post

Marain claims English GP

Subbuteofest 25 returned in style this July, once again cementing its place as the premier celebration of Subbuteo in the UK as the English Grand Prix
Organised by the Haverhill Rovers Subbuteo & Table Football Club in partnership with the English Subbuteo Association, the festival delivered two unforgettable days of competitive flicking, nostalgic flair, and community spirit whilst also including Old School Subbuteo and Flats.

This year’s event built on previous successes, featuring a record number of tables, seamless organisation, and a lively venue packed with unforgettable goals, tense finales, and a few nail-biting penalty shootouts. From grassroots players reliving childhood memories to first-time competitors eager to make their mark, Subbuteofest 25 had something for everyone.

Tournament Highlights:-
        Open Final: Last year’s champion, England and Issy’s Chris Short faced ASH hotshot Geoffrey Marain from Belgium in a tense thriller that went to a 2–1 shootout victory for Geoffrey after a goalless match and extra-time – A truly breathtaking finale.

  •         Veterans Final: English Legends, Martin Hodds (Yorkshire) and Bob Varney (Murcia) battled it out in a classic contest, with Bob taking a deserved 3-0 win.
  •          Under-20 Final: ASH teammates, Louis Soret from France and Belgium’s Benjamin Marain delivered a high-quality contest, with Louis coming out on top with a 3-2 victory.
  •          Under 16/Under12 Finals: An all-England matchup in both finals as Langton Green’s Hadley Chapman victorious over Kent Invicta’s Joel Palmer-Jones with 4-0 (U16) & 3-0 (u12) Final wins showcasing the bright future of Subbuteo.
  •          Team Event: AS Hennuyer from Belgium clashed with Issy-Les-Molineaux from France in a highly anticipated final as the Issy took the Team title with a 3-1 victory over their Belgian counterparts.
With players from across Europe joining the fun, the level of competition and camaraderie reached new heights, leaving everyone hoping for even greater international participation next year!
 
With Subbuteofest 26 already in the planning stages, one thing is certain: the flicking magic of Subbuteo is alive and well, and its community is stronger than ever!
 
Report by Gerry Harrington

 

DETAILS
OPEN

Belgium’s Geoffrey Marain (WR 43) (Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer) claimed the English Grand Prix, with a 2-1 shots win over England’s Christian Short (71)  (FTC Issy‑les‑Moulineaux) after scores were locked 0-0 after extra time.
Final:  Marain d. Short 0‑0 (2‑1 shots)

Open winner Marain

Runner Up Short

Marain’s road to the title:

Stage Opponent Score
Last 16 Eric Naszalyi (83)  (FRA/FTC Issy) 6‑0
Semifinal Jean‑Marie Amberny (77)  (FRA/FTC Issy) 2‑1
Final Christian Short (71)  (ENG/FTC Issy) 0‑0 (2‑1 shots)

Upsets of note

  • Last 16 – Jean‑Marie Amberny (138) (FRA/FTC Issy‑les‑Moulineaux) def. Chris Bedford (120) (WAL/Yorkshire Phoenix) 4‑1
    Last 16 – Kaspar Bennett (139) (ENG/Atlas FTC) def. Spencer Conti (85) (MLT/Subbuteo Club Reggio Calabria) 3‑0
    Last 16 – Brandon Lavender (546) (ENG/GCT DLF Gorizia) def. Michele Cerullo (357) (ITA/GCT DLF Gorizia) 3‑2
    Last 16 – Michael Stolzenberg (240) (GER/DLF Gorizia) def. Guido Cerullo (49) (ITA/GCT DLF Gorizia) 4‑0
    Last 8 – Kaspar Bennett (139) (ENG/Atlas FTC) def. Elliott Bellefontaine (30) (ENG/Messina Table Soccer) 2‑1 SD
    Last 8 – Jean‑Marie Amberny (138) (FRA/FTC Issy‑les‑Moulineaux) def. Rémi Soret (22) (FRA/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer) 1‑0

VETERANS

Champion:Bob Varney (24) (ENG/CAP Ciudad de Murcia FM)

Runner‑up: Martin Hodds (287) (ENG/Yorkshire Phoenix & Dewsbury Moor TFC)

Final: Varney d. Hodds 3‑0

Stage Opponent Score
Last 16 Jeremy Bradley (133) 2‑0
Quarter‑final Marco Ghigliotti (204) 3‑2
Semifinal Aaron Skinner (107) 2‑1
Final Martin Hodds (287) 3‑0

Veterans Winner Varney

Veterans Runner Up Hodds

Key upset: Hodds (287) beat Alan Lee (76) 2‑1 in the groups to ignite his run to the final.

UNDER‑20

Champion Louis Soret (1) (FRA/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer)
Runner-up Benjamin Marain (21) (BEL/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer)
Final Soret d. Marain 3-2

UNDER‑16

Champion:Hadley Chapman (41) (ENG/Langton Green SC)

Runner‑up: Joel Palmer-Jones (109) (ENG/Kent Invicta TFC)

Final: Chapman d.Joel Palmer-Jones 4-0.

UNDER‑12

Champion:Hadley Chapman (41) (ENG/Langton Green SC)

Hadley Chapman – winner U16/12

Joel Palmer-Jones

TEAMS TOURNAMENT

Knock‑out Stage Result
Quarter‑finals Avenir Hennuyer 4‑0 Glasgow TSA
Wolverhampton TFC 1‑3 GCT DLF Gorizia
Langton Green SC 3‑0 Langton Green SC 2
Yorkshire Phoenix & Dewsbury Moor 1‑3 FTC Issy
Semi‑finals Avenir Hennuyer 3‑1 GCT DLF Gorizia
Langton Green SC 0‑4 FTC Issy
Final FTC Issy‑les‑Moulineaux 3‑1 Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer

Final — individual boards

  • Eric Naszalyi  def. Benjamin Marain  3‑1

  • Rémi Soret def. Christian Short  2‑1

  • Jean‑Marie Amberny  def. Geoffrey Marain 2‑1

  • Axel  Modeste  def. Louis  Soret 2‑1

 

 

 

post

Dimitris Kourambas passes away in Greece

The Greek table football community, and all members of the worldwide community, mourn the loss of their beloved player DIMITRIS KOURAMBAS.
Dimitris, who was 57, was the father of two children (Panagiota and Nicos) and only started to play our beloved sport relatively “old “ in the age of 37 back in 2004.
Since then has been an almost continuous presence.
In those 21 seasons he played in a minimum number of 145 individual competitions, included 16 national championships and 15 national cups. His latest play was in the Grand prix of Athens, 29th of March 2025. His playing highlight was the veteran’s championship back in 2013. Also, he claimed the win in two international veteran Satellites, both in the season 2009-10.
As a team member he had several spells in various teams such as:

  • 2004-06 Faliro Kickers
  • 2006-07 Athens Kickers
  • 2007-12 Olympia
  • 2012-14 Proteas
  • 2014-15 Falcons – winner of the team championship and the national cup
  • 2015-18 Scarlet Battalion
  • 2018-20 Noctuas
  • 2020-23 Glyfada United
  • 2023-25 Subbuteurs

In cases such as these, words are not enough to describe our sincere feelings.
As a symbol of our praise to our fellow player, the Greek community will rename our first competition of the new season, the international open of Athens, with his name. International open DIMITRIS KOURAMBAS.
At the event, donations can be made to help his young children. The Greek association will donate profits from the event, and FISTF will waive tournament levies with funds going to the collection.

Farewell Dimitris

 

post

Carlos Flores Crowned Champion at the Les Santes International Tournament in Mataró (Barcelona)

Carlos Flores (WR No.1) was crowned champion in the fourth edition of the Les Santes International Tournament in Mataró (Barcelona). This fourth edition, held in the format of an International Open, brought together 69 players and 12 teams over the weekend of July 19th and 20th.

Saturday – Individual Competitions
In the OPEN category, the winner was the world number one and player from the Italian club Filli Bari, Carlos Flores, who triumphed in a close final (6-5) against David González (20 (ESP/Bologna Tigers) The semifinalists were Alfred Laporta (631) (ESP/Mallorca Águilas) and Fernando Gómez (135) (ESP/AFT Turia 1981). In the consolation tournament, the champion was Alex Illiev (243) (ESP/AFT Turia 1981).

In the veterans category, the title went to António Montaño (ESP), who defeated John Field (GIB) in the final (3-2), both players from Tiburones FM. The semifinalists were Ferran Coll, also from Tiburones FM, and Raul Benita (AFT Turia 1981), both from Spain.

In the under-16 category, the title went to Manuel Baena from AC Los Remedios FM, who won the decisive match (4-2) against Martí Rosa from AS Iluro FT. Third and fourth place went to Andrés Puerto (AC Los Remedios FM) and Cesc Vidal (AS Iluro FT).

Finally, in the under-12 category, the winner was Julià Rosa, who defeated his clubmate Arç Barnola in the final (2-0), both representing AS Iluro FT. The semifinalists were Rafael García Corredera and António Antúnez, both from AC Los Remedios FM.

Sunday – Team Competition
Twelve teams competed in the team competition. The team from Seville, Tiburones FM, was crowned champion after defeating the Valencian team AFT Turia 1981 in the final (3-0). The semifinalists were the Balearic team Mallorca Águilas and the local team AS Iluro FT.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Carlos Flores se proclamó campeón en la cuarta edición del Torneo internacional de Les Santes de Mataró (Barcelona). Por primera vez como Internacional Open, el torneo reunió a 69 jugadores y 12 equipos el fin de semana del 19 y 20 de julio. Este campeonato cierra la temporada 2024/25 de la AEFM.

Sábado, competiciones individuales

En la categoría OPEN el ganador fue el jugador del club italiano Filli Bari, y número uno mundial, Carlos Flores, que venció en una ajustada final (6-5) a David González de Bologna Tigers. Los semifinalistas fueron Alfred Laporta (Mallorca Águilas) y Fernando Gómez (AFT Turia 1981). En el torneo de consolación, se proclamó campeón Alex Illiev (AFT Turia 1981).

En la categoría de veteranos, el torneo fue para António Montaño que venció en la final a John Field (3-2), ambos jugadores del Tiburones FM. Los semifinalistas fueron Ferran Coll, también de Tiburones FM, y Raul Benita (AFT Turia 1981).

En la categoría de menores de 16 años, el título fue para Manuel Baena, de AC Los Remedios FM, quien venció en el partido decisivo (4-2) a Martí Rosa del AS Iluro FT. Tercer y cuarto puesto para Andrés Puerto (AC Los Remedios FM) y Cesc Vidal (AS Iluro FT).

Finalmente, en la categoría de menores de 12 años el vencedor fue Julià Rosa que derrotó en la final (2-0) a su compañero de club Arç Barnola, ambos del AS Iluro FT. Semifinalistas fueron los dos jugadores del AC Los Remedios FM, Rafael García Corredera y António Antúnez.

Domingo, competición por equipos

Doce equipos disputaron a última competición por equipos de la temporada de la AEFM. El equipo sevillano de Tiburones FM se proclamó campeón tras derrotar en la final (3-0) a los valencianos del AFT Turia 1981. Los semifinalistas fueron los baleares del Mallorca Águilas y el equipo local del AS Iluro FT.

post

Christophe Dheur claims the German GP Open crown

Christophe Dheur (WR 5) (BEL/CCT Eagles Napoli) lifted the German GP Open crown, edging Claudio Panebianco (8) (ITA/SC Catania 1987) 3 2 in a thrilling final.
Dheur’s road to the title included a 1-0 semi final victory over Wolfgang Haas (18) (AUT/Bormla SC) and a dominant 6-1 quarter final win against William van den Houte (37) (BEL/Bormla SC).
Quarter finals
• Bessim Golger (2) (BEL/Bormla SC) 0–5 Claudio Panebianco (858) (ITA/SC Catania 1987)
• Wolfgang Haas (3) (AUT/Bormla SC) 3–2 George Ebejer (10) (MLT/Bormla SC)
• Christophe Dheur (5) (BEL/CCT Eagles Napoli) 6–1 William van den Houte (37) (BEL/Bormla SC)
• Lucas Pere (87) (BEL/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer) 0–2 Pietro Di Pietrantonio (122) (ITA/CCT Eagles Napoli)
Semi finals
• Claudio Panebianco (858) (ITA/SC Catania 1987) 1–0 Wolfgang Haas (3) (AUT/Bormla SC)
• Christophe Dheur (5) (BEL/CCT Eagles Napoli) 5–2 Pietro Di Pietrantonio (122) (ITA/CCT Eagles Napoli)
Final
• Christophe Dheur (5) (BEL/CCT Eagles Napoli) 3–2 Claudio Panebianco (858) (ITA/SC Catania 1987)
Champion: Christophe Dheur (5) (BEL/CCT Eagles Napoli)

Veterans
Jason Pisani (3) (MLT/Bormla SC) captured Veterans gold, defeating Santo Longo (12) (ITA/SC Catania 1987) 2-0 in the final. Earlier, Pisani edged David Busch (15) (AUT/Bormla SC) 2-1 in the semis and ousted Daniel Scheen (4) (BEL/Tiburones FM) 2-0 at the quarter final stage.

Quarter finals
• Jason Pisani (3) (MLT/Bormla SC) 2–0 Daniel Scheen (4) (BEL/Tiburones FM)
• David Busch (9) (AUT/Bormla SC) 3–2 (SD) Massimiliano Croatti (29) (ITA/Master Sanremo)
• Erich Hinkelmann (44) (AUT/TSC Phoenix) 4–3 (SD) Lazaros Papakonstantinou (7) (GRE/Atlas FTC)
• Santo Longo (163) (ITA/SC Catania 1987) 2–1 (SD) Luca Bisio (189) (ITA/TSC Stella Artois Milano)
Semi finals
• Jason Pisani (3) (MLT/Bormla SC) 2–1 (SD) David Busch (9) (AUT/Bormla SC)
• Erich Hinkelmann (44) (AUT/TSC Phoenix) 0–1 Santo Longo (163) (ITA/SC Catania 1987)
Final
• Jason Pisani (3) (MLT/Bormla SC) 2–0 Santo Longo (163) (ITA/SC Catania 1987)
Champion: Jason Pisani (3) (MLT/Bormla SC)

Women
World No. 1 Léa Despretz (BEL/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer) underlined her status with a straightforward 2 0 final win over Katharina Waldorf Busch (7) (AUT/Bormla SC) to secure the Women’s title.

 U20
Noah Janssens (2) (BEL/ST Stembert) prevailed 2 1 against compatriot Jann Segers (3) (BEL/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer) in the U20 final.
Janssens had brushed aside Angelo Bisio (4) (ITA/TSC Stella Artois Milano) 3 0 in the semi finals.

Semi finals
• Noah Janssens (2) (BEL/ST Stembert) 3–0 Angelo Bisio (182) (ITA/TSC Stella Artois Milano)
• Thomas Ebejer (19) (MLT/Bormla SC) 1–5 Jann Segers (3) (BEL/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer)
Final
• Noah Janssens (2) (BEL/ST Stembert) 2–1 Jann Segers (3) (BEL/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer)
Champion: Noah Janssens (2) (BEL/ST Stembert)

 U16
Italy’s Angelo Bisio (3) (TSC Stella Artois Milano) dominated the U16 field, beating Gabriel Ebejer (35) (MLT/Bormla SC) 6 0 in the final. The youngster had earlier seen off Maxim Grosdent (11) (BEL/Wamme SC) 2 1 in the semis after a 7 0 quarter final rout of Johannes Haas (105) (AUT/Free Agent).
Quarter finals
• Angelo Bisio (3) (ITA/TSC Stella Artois Milano) 7–0 Johannes Haas (105) (AUT/Free Agent)
• Angela Haas 0–3 Noah Wulff (29) (GER/SG ’94 Hannover)
• Maxim Grosdent (11) (BEL/Wamme SC) 3–1 Louis Haas (105) (AUT/TSC Royal 78 Kaisermühlen)
• Gabriel Ebejer (35) (MLT/Bormla SC) 0–1 Konstandinos Tsangouris (8) (BEL/SC Lion’s Eugies)
Semi finals
• Angelo Bisio (3) (ITA/TSC Stella Artois Milano) 2–1 Maxim Grosdent (11) (BEL/Wamme SC)
• Konstandinos Tsangouris (8) (BEL/SC Lion’s Eugies) 1–2 Gabriel Ebejer (35) (MLT/Bormla SC)
Final
• Angelo Bisio (3) (ITA/TSC Stella Artois Milano) 6–0 Gabriel Ebejer (35) (MLT/Bormla SC)
Champion: Angelo Bisio (3) (ITA/TSC Stella Artois Milano)

u12
In the juniors, Johannes Haas (AUT) claimed the title.

Teams
Twelve clubs contested the team event: Atlas FTC, Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer, BSC Schwalbach, Barbarians, Bormla SC, SC Catania 1987, SG ’94 Hannover, ST Stembert, Subbuteo Club Höpfigheim, TSC Phoenix, TSG Rain 1970 and Wamme SC.
Semi finals
• Bormla SC 2 1 ST Stembert
• TSC Phoenix 0 4 SC Catania 1987
Final – Bormla SC 1 – 1 SC Catania 1987
Bormla secured the trophy on total goals (6 4) after four fiercely contested singles ties

Final – Bormla SC 1‑1 SC Catania 1987
Bormla secured the trophy on total goals (6‑4) after four fiercely‑contested singles ties:

 

Bormla SC 

1-1

SC Catania 1987 

 

George Ebejer (10) (MLT/Bormla SC)

0‑0

Giuseppe Parisi (980) (ITA/SC Catania 1987)

 

Bessim Golger (2) (BEL/Bormla SC)

5‑2

Santo Longo (12) (ITA/SC Catania 1987)

 

Jason Pisani (3) (MLT/Bormla SC)

1‑1

Kai Hagenkötter (525) (GER/SC Catania 1987)

 

Christian Haas (18) (AUT/Bormla SC)

0‑1

Claudio Panebianco (858) (ITA/SC Catania 1987)

Golger’s decisive 5‑2 win provided the vital cushion that handed the Maltese club the Ludwigsburg Grand Prix team title.

post

Bennett takes the International Open of Limassol

England’s World Cup player Kasper Bennett (Atlas FC) jetted in from Greece to claim the Limassol International Open, as Cyprus table football made another big step forward.
Four three‑player groups opened the tournament.

Group Winner Key results
1 Kaspar Bennett (ENG/Atlas FTC) Bennett beat Petros Kosmas 2‑0 and Antonis Tsangerides 4‑0 to post a perfect record (6 pts, 6‑0 GD).
2 Paul Andreas (CYP/Langton Green Subbuteo Club) Andreas scored nine goals in two outings, topping the section ahead of Demetris Tsangerides.
3 Panagiotis Vogiatzis (GRE/Free Agent) Vogiatzis impressed with 4‑0 wins over both Marios Nikolau and Christos Socratous.
4 Giorgos Zangylos (CYP/Famagusta TFC) Zangylos edged Andreas Marneros 3‑2 after beating Marios Charalambous 5‑0 to seal top spot.

Knock‑out phase

Quarter‑finals (Last 8)

  • Kaspar Bennett (ENG/Atlas FTC) 5‑0 Marios Nikolau (CYP/Famagusta TFC)

  • Giorgos Zangylos (CYP/Famagusta TFC) 6‑2 Demetris Tsangerides

  • Panagiotis Vogiatzis (GRE/Free Agent) 1‑0 Petros Kosmas (GRE/Free Agent) after Sudden Death

  • Paul Andreas (CYP/Langton Green Subbuteo Club) 4‑2 Andreas Marneros (CYP/Spartans Larnaca TFC)

Semi‑finals

  • Kaspar Bennett 5‑1 Giorgos Zangylos

  • Panagiotis Vogiatzis 2‑1 Paul Andreas after Sudden Death

Final

  • Kaspar Bennett 7‑1 Panagiotis Vogiatzis


Champion’s run – Kaspar Bennett (ENG/Atlas FTC)

Bennett dominated from start to finish, firing 23 goals and conceding just two across five matches. After cruising through the group stage, he dispatched Nikolau, Zangylos and Vogiatzis with increasingly emphatic margins, sealing the title with a clinical 7‑1 victory in the final.


Notable facts

  • Sudden‑death drama: Both of Vogiatzis’s knock‑out wins required a sudden‑death flick, underlining his resilience under pressure.

  • Local strength: Cypriot players filled three of the four semi‑final spots, but the trophy ultimately headed to England with Bennett.

  •  
post

Stéphane Lambert Claims Kanagawa International Open Tournament in Yamato City

The FISTF/JTFA Kanagawa International Open Tournament took place on July 13 in Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Yamato City is a quiet residential area located about 45 minutes from central Tokyo stations such as Shinjuku and Shibuya by express train.

The tournament was held at the Yamato City Citizen Exchange Hub “PoLaRiS”.

The event featured two categories: Open and Women. A total of 16 athletes competed in the Open category, while 4 athletes participated in the Women category.

Although Japan’s top-ranked and third-ranked players did not compete in this tournament, all participants were seasoned competitors with multiple appearances in international tournaments. As a result, the matches were highly competitive, with many closely contested battles throughout the event.

In the Open semifinals, Kenzo Koi (JPN / Yakohama OSC) secured a 1–0 victory over Suguru Fujino (JPN / Tokyo Sunzeol TFC) after a hard-fought overtime battle.

In the other semifinal, Stéphane Lambert (BEL / Yokoahma OSC) defeated Kazuki Okano (JPN / Yokohama OSC) with a score of 2–1.

The Open final ended in a 1–1 draw and was decided by shootout, where Stéphane Lambert emerged victorious with a 2–1 win in the shootout.

In the Women category, Miaki Nishi (JPN / SC Reeds) claimed the championship with a record of 2 wins and 1 draw.

Hideaki Wada (JPN / OSC Yamato Wild Blue TFC) won the Plate tournament.

We hope that each athlete will continue to train with even greater dedication and arrive at next month’s Japan Grand Prix in peak condition.

post

The 2025-2026 calendar is complete! Czech Republic and Romania are back on FISTF Tour!

We are pleased and no less proud to present the 2025-2026 calendar : https://fistf.com/events/ 

2025-2026 includes no fewer than : 

5 Majors Grand Prix
3 Golden Grand Prix
12 International Grand Prix
15 International Opens
18 Satellites

in 16 different countries. Other events may be added during the season, to the delight of all players who love to share unforgettable moments.

After Cyprus this season, we are delighted to welcome back the Czech Republic and Romania, who are eager to develop our sport on their home soil.

Enjoy!

post

Di Maggio claims the Major of Athens

Alberto Di Maggio WR 8 (GRE/Bologna Tigers Subbuteo) clinched the Open crown at the Athens Major, defeating Saverio Bari WR 4 (ITA/F.lli Bari Reggio Emilia) 2–1 in the final.
In the semifinals Di Maggio beat Leandros Sourlas WR 70 (GRE/Scarlet Battalion SC) 2–0, while Bari beat Nikolaos Charatsis WR 12 (GRE/Scarlet Battalion SC) 3–1.

Group-phase shocks

  • Nikolas (07) PSOMIADIS WR 130 (GRE/Subbuteurs Athens TSC) stunned World No. 2 Bessim GOLGER WR 2 (BEL/Bormla SC) 4–3.
  • Christos CHYTAS WR 404 (GRE/TSC Falcons Athens) blanked Athanasios BARTZIS WR 108 (GRE/Noctuas Athens TSC) 2–0.
  • Giorgos NIAVIS WR 584 (GRE/Crimson Horses) overpowered Georgios BRISKOLAS WR 370 (GRE/Olympia CS) 4–1.

Alberto Di Maggio – winner

Open semis Sourlas Leandros

Veterans
Nikolaos Pappas WR 39 (GRE/Olympia CS) won the Veterans title, edging Lazaros Papakonstantinou WR 7 (GRE/Atlas FTC) 1–0 in the final.
Semifinals: Pappas beat Giorgos Papadopoulos WR 13 (GRE/Pyrasos FTC) 1–0; Papakonstantinou beat Jason Pisani WR 3 (MLT/Bormla SC) 2–0.

Group-phase upsets

  • Ioannis MPOUGIOURIS WR 129 (GRE/Subbuteurs Athens TSC) toppled Panagiotis CHARATSIS WR 40 (GRE/Scarlet Battalion SC) 2–0.
  • Leonidas PAPAMICHAIL WR 138 (GRE/Noctuas Athens TSC) edged Georgios DIMAKEAS WR 109 (GRE/Roligans Ilioupolis TSC) 2–1.
  • Ioannis MPOUGIOURIS WR 129 struck again, beating Sotiris KOROLOGOS WR 104 (GRE/Noctuas Athens TSC) 2–1.

Veterans winner Pappas Nikolaos

Veterans finalist Papakonstantinou Lazaros

Veterans semis Kastellanos Antonis

Veterans semis Pisani Jason

Women
Carolina Villarigues WR 2 (POR/Crimson Horses) dominated the Women’s final, overcoming Eleftheria Papanikolaou WR 8 (GRE/Glyfada United TSC) 5–0 to take the trophy.
Semifinals: Villarigues beat Antonia Karabela WR 42 (GRE/Atlas FTC) 3–1; Papanikolaou beat Ismini Papadimitriou WR 34 (GRE/Scarlet Battalion SC) 4–0.
The group stage went strictly to form, with all top seeds advancing without defeat.

Women winner Villarigues Carolina

Women semis Pappa Chrysoula

Women finalist Papanikolaou Eleftheria

U-16
Panagiotis Skouros WR 4 (GRE/Roligans Ilioupolis TSC) secured the U-16 title with a 2–1 win over Christos Filippou WR 21 (GRE/Crimson Horses).
Semifinals: Skouros beat Panagiotis Flemmos WR 3 (GRE/Crimson Horses) 6–3; Filippou edged Konstandinos Tsangouris WR 8 (BEL/SC Lion’s Eugies) 2–1.
No major surprises emerged in the U-16 groups; higher-ranked players progressed comfortably.

U16 Winner Skouros Panagiotis

Tsangouris Konstandinos

U16 semis Kotrotsos Athanasios

U16 finalist Filippou Christos

U-12
Phillipos Kordantonopoulos WR 5 (GRE/Roligans Ilioupolis TSC) lifted the U-12 crown, defeating Ektoras Pitenis WR 28 (GRE/Crimson Horses) 3–1 in the final.
Semifinals: Pitenis beat Evangelos Konsolas WR 3 (GRE/Noctuas Athens TSC) 3–2; Kordantonopoulos beat Apollon Dimakeas WR 9 (GRE/Roligans Ilioupolis TSC) 2–1.

Group-phase shocks

  • Ektoras PITENIS WR 28 upset Phillipos KORDANTONOPOULOS WR 5 3–2, handing the future champion his only defeat.
  • Phillipos KORDANTONOPOULOS WR 5 rebounded by overcoming World No. 2 Dimitris BOGDANIDIS WR 2 (GRE/Polis Athlitikos Syllogos Daskaliou Kerateas) 3–1.

U12 winner Kordantonopoulos Philippos

U12 semis Lavrakis Marios

U12 semis Dimakeas Apollon

U12 finalist Pitenis Orestis

In the teams event, World Number one Bormla SC further enhanced their position at the top of the rankings.

Champions

  • Bormla SC (MLT) captured the crown, edging Proteas Athens SC (GRE) 2–1 in a tense final.

Road to the Final

Semifinals

  • Bormla SC (MLT) 2–1 Olympia CS (GRE)

  • Proteas Athens SC (GRE) 2–1 Crimson Horses (GRE)

Quarterfinals

  • Bormla SC (MLT) 1–0 Atlas FTC (GRE)

  • Olympia CS (GRE) 1–1 Noctuas Athens TSC (GRE) — Olympia advanced after a shoot-out

  • Proteas Athens SC (GRE) 2–1 Subbuteurs Athens TSC (GRE)

  • Crimson Horses (GRE) 1–1 TSC Falcons Athens (GRE) — Crimson Horses progressed on penalties

Group-Stage Upsets

Several lower-ranked clubs punched above their weight in the opening pools:

  • Atlas FTC (GRE) stunned Glyfada United TSC (GRE) 4–0.

  • Atlas FTC (GRE) repeated the feat with a 4–0 win over Charilaos Trikoupis TS (GRE).

  • Charilaos Trikoupis TS (GRE) upset Glyfada United TSC (GRE) 2–0.

  • Olympia CS (GRE) edged Subbuteurs Athens TSC (GRE) 2–1 to top its section.

These surprises reshaped the knockout bracket, but in the end the world-No 1 Bormla SC showed its class, navigating the elimination rounds without defeat to lift the Athens Major team title.

It was a great tournament: 125 individuals, 26 teams . Very competitive, many exciting games in both days. Excellent work from the 3 cameras in table 1 sponsored by company APG – a big thank you –  which were broadcast live during the whole competition.

 

post

Cerullo beats higher-ranked rivals to lift the Derry Grand Prix crown

Italian shot-maker Guido Cerullo (WRk 114) (ITA/GCT DLF Gorizia) produced a string of upsets to win the 2025 Derry Grand Prix Open category, edging England’s Mick Hammonds (65) (ENG/Wolverhampton Table Football Club) 2-1 in a balanced final.

Road to the title
Semi-finals

Cerullo edged out tournament favourite Aaron Skinner (58) (ENG/Langton Green Subbuteo Club) 2-0, while on the opposite side of the draw, Hammonds survived a sudden-death thriller, outlasting French legend Lionel Abecassis (169) (FRA) 3-2 after the pair were locked at 2-2 in regulation time.

Quarter-finals

Skinner eliminated rising star Ruby Matthews (194) (ENG/Avenir Subbuteo Hennuyer) 2-1 in extra-time.

Cerullo shaded Cayne Matthews (258) (ENG/Yorkshire Phoenix) 2-1, while Abecassis edged Kevin Cordell (76) (ENG/Langton Green Subbuteo Club) in a sudden death 1-0 win.

Hammonds pipped veteran Martin Hodds (238) (ENG/Yorkshire Phoenix) 2-1.

The final
Cerullo was delighted with his final win against Hammonds.
“It was a very fair match and Mick is a friend. He beat me in Birmingham in March at the satellite of Pedmore, and now I got my revenge,” Cerullo said.

Hammonds paid tribute to the champion: “Guido took his chances.”

Finalist Mick Hammonds

Notable performances
Teenager Ruby Matthews (194) reached the quarter-final, eliminating Gareth Christie (205) (SCO/Derry City TFC) in the last-16. She won all 3 group games, beat Christie, and her only defeat of the day was 1-2 golden goal to Aaron Skinner.

Local hope Barry Spence (580) (NIR/Irish Premier League) topped his group before falling to Skinner 3-1 in the first knock-out round.

Jason Christopher (ENG/Wolverhampton Table Football Club) took out the Plate/WASPA event, beating Jeremy Bradley (ENG/TSPA White Star) in the final.
 

The Derry Open featured 32 competitors from eight nations.


The dynamic duo!

Organisers  also produced a video compilation of tournament action and post event celebrations.

post

Pascal Scheen claims Messina Grand Prix

The flagship Open division of the Messina grand Prix drew a bumper 40-player field split across ten round-robin groups.
World No. 15
Pascal Scheen (BEL/ ST Stembert)  survived a tense semi-final shoot-out against Gerardo Patruno (ITA/ Bologna Tigers Subbuteo) 1-1 (2-1) , then took the title when Italian ace Ferdinando Gasparini (ITA/ASD SC Salernitana) was forced to forfeit the final.

Veterans

Experience told in the Veterans class. After navigating eight preliminary groups, favourite and No.6 Pasquale Torano (ITA/ Subbito Gol Ferrara) edged Malta’s Mario Camilleri (MLT/ TS Messina) 2-1 in a cagey final. Torano’s route included a semifinal win over Malta’s Jason Pisani, while Camilleri upset Belgian Daniel Scheen in the other semi to set up the cross-Mediterranean decider.

 

Under-20

With only two eligible entrants, the U20 crown was settled in a single showpiece. Maltese prodigy Robert Farrugia Randon (MLT/H’Attard SC) out-gunned Nicolò Colossi (ITA/ SC Bari) 5-3 in an attacking encounter.]

Under-16

The same Farrugia Randon completed a remarkable double in the U16 event. Topping his group, he dispatched Antonio Martinelli in the semis before overcoming another SC Bari player in Italy’s Daniele Salatino 3-1 in the final, finishing the youth programme unbeaten on the day.

Under-12

Rising Italian star Marco Averna from Subbuteo Club Reggio Calabria, the world number 2, prevailed in the ten-player U12 field. Averna edged Nicola Carnino (ITA/ Bulldogs Vicenza) 2-1 in a high-tempo final after both youngsters produced mature performances in their semifinal victories over Samuele Murabito (ITA/ ASD Siracusa Calcio Tavolo) and Tommaso Cuzzocrea (ITA/CT Paola) respectively.

Women

The Women’s title became a Scheen-Pibiri head-to-head. Belgium’s Mélina Scheen (BEL/ST Stembert) —daughter of the Open champion—beat local hope Giulia Pibiri (ITA/ SC Catania 1987) 3-1, securing a memorable family double for the Scheens.

Teams
Bormla SC of Malta maintained their impressive lead in the World Rankings with a 2-1 win over Italian club Barcellona Calcio Tavolo.


Key take-aways

The Scheens (Pascal and Mélina) swept both the Open and Women’s honours.

Maltese teenager Robert Farrugia Randon claimed the U20/U16 double.

Home-nation Italy still captured two golds through Pasquale Torano (Veterans) and Marco Averna (U12).

These results underscore Messina’s growing reputation as a proving ground for both seasoned champions and emerging talents across every age group.

Category Entrants / Groups Knock-out bracket Final Champion
Open 42 players · 10 groups Last 16 → QF → SF → Final Pascal Scheen 4–0 Ferdinando Gasparini (ff) Pascal Scheen (BEL)
Veterans 32 players · 8 groups Last 16 → QF → SF → Final Pasquale Torano 2–1 Mario Camilleri Pasquale Torano (ITA)
Under-20 2 players · direct final Robert Farrugia Randon 5–3 Nicolò Colossi Robert Farrugia Randon (MLT)
Under-16 8 players · 2 groups SF → Final Robert Farrugia Randon 3–1 Daniele Salatino Robert Farrugia Randon (MLT)
Under-12 10 players · 3 groups SF → Final Marco Averna 2–1 Nicola Carnino Marco Averna (ITA)
Women 2 players · direct final Mélina Scheen 3–1 Giulia Pibiri Mélina Scheen (BEL)
Teams 15 teams – 4 groups QF → SF → Final Bormla SC 2-1 Barcellona Calcio Tavolo Bormla SC