Arena Sport Central European League will be hosted in 2026 for the festive 20th time! No one would have thought this possible back in its premiere edition in 2006, when it started as a regional league. This time the jubilee season is bringing some sizable variations from the last assembly.
Quite a few teams anticipate issues with their malnourished budgets or rejuvenated rosters next year. Scheduling difficulties and unsynced national league dates are another matter of concern. All of that has brought the number of teams vying for the CEFL Bowl XX title to ten. Even so, the high-class crowd is sure to maintain a lofty level of competition.
The 2026 catalog will be composed by the following entrants:
Thonon Black Panthers, CEFL Bowl XIX champions and French champions
Calanda Broncos, CEFL Bowl XIX finalists and Swiss champions
Warsaw Eagles. Polish champions
Guelfi Firenze, Italian champions
Badalona Dracs, Spanish finalists
Kragujevac Wild Boars, Serbian champions
Bristol Aztecs, British champions
Belfast Trojans, Irish champions
Belgrade Blue Dragons, Serbian finalists
Manchester Titans, British semifinalists
Six teams are coming back from last season (Thonon Black Panthers, Calanda Broncos, Warsaw Eagles, Badalona Dracs, Kragujevac Wild Boars and Bristol Aztecs), two are returning after a sabbatical (Guelfi Firenze and Manchester Titans), and another one after nine years (Belgrade Blue Dragons). Belfast Trojans are completely new to the fold, expanding the CEFL geographic map to the Irish isle.
The competition will return as a knockout tournament in four rounds of play. Among the ten contestants first five will skip the first round. Manchester Titans won’t have an opponent either, due to their planned rival withdrawing at the last moment. Regrettably, aforementioned teams’ issues will take their toll here too.
Opening round matchups will be played on 25 April in the following fashion:
Kragujevac Wild Boars – Belgrade Blue Dragons
Bristol Aztecs – Belfast Trojans
The second round is billed for 16 May. Pairings are based on rankings and distances, varying the opponents and avoiding recurring team matchups each season. The duels will be:
Thonon Black Panthers – Manchester Titans
Calanda Broncos – Badalona Dracs
Warsaw Eagles – Bristol Aztecs / Belfast Trojans
Guelfi Firenze – Kragujevac Wild Boars / Belgrade Blue Dragons
The semifinal matchups will be decided when the last-standing four teams are known. These penultimate couple of games are scheduled for 6 June.
The crowning glory, celebratory CEFL Bowl XX will be hosted by the finalist with the best game day event presentation. The big game is booked for 27 June.