Foothills medieval combat team sends seven fighters to world championships in Denmark

The Arverni Legion, a Foothills-based medieval combat sports team, will send seven fighters to the IMCF 2026 World Championships in Denmark later this month—the largest delegation in the group's history.

The tournament will run July 23 to 26 at Spøttrup Castle and will be one of the biggest world competitions ever held, with over 700 fighters from around the world competing. The Arverni Legion trains Buhurt, a full-contact combat style that incorporates full medieval arms and armour. Battles are fought solo and as teams in 5v5 or 10v10 formats, while the world championships will feature battles of up to 16v16.

Founded by brothers Ryan and Warren Neilson, the team has been preparing intensely for two years. Warren Neilson said the group elected to send only a small contingent to last year's tournament in hopes of better preparing for this year's championship. "We know competition is going to be very fierce, so we wanted to make sure we were prepped and ready to take on that level of competition," he said.

Neilson expressed confidence in the team's readiness. "I have a lot of trust and a lot of faith in all fighters that are going. We've been honing our skill and really driving forward, making sure we're ready for this and I feel very confident in my fighters."

Fighters will travel to Europe ahead of the tournament for additional preparation. The Arverni Legion is also seeking local sponsors interested in supporting the team as it represents the Foothills on the global stage. The tournament will be livestreamed on the IMCF website.