Welcome back readers to another article of Quaffles & Bludgers the Euro Cup 2028 Edition! Quidditch fans across Europe were surely pleased to hear that the British & Irish League would be sending not one but four teams to participate in the Cup, including top of the League Holyhead Harpies. Of course, we also sent out Pride of Portree, the Falmouth Falcons, and the Appleby Arrows to show the rest of Europe how Quidditch is really done.
Before we get to the first week of matches, we at the Daily Prophet would like to remind readers that the European Cup Final will be held in Doda Pilii Romania. Tent rentals will be available August 14th with the Final being held on the 21st. Tickets will be offered at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class prices with seating available for each tier and they will also be going on sale August 14th.
Now then, as there are matches aplenty each matchweek, we’ll only be providing a brief summary of matches until we’ve moved out of the group stage.
| Top Five Teams |
| Varna Lamia |
| Parisian Hellhounds |
| Plovdiv Raptors |
| Karasjok Kites |
| San Pietro Lupi |
Side A
San Pietro Lupi [Italy] 530-190 Bergen Oars [Norway]
The first Side A game saw us in Norway to see the Bergen Oars face off against the San Pietro Lupi. Despite the Lupi being something of an underdog among the teams sent by Italy, they did steal the show, beating the Bergan Oars down into submission with an impressive first match of the Cup. Despite a few bumps, including a San Pietro Chaser, Phoibe Fortunato taking a boot to the face in a wholly intentional foul, the team ended the match victorious and secured a place in the top five teams for the week.
Braga Broomfleet [Portugal] 620-290 Sofia Fates [Bulgaria]
Bulgaria starred as the scene to the second side A match, as Portual’s Braga Broomfleet faced the Sofia Fates. Perceval Lobo, Chaser and Captain for the Broomfleet truly stole the show, commanding the quaffle and the audience’s attention for much of the match. Despite Bulgaria’s reputation across Europe and the Fates traditionally outranking the Broomfleet by a long shot, it seemed it was destiny for the Sofia team to be swept off the pitch.
Kustavia Viikingit [Finland] 120 – 360 Schengen Kropemann [Luxembourg]
Meanwhile in Luxembourg the Schengen Kropemann took to the pitch against the Kustavia Viikingit. Once more we found ourselves watching the underdog take the spotlight, as Schengen pulled out all their best moves to bury the Viikingit properly. The match itself was fairly exciting though the highlight was when Viikingit Chaser, Markus Mikael, stole his beater’s bat in a fit of rage, and bludgered the Luxembourg Keeper, Lucile Luettgen. Fortunately Luettgen’s skull already features an unbreakable metal plate from a previous injury and the lass was able to get back into the match after a quick once over, keeping the Viikingit from scoring any further.
Sardegna QC [Italy] 350 – 10 Vatican Vampires [Italy]
In Italy, it was time to see Sardegna QC and the Vatican Vampires go at it in their own country. The crowd was rowdy as the two well matched teams lined up on the pitch and only moreso when Sardegna QC began to dominate the match. Avishag Bagni was responsible for the Vampire’s only goal, managed when Mariasole Benvenuti of Sardegna was busy chatting up a fan. Ultimately, Vatican Vampires fans were left nearly as crushed as their team was, casting a somber mood over them as they left the stadium.
Bigonville Bombers [Luxembourg] 50 – 260 Agincourt Axes [France]
Back in France, the Agincourt Axes showed exactly what kind of playing got them into the Euro Cup. While they lost star beater, Adam Fletcher to the B&I League, they didn’t seem to lose the power that saw them move from midtable to 5th in the French League. The match saw an excessive amount of cobbing fouls from Luxembourg and Agincourt Seeker, Séverine Bonnaire losing half her broom when a bludger made contact, splintering her handle, but the skilled seeker managed to capture the snitch before crashing to the pitch subsequently snapping her arm. Seeing team captain, Mordecai Forrest lift Bonnaire’s broken arm clutching the snitch into the air is a sight fans are not likely to forget any time soon.
Prague Flames [Czech Republic] 470 – 360 Bordeaux Bludgers [France]
Still in France, the Bordeaux Bludgers prepared to play against the Prague Flames in heavy rain and harsh conditions. Spectators expressed concern that the snitch would never be found in weather such as this though Cup officials saw the teams kick off on time. Prague Flames seemed happy to take advantage of the weather to bumph on more than one occasion, sending bludgers into the crowd whenever Bordeaux scored. Despite this and repeated sparkings of both the green and red variety, the Flames saw victory after a fierce back and forth between the two teams.
Bavarian Erklings [Germany] 280 – 370 Bucharest Lampi [Romania]
That same day, the Bucharest Lampi and the Bavarian Erklings met at famed Romanian pitch ‘Gandacul’ or the Beetle, rumoured location for the Finals. With the Erklings outranking the Lampi, viewers expected the match to be over quickly, but were instead surprised to find an exciting match with the teams scores staying close together for the majority of the affair. It wasn’t until Bucharest seeker, Anamaria Nicoleta shot off after the snitch that the real competition began however. Racing against Arno Berthold, the Bavarian seeker, Nicoleta put on a hell of a show, the pair racing and nearly crashing to the ground on more than one occasion. It was a clever move on Nicoleta’s part that saw the snitch caught in her robe sleeve, ending the game in Bucharest’s favour.
Side B
Ostrava Otesaneks [Czech Republic] 90 – 410 Mirto Mooncalves [Italy]
The first Side B match found us in Italy to watch the Ostrava Otesaneks and the Mirto Mooncalves battle for victory. The match started with an early injury, the Ostrava Otesaneks keeper, Loki Péťa taking a stray bludger to the face. While the bludger had been directed to fellow chaser, Slavěna Naděžda, Naděžda pulled a quick dodge, leaving the iron ball to barrel at Péťa’s face, taking the keeper out with a broken jaw. From there, it was an open match for the Mooncalves who managed to score quaffle after quaffle before catching the snitch, ending the game 410 to 90 before Péťa was ever able to get back on the pitch.
Varna Lamia [Bulgaria] 640 – 30 Heidelberg Harriers [Germany]
Meanwhile in Germany, the Heidelberg Harriers and Varna Lamia were set to face off on this sweltering July day. While the German side were screaming at the top of their lungs for their local team, their cheer was not to last long as the Varna Lamia truly put the Harriers to shame with the beating of a century. At least one German player was knocked unconscious by a bludger to the head, another finished with broken ribs and a concussion, and Varna Lamia secured the victory with a 610 point lead, proving while Bulgaria is so famed for their Quidditch skills.
Plovdiv Raptors [Bulgaria] 530 – 90 Naantali Nakki [Finland]
In Finland, the Naantali Nakki also faced a Bulgarian team, the Plovdic Raptors, this game boasting the Bulgarian Minister Desislava Filipov in attendance to show support. The game started fair, but things took a poor turn as the Raptors proceeded to metaphorically beat, murder, and drive the Naantali Nakki into the ground, leaving the Finnish team completely decimated. Of course, the aftereffects of the match were just as brutal, leaving the Bulgarian Minister to be escorted out from the riotous brawls between Finnish and Bulgarian fans in the stands.
Holyhead Harpies [British & Irish] 210 – 620 Karasjok Kites [Norway]
In Norway, the Karasjok Kites and Holyhead Harpies met on the pitch in what should have been an exciting match for British & Irish League fans but turned out to be little more than a disappointment. Whether it was just a bad day for the Harpies, or a sign that the B&I Cup win was a fluke, the Welsh team seemed to have met their match- no, their superiors in the Karasjok Kites. While Persephone Vitrac led the charge, contributing to many of the 21 goals the Harpies managed to secure, the Karasjok Kites truly put the Harpies down, managing more than twice as many goals and a snitch catch. Upon touchdown Karasjok Kite captain Halfdan Torleif touched down and expressed a sincere disappointment to press at the Harpies’ performance, leading to yet another on pitch brawl for the all female team and at least one of the ladies in the Healers’ tent after taking a nasty hex.
Provence Princes [France] 330 – 350 Lisbon Rosas [Portugal]
The next match took place in Portugal, where the Lisbon Rosas took on the Provence Princes. With perfect weather, fans were excited to see what the match would hold, and the two teams did not disappoint. After an early performance of the sort of familiar showmanship the Rosas are known for, leaving the pitch littered in roses, the match was underway. Goals were scored left and right on both sides in a mostly clean match- the only exception being a brilliant display of stooging that left the Rosas’ keeper spiraling towards the earth. Despite their seeker’s expert skills and capture of the snitch, the Princes didn’t manage to close the score distance and the Lisbon Rosas came out of the match victorious.
Poznan Rusalkas [Poland] 240 – 680 Parisian Hellhounds [France]
One of the most anticipated matches of the week, the Parisian Hellhounds welcomed the Poznan Rusalkas to their home for the final match of the week. Poland’s teams represented the weakest of the Euro Cup teams statistically and unfortunately they faced Europe’s strongest in the Parisian Hellhounds who seemed determined to remind everyone why they were such a renowned team. Though the Rusalkas gave their best, they were no match for the Hellhounds and lost after a hard fought battle.
That concludes the first week of matches for the Euro Cup, check in soon for the rundown of match week 2!
