Athletes displaced from the automatic qualification spaces (set tab.1) due to international fencers (ineligible to compete for GBR) being placed within the reserved spaces.
- Junior athletes that have met selection standards for respective major championships (European and World) as a Junior, in order of the BF Junior Rankings on the 2nd March 2026.
- Junior athletes are currently ranked in the top 8 of the Junior Rankings as ordered on the 2nd March 2026.
- Last year’s Cadets met selection standards for respective major championships as cadets in order of the BF Cadet Rankings on the 2nd March 2026.
- An GBR Pathway athlete (of any age) in the top 100 on the 2nd March 2026 of the BF Senior ranking whose attendance would support their development with a documented IADP shared with the Pathway team.
Entry Limits (tab.1)
| Weapon |
Top Eligible Places Reserved |
Total Entry Limit |
Wildcard Places |
| Men’s Epee |
63 |
84 |
8 |
| Men’s Foil |
42 |
56 |
6 |
| Men’s Sabre |
42 |
56 |
6 |
| Women’s Epee |
42 |
56 |
6 |
| Women’s Foil |
26 |
35 |
4 |
| Women’s Sabre |
21 |
28 |
3 |
Timeline
- Wildcard applications open: 4 March 2026
- Applications close: 11 March 2026
- Invitations issued: 12 March 2026
- Invitation acceptance deadline: 17 March 2026
Entries for open entry (for those outside the automatic qualification spaces who do not receive a wildcard) will run from 18 March to 1 April 2026.
WILDCARD APPLICATION FORM
If you have any questions regarding this news post, please email the Events Team or use the enquiry form:
Contact BF – Events Enquiry Form
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