We are extremely excited to be attending the International Medieval Combat Federation (IMCF) World Championship as one of its sponsors!
The Championship will be part of the Bispens Market, which sees the Middle Ages recreated at Spøttrup Borg Castle in Denmark from July 20-26 (2026). This is a whole week of living history with stalls selling exclusive products, folk music, falconry displays, children’s activities, battle recreations, and more.
But the highlight will be the Medieval Combat World Championship! It starts on Thursday (23) and finishes on Sunday (26). It will involve more than 1000 battle-ready fighters from 28 countries who will clash in full armor. Victory depends on raw strength, but also technique, endurance, and determination.
If you are in the area, tickets are available for the fair and to witness the tournament from the grandstand.
If you can’t attend in person, the tournament will be livestreamed! Find all the details to watch the action in high definition here.
What Will VKNG Be Doing at the Event?
As well as enjoying the tournament, VKNG will be present at the event as an Official Award Partner and Enhanced Technical Partner of the IMCF 2026 World Championship.
Specifically, we will be sponsoring the Longsword and Sword and Shield events. We are working with the IMCF to create their championship belts and provide exclusive jewelry pieces as awards for the winners.
To celebrate our involvement, we are also offering 20% off Axes, Shields, and Swords in the VKNG collection for all of July. Simply follow this link, or use the code WEAPONS20 at checkout.
What to Expect from the World Championship
This is not a choreographed event! This is historical medieval combat as a full-contact, extreme martial art.
Fighters train for years to participate, and there are clear rules and regulations for everyone’s safety, but fighters use authentic, blunt-edged steel swords and wear heavy, period-accurate plate armor that can weigh up to 25 kilograms. Underneath, the fighters wear thick, shock-absorbing padded garments to distribute the force of impact and ensure their safety.
Before the fights, every weapon is inspected, weighed, and measured by the marshal team, both to ensure historical accuracy and safety. Strict safety regulations mean that the injury rate is roughly the same as other full-contact martial arts.
There are two types of events: duels and buhurts.
Duels are one-on-one competitions. Expect high-speed, points-based combat in the categories of Longsword, Sword and Shield, Sword and Buckler, and Polearm. Fighters must land clean, unblocked strikes within a strict time limit.
A buhurt is a squad battle that can be 5 vs 5, 10 vs 10, or even larger teams. These combats used a takedown-based attrition system. If a fighter touches the ground with a third point of contact (anything other than the soles of their feet), they are eliminated. The last team standing wins!
You can check out the registered teams and combatants here.
Check out the official trailer for the event here:
The Axes, Shields, and Swords Collection
Don’t forget you can get 20% off Axes, Shields, and Swords in the VKNG collection for all of July (2026). Follow this link, or use the code WEAPONS20 at checkout. Here are some of our top picks!
