From cutting a dash on stage to honoring his fencing roots, Wang appointed FIE ambassador

Once a fencer, always a fencer — superstar entertainer Jackson Wang takes pride in honoring his athletic roots, as the singer-songwriter promotes the fencing world championships in his home city.

First breaking out on the international stage as a talented young fencer, Wang, who was born in Hong Kong, China, to a former fencer father and ex-gymnast mother, has never lost his passion for the sport, even having carved out a different career path as a global pop music icon, fashionista and entrepreneur with a whopping 100 million social media followers globally.

So, it was a no-brainer for the former Asian junior champion when an opportunity presented itself to promote his beloved sport and relieve his glorious early days on the piste, and to do so in his hometown.

Now, in a groundbreaking partnership with FIE, announced on Saturday during the 2026 senior world championships being held in Hong Kong, he was named the International Fencing Federation's first ever Global Ambassador.

"While, ultimately, I chose to pursue a career in music, fencing has always been in my blood," Wang said at a news conference held at Hong Kong's AsiaWorld-Expo on Saturday.

"As global fencing ambassador, my mission is to bring that same energy to the sport on behalf of all the athletes on the Road to LA28," said Wang, who, as a teenager, represented Hong Kong, China, at multiple international competitions, including the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and the 2011 Asian championships.

"I want to show young people everywhere that it's okay to follow your dreams, whether you pick up a sabre or a microphone."

Influenced by his father Wang Ruiji, who won China's first Asian Games fencing gold medal in sabre at Bangkok 1978, Jackson Wang started fencing at the age of 10, also specializing in sabre, and his talent soon took him to the world stage. He climbed to Asian No 1 in sabre in the U17 category in 2010 and earned qualification for the 2012 London Olympics representing Hong Kong.

The multihyphenate star, instead, chose to pursue a serious career in music after he joined an audition in 2010 organized by South Korean pop-talent management company, JYP Entertainment. He made an immediate impression and was offered a chance to join pop band, GOT7, which made its debut in 2014.

Now a decorated artist, Wang has captivated millions globally through albums like Magic Man (2022) and Magic Man 2 (2025), both of which debuted in the top 15 of the Billboard 200.

Wang is also the most-followed Chinese artist on Instagram, with over 32 million followers, backed by sold-out shows worldwide and three consecutive Coachella performances.

Now embracing the ambassadorial role with the FIE, Wang's appearance in Hong Kong to promote the worlds represents a full-circle moment, as it marked a meaningful return to his childhood passion, while bridging two historic editions of the LA Games — the first in 1984 where his father competed, and 2028, where Wang is expected to feature in a series of lead-up promotional activities.

"Jackson is the perfect bridge between those two eras," said Abdel Monem El-Husseiny, interim president of FIE, during Wang's introductory ceremony in Hong Kong.

"He carries a genuine connection with our sport, while possessing the cultural influence to introduce fencing to a new generation of fans who grew up on music and fashion and active, healthy lifestyles.

"We are proud to welcome him as Global Ambassador for fencing and look forward to many great activities together in the months and years ahead."