Youth equipment levels, by body and age.

The FIE: from the 13th birthday

Under the FIE Organisation Rules (August 2026), no fencer may hold an FIE licence, and so enter an official FIE competition, before their 13th birthday (o.29.1). FIE Cadet events are for fencers under 17, and Junior events for those under 20, at midnight on 31 December of the current season (o.29.2). Fencers at FIE events therefore use the full FIE kit whatever their age: British Fencing's Safety Guidelines chart lists maraging blades, 800 N FIE-marked clothing and a 1600 N FIE-marked mask with two rear safety systems for all FIE competitions, and for European Fencing Confederation U17 and U23 circuit events, at all age groups (Appendix 1, 6.12).

British Fencing (Safety Guidelines, 23rd edition, approved 25 June 2026)

British Fencing lists a 24th edition, Board approved in September 2026, that could not be read; the section numbers below are from the 23rd.

Blade sizes

Children under 10 should fence with size 0 blades, and children under 14 normally with size 3 blades at foil and size 2 at epee and sabre, or smaller, as their competitions require (2.3).

Kit by age (Appendix 1)

• The 2026 change: British Fencing announced on 1 July 2026 that, for traditional club sparring with metal blades, breeches are now required for under-14s using size 2 or 3 electric blades; tracksuits remain allowed for some activities such as coach-supervised beginners' classes.
• Chest protection: rigid chest protection is compulsory for anyone with female breasts and recommended for girls from age ten, or the onset of puberty if earlier (1.5).
• Epee legs: in lessons and classes, epee fights must not include the legs as target unless the pupil wears at least 350 N breeches and long socks, whatever the blade size or age (4.4.2). The Equipment by Activity page (2 October 2026) adds that under-10s with size 0 blades may wear trousers, the legs then not being targeted at epee, though BF-licensed U10 competitions require breeches.
• Plastic and foam weapons: a purpose-designed plastic face mask or a regulation fencing mask, a long-sleeved top and legs covered to within 10 cm above the knee (1.8 and 6.1).
• Domestic Variations (6 December 2023) allow 350 N plastrons at under-14 level (size 3 or smaller blades) and below, and exempt the British Youth Championships from the two-rear-system mask rule and the FIE-standard chest-protector rule that apply at Cadet, Junior, U23 and Senior events.

USA Fencing (Athlete Handbook 2026-2027, 2.17.1)

• At Y8 and Y10 competitions the maximum blade length is 32.5 inches. Other competitions use standard blade lengths of 70 to 90 cm at foil and epee and 70 to 88 cm at sabre; the handbook cites the FIE Material Rules of January 2011 for these.
• Sabre requires an 800 N glove at every level of competition: local, divisional, regional and national.

The 2026-2027 table was read from a PDF text extraction, so its row alignment is not fully confirmed; the 2023-2024 edition of the handbook gives the same figures. USA Fencing's youth categories are Y8, Y10, Y12 and Y14, by birth year (2023-2024 handbook, 2.8).

A state example: Fencing SA (South Australia, page undated)

• Blade sizes: under 9, sizes 0 to 3 at all weapons; under 11, epee 0 to 3 and foil 0 to 5; under 13, epee 0 to 5.
• Clothing: 350N items for U15 and younger.
• Masks and chest protection: double hook-and-loop mask closure compulsory for U9 to Schools events from 1 January 2025; chest protection for males required at epee in U9 to U13 and Schools events.

Youth injury research and the medical rules for young fencers are in the youth rules page of the safety section.