CEFL Championship has reached its 20th season if you can believe it! The festive tournament race gets underway this weekend. Both opening matchups are domestic pairings — Saturday’s game will set the early tone featuring two Serbian teams, and two UK rivals are pitted up on Sunday. The kickoff times and live streams will be as follows:

CEFL Championship, Round 1
Saturday, 25 April, 14:00 CET
Kragujevac Wild Boars – Belgrade Blue Dragons
Live stream: https://youtube.com/watch?v=6MduWsSDSkM

After winning the CEFL Cup in 2023, Kragujevac Wild Boars haven’t fared so well. Playing in the Championship a year later they were ousted by Graz Giants in the first round. Last season they defeated their national rival Belgrade Vukovi in the opener only to be shutout by Calanda Broncos next.

This season, the attrition of teams in the Serbian national league has led to the top ranked senior tackle competition being a 7×7 league. That’s the main reason last year’s champs, the Wild Boars are playing a regional Danube League with Romanian and Bulgarian teams. They seem to be coasting there with a 2-0 score and a 103-14 point difference.

Belgrade Blue Dragons will be a much tougher nut to crack though. Their team is coming back to the CEFL Championship after 9 years, since their one and only appearance was in season 2017. Being the finalist of the Serbian national championship in 2025, they’re not playing in it this year either.

The Blue Dragons are part of the Hungarian national league this year. Comparing the strength of their schedule to seasons past is debatable, but they have a much harder job this year. Namely, they play all of their games away. Crossing the border to play has only half–worked for them so far, as they’ve recorded an even score of 1-1, with a 45-45 differential.

The home team in this one will look to their standard quarterback, Isaiah Green and an overseas linebacker, John Rincon. Shoring up the Wild Boars’ defense will be two French internationals, Cyril Bonnet and Elio Trajkovic-Lopes.

Their opponents, the Blue Dragons are steered by QB/WR Michael Cornwell and his compatriot wide receiver Elijah Smoot. One other trivia of note is that Andrej Tasic, a Vukovi phenom from CEFL Bowl II, will play for them this time.

CEFL Championship, Round 1
Sunday, 26 April, 14:30 CET
Bristol Aztecs – Belfast Trojans
Live stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzZV5oRGjiw

Last year was Bristol Aztecs’ inaugural season in the CEFL Championship. They won their first game, pummeling Amsterdam Crusaders at home. Similar to the Wild Boars, they were also kept scoreless in the second round on the road by another Crusaders team, that time the Swedish version from Carlstad.

The British national season has only just begun and the reigning champions, the Aztecs have played and won their only game there so far. They seem to be stronger than ever, especially on the offensive side of the ball, signing up three import players with college experience for the CEFL Championship.

Same as last season, Ethan Gretzinger will be behind the center for their team again. His favorite target this time might be wide receiver Quinten Wimmer, while running back Josh Breece will add yardage over the ground.

The Irish champions, Belfast Trojans are this year’s new addition to the CEFL Championship. While being from UK, they are playing in the pan-Irish national league, not meeting the teams from the neighboring aisle. This season is their chance to play their fellow countrymen, although in the international tournament.

Since the Hibernian national championship has started a little earlier, the Trojans are already powering through it. Their 3-0 record there is impressive so far, especially taking into account the 158-20 score point difference. The battle between the two champions from the same kingdom should be a very interesting matchup.

The Trojans have bolstered their offense with an American running back Rayshawn Boswell and wide receiver Chris Williams. They haven’t forgotten their defense either. It will be reinforced by three international players.