The FIFA World Cup isn’t the only World Cup coming to Houston. This August, the City of Houston will host the 2025 International Medieval Combat World Cup (IMCF), marking the first time in the IMCF’s history to be held in the United States.
The IMCF is a modern take on medieval combat. Competitors battle in the “Buhurt” martial art – a full-combat sport that involves the use of weapons and armed competitors. As a part of the modern take, weapons in the IMCF are blunted, and not deadly. That said, the combat is full-contact with historically accurate armor in categories that include longsword, poleaxe, sword & buckler, and sword & shield.
“Teams and single competitors gather from all over the world, with the grit to strap on up to 100 lbs of Hardened Steel armor and weapons, and the courage to endure hours of blood and sweat and sweat in competition,” the website reads.
Competitions range from one-on-one combat to team melees including 5 v 5, 12 v 12, and 16 v 16. All combat will be on foot, meaning no horseback jousting.
Founded in 2013, headquartered in Luxembourg, the tournament is held annually in rotating venues, from Belmonte Castle in Spain to the Visegrad in Hungary.
Hosted between August 7 – 10 at the Lonestar Expo Arena & Montgomery County Fair Grounds, the competition is a celebration of medieval heritage with hundreds of competitors from around 30 countries across the globe. The event will also feature a variety of vendors, crafts, weapons, food trucks, and more.
Tickets to the competition are presently on sale, starting as of this moment, at the low price of $13.54 (+ fees) for Thursday, August 7. Weekend passes are available for $59.75 (+ fees). The event is all-ages and will offer free parking.