Kazakhstan Fencing: Men’s Team Tops World Épée Rankings for the First Time

Kazakhstan's men's épée fencing team has topped the International Fencing Federation (FIE) world rankings for the first time in the country's history. The team climbed to No. 1 after winning the first World Cup event of the 2026/27 season in Casablanca, Morocco, on October 18, defeating France in the semifinals and Russia in the final. According to Kazakhstan's National Olympic Committee, the team had 354 points in the updated FIE rankings. France is second with 310 points, followed by Switzerland with 296, Italy with 286, and Ukraine with 280. Before the start of the season, Kazakhstan had been ranked third, behind Switzerland and France. Before the Casablanca victory, the Kazakh team had won four major international titles in the past 12 months. In November 2025, the épée fencers won gold at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In June 2026, they became Asian champions in New Delhi, India, and a month later claimed gold at the World Championships in Hong Kong. In September, Kazakhstan won the team event at the Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan. The Kazakh fencers opened with victories over Turkey, 45–20, and Hong Kong, 45–28. They then defeated Egypt in the quarterfinals before beating France, one of the traditional powers in international fencing, 45–39 in the semifinals. In the final, Kazakhstan faced Russia. The Kazakh team maintained a narrow lead throughout the match and secured a 45–40 victory. European teams, including France, Italy, Hungary, and Switzerland, have dominated men's team épée for decades. Among Asian nations, Japan and South Korea had previously reached the top of the world rankings. Kazakhstan has now joined them. Mirbulat Abuov, president of the Fencing Federation of Kazakhstan, praised the team's strength in depth. “What makes this achievement particularly valuable is that we competed in Casablanca with a reshuffled lineup. Kirill Prokhodov, Vadim Sharlaimov, Alexander Fedotov, and Kirill Pavlov took to the piste. Three of them belong to Generation Z, while two of the four reigning world champions missed the tournament. It was with this lineup that we defeated France, a 23-time world champion in men's team épée. This victory confirms that our country has not only strong leaders but also young athletes capable of defeating the world's best teams,” Abuov said.