Preview: Mlinaric targets third straight Conquest Cup title
The 14th Conquest Cup opens in Istanbul this week, bringing together 253 archers from 25 countries at Okçular Vakfı to compete for world ranking points across recurve and compound.
Held annually since 2013 under the patronage of the Republic of Türkiye, the event has become a fixture on the international calendar, combining elite competition with the cultural heritage of Istanbul’s historic archer’s lodge.
The compound women’s field centres on Amanda Mlinaric, the world number nine, who has won back-to-back titles here in 2024 and 2025. The Croatian arrives with the chance to win a third consecutive Conquest Cup title.
Hazal Burun – world number 11 and fresh from her European Championships title – has finished on the podium in each of the past two editions and projects to be among her closest challengers, alongside fellow Turkish archer Begum Yuva, the 2025 silver medallist.
In recurve men, Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion Mete Gazoz has taken silver in each of the past two editions and returns to home soil looking to improve on those consecutive runner-up finishes.
He faces strong competition from Nicholas D’Amour, who won the European Grand Prix Spring Arrows in April and took bronze here in 2025, as well as Türkiye’s Berkim Tumer – Paris 2024 Olympic team bronze medallist and 2024 Conquest Cup champion – and Italian pair Matteo Borsani and two-time Olympic silver medallist Mauro Nespoli.
The compound men’s title is open following the absence of reigning champion Mathias Fullerton. Emircan Haney, currently ranked fourth in the world, arrives in good form after winning gold at both the continental championships and the Nanjing 2025 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final.
He is joined by countrymen Batuhan Akcaoglu – Conquest Cup champion in 2023 and silver medallist in 2025 – and Yagiz Sezgin, who won the title in 2024.
In recurve women, Elif Gokkir defends the title she won in 2024 after winning gold at the Spring Arrows tournament and bronze at last month’s European Outdoor Championships.
Key information
What’s happening? The 14th Conquest Cup, held at Okçular Vakfı in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 3-7 June 2026.
What’s at stake? World ranking points and titles across recurve and compound disciplines.
Who’s competing? A total of 253 archers from 25 nations: Afghanistan, AIN, Belgium, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Italy, Korea, Moldova, New Zealand, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Türkiye, UAE and USA.
What’s the story? Held annually under the patronage of the Republic of Türkiye since 2013, the Conquest Cup blends international competition with the cultural heritage of Istanbul’s historic archer’s lodge. Croatia’s Amanda Mlinaric arrives as the two-time defending champion, while Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion Mete Gazoz bids for gold on home soil.
Schedule
- Wednesday 3 June: Compound qualifying
- Thursday 4 June: Recurve qualifying
- Friday 5 June: Team eliminations and finals
- Saturday 6 June: Individual eliminations
- Sunday 7 June: Individual finals
How to watch
Watch live footage of the finals on Sunday 7June with a subscription to archery+.
Live scores will be available on the World Archery website, with coverage across World Archery’s digital platforms throughout the competition.
Who’s competing?
These are the top-ranked archers competing in Istanbul:
- Recurve men: Mete Gazoz, Türkiye (world rank: 5)
- Recurve women: Roberta Di Francesco, Italy (world rank: 18)
- Compound men: Emircan Haney, Türkiye (world rank: 4)
- Compound women: Amanda Mlinaric, Croatia (world rank: 9)
Competition at the 2026 Conquest Cup begins with qualifying on Wednesday.
