Bold claim: Cincinnati is stepping into the spotlight as thousands travel for one of the year’s biggest fencing events—and this is just the beginning. And this is the part most people miss: what happens here could reshape the city’s entire sports landscape.
Thousands of people from across the country are gathering in Cincinnati this weekend for one of the largest fencing competitions of the year.
The USA Fencing North American Cup marks the first major event brought to Cincinnati under the leadership of Ben Huffman.
Huffman welcomes the idea of infusing the city with unique sports and sees the North American Cup as a strong inaugural showcase for the newly renovated convention center. He notes that the competition this weekend is just the start of many large events planned for the updated venue and explains that the sports commission was created with opportunities like this in mind.
‘The sports commission was created to do things like this,’ Huffman says.
He views the North American Cup as an effective kickoff for the new organization, pointing to the large field and broad national appeal.
‘This is a fantastic event to start with—2,100 athletes from all over the country. We’ll be able to host events of this scale several times a year, and periodically bring in even bigger competitions,’ Huffman explains.
Economically, Huffman estimates the fencing tournament will generate about a million dollars in impact for the region. Looking ahead, he says the commission is pursuing major international events, with Cincinnati still in the running as a host city.
‘We’re eyeing two events in 2031: the Rugby World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup,’ Huffman says.
He also mentions efforts to position Cincinnati for Olympic-related activities in 2028, including potential lead-up events such as Olympic trials in various sports—fencing, judo, wrestling, or others.
‘In 2028, we’re aiming to position ourselves for Olympic-related opportunities—whether it’s fencing or another sport,’ Huffman notes.
The commission plans to leverage existing regional facilities, including area universities, to expand bidding opportunities.
‘We’ll utilize the tennis center and other venues to support cross-country events, and we’re talking with Division I schools—NKU, UC, and Xavier—about using their facilities for Division II/III basketball or volleyball,’ Huffman adds.
He also mentions that the NCAA is expected to open bids this summer for championship tournaments.
A long-term goal under Huffman’s leadership is hosting the NFL draft, though he acknowledges the city’s standing in that process remains uncertain.
‘We’d love to host the draft. We’ve expressed our interest, but the NFL’s position on Cincinnati isn’t fully clear yet,’ he says.
Huffman concludes by acknowledging Cincinnati still has work to do to catch up with cities that have had sports commissions for decades. While those cities have 20–25 years of infrastructure and event-hosting history, Cincinnati, with its growing sports ambitions, is proving what it can do—and this fencing event is a clear example of that potential.
The fencing tournament is free to attend all weekend.
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