Cup of Harmony 93 | Everything Thread

by **Katzeburg** » Sat Jun 13, 2026 3:56 pm

OOC Note - All images of players in this post are AI generated.

KATZEBURGIAN NATIONAL TEAM

The Blue Cats

Style Modifier: +3

The Blue Cats are the national representatives of Katzeburg, which are entering their fourth Cup of Harmony and their third successive appearance in the competition after missing the World Cup through the playoffs once more. The team is nicknamed after an incredibly rare breed of the country's national animal, the cat, which was long-rumoured to exist in small numbers in the Campbellnia National Park along the country's north-east coast.

While Katzeburg is a young-ish nation, football has solidified its place as the most popular sport in the nation, thanks in no small part to the heroics of the national team on the multiversal stage. Initial hotspots of the sport were in the more industrial north of the nation, encompassing the nation's central capital Katzestadt, the heavy industrial port city of Inverhaven, and the north-eastern logging city of Axmund, but the growing status of the game's popularity has seen teams from all across the country sprout up in recent years, as seen by the ever-growing number of teams entering the Katzeburg Cup, the nation's domestic cup competition, achieving a high mark of 128 teams in the most recent editions of the competition.

The national team's first ever manager Becka Haberkorn leads the nation into the Cup of Harmony off the back of one of the nation's worst qualifying performances in their history. Despite making the playoffs by virtue of the widely adjusted field, Katzeburg picked up eight losses in what was the side's most amount of losses in a single qualifying cycle, bowing out to eventual qualifiers Choppyhausen 6-5 on aggregate in the second round of the playoffs.

With wider turmoil engulfing the Katzeburgian football scene as the nation awaits the results of a government vote to confirm a long-proposed merger between the Katzeburg Football Federation and Katzeburg National League which could see sweeping changes to how the sport is operated in the country, with plans being put in place for Katzeburg to enter somewhat of a dark period on the footballing front.

If this does turn out to be the swansong for Katzeburgian football, it means Haberkorn, who was originally appointed following a handful of successful seasons overseeing an Inverhaven local side, will likely have the Cup of Harmony as her last major tournament in control of the side, having been in charge for every single one of the country's 150 national games to date, including high marks of a World Cup appearance in World Cup 98, a runner up appearance at Cup Of Harmony 92, and runs to the final four of the Cup Of Harmony 91 and Campionato Esportiva 40.

But despite this, Haberkorn has looked to make wholesale changes to the team which crashed out of World Cup qualification in the playoffs, with a number of long-time players not making the cut for a new look and young Katzeburgian squad. National captain Ry Whinery, who has been one of a number of regulars since the formation of the national squad, is out in favour of Beauden Moore, who has been in top form in Kanzlia and being given a chance to secure the long-term position between the sticks with a good showing at the Cup of Harmony.

Meanwhile Walton Hershey has been given a chance to lead the line after being a consistent fringe and bench player for the Blue Cats in years gone by - with a return rate of 13 goals in 26 games, this could be his chance to lock up a starting position for years to come. The positions most shielded from changes was the midfield, with Serena Plank, who has played in every single national team match to date retaining her spot and Babe Barr keeping a spot in the side after a solid showing in the qualifiers, while Elmer Spears drops to the bench but will bring a strong mix of youth and experience in the squad.

As a result, the new look starting XI for Katzeburg heading into the Cup of Harmony has just 402 caps between them, with 270 of those coming from Plank and defender Katharine Howland alone.

+--------+----------+-------------------+-----+--------+--------+-------------------------------+----------+-----------+---------------+----------------+
| Roster | Position | Player            | Age | Gender | Nation | Club                          | KNL Apps | KNL Goals | National Apps | National Goals |
+--------+----------+-------------------+-----+--------+--------+-------------------------------+----------+-----------+---------------+----------------+
| 1      | GK       | Beauden Moore     | 21  | M      | KAT    | VV Szbedansk (KNZ)            | 0        | 0         | 7             | 0              |
| 2      | D        | Katharine Howland | 23  | F      | KAT    | Barenwold FC                  | 180      | 7         | 120           | 4              |
| 3      | D        | Prudence Deering  | 20  | F      | KAT    | Penntop FC                    | 88       | 4         | 5             | 0              |
| 4      | D        | Ezekiel Hodges    | 22  | M      | KAT    | Inverhaven City               | 163      | 6         | 10            | 0              |
| 5      | D        | Eva Badcock       | 20  | F      | KAT    | Katzestadt Rovers             | 88       | 1         | 0             | 0              |
| 6      | M        | Serena Plank      | 22  | F      | KAT    | Katzestadt AFC                | 180      | 32        | 150           | 23             |
| 7      | M        | Babe Barr         | 22  | F      | KAT    | Penntop FC                    | 180      | 24        | 27            | 2              |
| 8      | M        | Gwen Sessions     | 20  | F      | KAT    | Avonsend United               | 128      | 16        | 17            | 2              |
| 9      | M        | Petra Moores      | 22  | F      | KAT    | Katzestadt Rovers             | 180      | 27        | 31            | 0              |
| 10     | F        | Walton Hershey    | 24  | M      | KAT    | Littleport AFC                | 180      | 97        | 26            | 13             |
| 11     | ST       | Brianne Chaplin   | 21  | F      | KAT    | New Newetoun Saltquarry (PDT) | 49       | 16        | 9             | 3              |
| 12     | GK       | Sage Head         | 23  | F      | KAT    | Axmund United                 | 168      | 0         | 1             | 0              |
| 13     | GK       | Averill Jardine   | 21  | M      | KAT    | Penntop FC                    | 128      | 1         | 0             | 0              |
| 14     | D        | Ben Heidrich      | 21  | M      | KAT    | Blubeck FC                    | 117      | 1         | 0             | 0              |
| 15     | D        | Monday Mynatt     | 23  | M      | KAT    | Wolfenholm United             | 180      | 11        | 39            | 1              |
| 16     | D        | Erik Clarkson     | 24  | M      | KAT    | Inverhaven City               | 180      | 14        | 123           | 2              |
| 17     | D        | Laurence Herman   | 26  | M      | KAT    | Katzestadt AFC                | 180      | 8         | 98            | 1              |
| 18     | M        | Starla Baumer     | 19  | F      | KAT    | Inverhaven Ironworks          | 78       | 5         | 6             | 0              |
| 19     | M        | Desiree Lynton    | 21  | F      | KAT    | Katzestadt AFC                | 180      | 12        | 23            | 0              |
| 20     | M        | Belle Burgess     | 20  | F      | KAT    | Windorf Town                  | 128      | 14        | 0             | 0              |
| 21     | M        | Elmer Spears      | 22  | M      | KAT    | Axmund City                   | 180      | 20        | 141           | 9              |
| 22     | F        | Leith Coburn      | 23  | F      | KAT    | Inverhaven Ironworks          | 180      | 59        | 20            | 6              |
| 23     | F        | Clay Marsh        | 22  | M      | KAT    | Axmund United                 | 180      | 74        | 18            | 7              |
| 24     | F        | Walt Ziegler      | 21  | M      | KAT    | Katzestadt Rovers             | 75       | 29        | 0             | 0              |
| 25     | F        | Lloyd Field       | 29  | M      | KAT    | Katzestadt AFC                | 180      | 133       | 113           | 70             |
+--------+----------+-------------------+-----+--------+--------+-------------------------------+----------+-----------+---------------+----------------+

Most likely to:
Score: Walton Hershey, Brianne Chaplin, Lloyd Field
Assist: Serena Plank, Petra Moores, Gwen Sessions
Take direct free-kicks: Walton Hershey, Petra Moores, Belle Burgess
Take corners: Katharine Howland, Erik Clarkson, Eva Badcock
Be a bit too aggressive: Monday Mynatt, Erik Clarkson, Ben Heidrich
Try the spectacular: Walton Hershey, Clay Marsh, Elmer Spears

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but TG me first please!
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes, but TG me first please!
Godmod other events: No

by **The Martian Independent Republic** » Sat Jun 13, 2026 4:14 pm

The MIR has been going through some troubles lately, but football waits for no man. Qualifying started off poorly, had a mediocre middle, and finished poorly with a loss to Kamijiro - not a bad team, by any means, but still - in the second playoff round. Will the heights of WC99 ever be reached again? De Montfort is just a bit too conservative for many Martians' tastes, refusing to cut players from the team when arguably he really needs to.

Information
Nickname: The Spiders
Formation: 3-5-2
Colors: Black and rust orange
Manager: Tanguy de Montfort (OAM), who is on the hot seat
Captain: Stanford Katzenburg
Style: +1.618 (+phi, to be exact)
Good? No, full stop.

Bolded players usually start. Feel free to make a couple changes.

GK - Henri Enwye - 36 - Sunrise Aeolis (MIR)
GK - Ambrose Pritchard - 26 - Katzestadt Rovers (KAT)
GK - Txomin Lizzaralde - 24 - Confederation Isidis (MIR)

Pritchard kind of just sucked, so Enwye's last hurrah is this hurrah. He led the Spiders to bronze last time around, can he do it again? Lizzaralde has earned his spot on this team after conceding 13 goals in 18 appearances for Confederation Isidis, although a lot of that can be credited to excellent defense, especially from the Solgavish Helena Hoffman. He might see some playing time, and much like on defense, there is an active position battle to replace Enwye - Pritchard had his shot and seemingly missed it.

DF - Christopher Howell - 34 - Aeolis United (MIR)
DF - Scarlett Fenton - 25 - Australis Eagles (MIR)
DF - Li Cheng - 27 - Combination Milankovic (MIR)
DF - Abir Mohammed - 22 - Sunrise Aeolis (MIR)
DF - JJ Norton - 23 - Sturm Havn (TAX)
DF - Grace Hall - 30 - VV Szbedansk (KNZ)

Howell has announced that he will be retiring at the end of the tournament, which has led to a very high-intensity competition between Mohammed and Norton for the last spot. Norton seems to have the upper hand for the moment. On the 'would have been here but for an unfortunate injury' is Adarnase Yenukidze of Combination Milankovic, who partnered excellently with Cheng in defense last season in the SuperLeague.

MF - Stanford Katzenburg (c) - 37 - Huygens FC (MIR)
MF - Giovanni Caballi - 27 - Sunrise Aeolis (MIR)
MF - Albert Carver - 33 - Sunrise Aeolis (MIR)
MF - Harvey Astor - 29 - Confederation Isidis (MIR)
MF - Duncan Sato-Gray - 21 - Combination Milankovic (MIR)
MF - Adam Panchek - 27 - Tyrrhena Athletic (MIR)
MF - Ursula Barre - 31 - Aeolis United (MIR)
MF - Andrey Ivanov - 25 - Aeolis United (MIR)
MF - Gordon Gordon - 31 - Huygens FC (MIR)
MF - Kristyn Zardano - 22 - Aeolis United (MIR)

Katzenburg has announced that this will be his last hurrah with the team, as his pace is no longer what it used to be. Sato-Gray impressed during qualifiers and has earned himself a tentative place on the team, while Barre steps back a bit. Caballi/Carver, though growing older, is still a very effective partnership. A lot of the depth is getting older, so CAFA XIV will likely see at least three replacements, but much like with the rest of the team, this is a last hurrah for a lot of people. Gordon Gordon, in particular, knows this is likely his last international call up, so he'll be lobbying for a lot of time off the bench.

FW - Rohan Jowling - 35 - Emerald Coast AC (SRS)
FW - Luke Garamond - 29 - Vennesberg United (SGD)
FW - Quinn Taupling - 25 - Confederation Isidis (MIR)
FW - Sam Doyle - 26 - Combination Milankovic (MIR)

Taupling should probably be starting, and would be on most other teams, but Luke Garamond has had the entire offense of Vennesberg United, a team that in the past two seasons has won and finished second in a better league than the SuperLeague, on his back, and you can't get rid of Jowling. While not necessarily padding all the stats for himself, his inclusion makes the team flow so much better together, and he fills a niche that Taupling wouldn't really. Finding a replacement to him will be hard, but he hasn't announced his retirement just yet, so this is not super pressing for de Montfort. A tip to opposing teams - Garamond has a rather accurate leg, but not necessarily the most powerful one.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes - individual Martians are generally less likely to score multiple goals in a match, but this isn't a hard-and-fast rule.
Godmod scoring events: Ask first (DM preferred but TGs are also fine)
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: Ask first (DM preferred but TGs are also fine)
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: One's fine, otherwise ask first (DM preferred but TGs are also fine)
Godmod other events: Ask first (DM preferred but TGs are also fine)
If they are writing a lipogram and just played against me, avoid this letter: a

ISideWith UK · by **Eastfield Lodge** » Sat Jun 13, 2026 5:03 pm

Eastfield Lodge Roster for Cup of Harmony 93

Demonym: Eastfielder

The Imperial Commonwealth of Eastfield Lodge is a vast conglomerate of nations and states that resides almost entirely in a separate dimension to the reality you all know and love - a bubble universe would be an apt description (the why is a long story, involving the Dreamed Realm and a threat to the existence of the entire universe). The one bit of the country that lies in the regular dimension is a tiny island in the northern seas of the famous sporting region Rushmore, which serves as a transport hub for travel across the region by conventional transport, and for travel to the Imperial Commonwealth via something called a Void Ship (think of it like travelling through a well controlled wormhole).

The history of the country is long and complex, but the key overview is that it is a very socialist Muslim constitutional monarchy, with a noted reputation as being one of the nicest places to visit in the entirety of the known multiverse - the most recent WA census puts the Imperial Commonwealth in the top 100 nations in several measures such as Safety, Compliance/freedom from crime, Tourism, Weather, Compassion, Niceness and Environmental Beauty, amongst several others; most of which are also ranked as the best in the Rushmore region. Because of the initial portal, the nation advanced forwards in leaps and bounds technologically due to intermingling with denizens of another dimension, various alien races from the universe in which the popular RLStates TV show Doctor Who is situated. Whilst these aliens used to take part in life in the Imperial Commonwealth, even forming the Eastfielder National Team for a number of tournaments, they no longer exist in this bubble universe, due to a dimensional shift no longer aligning the two dimensions - for now, Eastfield Lodge only contains those beings that you find elsewhere in the NS multiverse.

Whilst we are a fairly chill nation, we are still fairly socially conservative, and there are plenty of special rules visitors need to be aware of:

No Alcohol. At all.
No smoking or recreational drugs at all. Visiting team members/fans will be given replacement/cessation therapy if struggling to cope.
No public displays of affection. What you get up to in the privacy of your own hotel room is up to you, as long as it stays there.
There isn't a legally enforced dress code, but at least dress respectfully, the locals will appreciate you.
Cities are by and large car-free zones; make use of the extensive public transport system.
Don't worry about a language barrier, there is an inbuilt telepathic translation circuit within the visas that you will be issued - it translates all speech and text into a language you understand instantaneously.
No unhealthy junk food will be available, the country is too healthy for that. Also, the food will all be halal, but there is an extensive range of vegetarian/vegan options for those who insist.
Ignore all the cameras and the police presence. They're for the safety of everyone.
High-level technology pervades every aspect of society and life here, get used to it.

Lodger City Memorial Stadium
Location: New Lodger City
Capacity: 150,000
Description: The home of Eastfielder football, the stadium was built on the ruins of the old capital of Eastfield Lodge, Lodger City, which was flattened in a double disaster (severe floods from dams bursting and an explosion from an unknown source, killing much of the population of the city and rendering the city useless. Administrative functions were transferred over to Lodgertia, the city began to be rebuilt, and it was decided that this stadium would be one of the monuments erected in place. The inside walls contains inscriptions of the names of all the dead – just under 9 million. The stadium used to play host to the two classic giants of EL football – RGS Athletic and VLC FC - until both had their new stadiums finished; it is now only used for internationals and cup matches.

Parliament Stadium
Location: Lodgertia
Capacity: 80,000
Description: Formerly the second largest stadium in Eastfield Lodge (until King Iqbal II and Vorgan Park were completed), behind the Memorial Stadium in New Lodger City, it was built in the centre of Lodgertia, the capital of Eastfield Lodge, and the Imperial Commonwealth. It was named due to the fact that the Parliament is based just a few hundred metres down the road; in fact, the original stadium was actually joined to the Parliament building, as an area where MPs could watch or even engage in sport with the public, as well as being a designated protest site. However, with Lodgertia becoming more built up, it was decided that the stadium needed to be built up as well. It is home to Lodgertia United and Lodgertia City alongside being temporary hosts of RGS Athletic and VLC FC (when Lodger City was being rebuilt), and in the past has hosted several international matches, including the final of SBCC 27 and a group in both stages of Market Cup 4.

Tavernia Stadium
Location: Tavernia
Capacity: 65,921
Description: Currently the largest stadium outside of Eastfield Lodge itself, Tavernia Stadium sits near the heart of the city of Tavernia, in Westmeadow Tavern, the nation bordering Eastfield Lodge. WC85 will see the stadium's debut when it comes to hosting the Eastfield Lodge National Team, but it is no stranger to WC football though - it was the home ground for Westmeadow Tavern when they had their own international football team in the earlier years of the Imperial Commonwealth. It is also home to the two best teams in Westmeadow Tavern, with FC Tavernia and Tavernia City plying their trade here.

Manager: Alexander Jager (Age: 55)
Eastfield Lodge have chosen their second international manager in the history of the Imperial Commonwealth, selecting former Pasargan natonal team striker Alexander Jager to try and lead the team back into the heights of the World Cup finals. It's a tall order for any person, but especially so for someone's first ever senior managerial role as well, as Jager has left his role as assistant manager of 9 years for one of Pasarga's biggest club sides CA Paulinthal to take up this opportunity to ~~ruin his career~~ make a name for himself. He does have some experience on the international stage to call on though having managed the Pasargan U19 side and been assistant manager for the U21s before his CA Paulinthal role.

Player are listed higher are more likely to play – strongest starting XI listed in Tactics section

Starting XI		Age	Gen	All Pos		Club
Beatrice Melia		31	 F	GK		Royal Jam FC
	+1-on-1, Sweeping; -Organisation

Beatrisa Darragh	26	 F	CB/LB		Wirr Tsi (CMT)
	+Leadership, Vision, Pace; -Anticipation
Apollo Halward		30	 M	CB/RB		Norrion Rovers
	+Teamwork, Set Pieces; -Ball Control, Composure
Diana Kirkup		33	 F	RB/CB		Tanrisal (PAS)
	+Passing, Adaptability; -Bravery, Heading
Zakaria Webber		32	 M	LB/CB		Alnio (CMT)
	+Determination; -Jump

Szilárd Forde		26	 M	DMF/RB		RGS Athletic
	+Marking, Agility; -Tackling, Leadership
Boet Caceres		32	 M	RMF/AMF		RGS Athletic
	+Decisions, Set Pieces; -Injury, Anticipation
Derrell Hangeland	30	 M	LMF/RMF		Norrion Rovers
	+Eccentricity, Balance, Bravery; -Aggression, Anticipation
Rafeeda Scripps		26	 F	CMF/AMF		RGS Athletic
	+Vision, Heading, Long Throws; -Movement, Leadership

Enoch Ingersleben	22	 M	ST		Tihon United (CMT)
	+Finishing, Balance, Height; -Passing, Teamwork
Chappell Holdsworth	33	 M	AMF/ST		Norrion Rovers
	+Agility, Ball Control; -Vision, Bravery

Reserves		Age	Gen	All Pos		Club
Viviane Orchard		23	 F	GK		Norrion Rovers
	+Distribution, Sweeping, Leadership; -1-on-1, Vision
Amin Horak		32	 M	GK		VLC FC
	+1-on-1, Reflexes, Bravery; -Organisation, Eccentricity; [Dual National EFL/QUE]

Afiya Rasme		21	 F	CB/LB		CA Paulinthal (PAS)
	+Fitness, Bravery, Finishing; -Crossing, Set Pieces
Gijsbert Etherington	31	 M	CB/LB		Royal Jam FC
	++Height, +Strength; -Marking, Long Shots
Yulia Peebles		28	 F	CB		VLC FC
	+Determination, Long Shots; -First Touch, Ball Control
Florencia Plummer	30	 F	RMF/RB		RGS Athletic
	+Bravery, Injury; -Penalties, Tackling

Elvio Dinwoodie		29	 M	CMF/DMF/LMF	Norrion Rovers
	+Crossing, Movement; -Anticipation, Pace
Mutee'a Walkden		25	 F	RMF/AMF/LMF	RGS Athletic
	+Teamwork, Eccentricity; -Work Rate, Pace
Goldie Jafari-Law	26	 F	LMF/LWB		Aardswood United (KYP)
	++Balance, +Composure; -Marking, Leadership
Rory Siddiqi		29	 M	AMF		Olympia FC
	+Work Rate, Heading; -Pace, Set Pieces

Fidelina Noble		33	 F	ST		Olympia FC
	+Stamina, Pace, Composure; -Vision, Work Rate
Dulcea Haile		32	 F	ST/AMF/LWF	Toclofania FC
	+Aggression, Eccentricity, Teamwork; -Penalties, Ball Control

Style: 0
RP Permissions:
Select my scorers: Y
Give out yellow cards to my players: Y (maximum five, TG me with a reason for more)
Give out red cards to my players: Y (only one more than the number given to your team, maximum of three - i.e. I get two red cards, you must have at least one)
RP injuries to my players: Y (Maximum 3, no career-ending injuries without my explicit permission – I reserve right to how long players are out; you can RP how severe it looks)
Godmod injuries: Y (within some reason)
Godmod scoring events: Y (Have fun.)
Godmod other events: Y (TG me if you're planning on killing anybody though, or anything really extreme.)

If I do RP, I will include the line-up for the next match in my RP post, along with any suspensions/injuries. If there is no line-up, look through my posts and check for current suspensions/injuries, but otherwise it’s fine. Also, if you're RP'ing any part of my match, please use the full name Eastfield Lodge at least once, it helps me find the RP.

NB: As the people of EL are extremely compassionate, and very civilised (despite what you may say about the religion), it would be uncharacteristic for the coaches/players to lose their temper, dive deliberately (jumping out of the way of bad tackles and falling awkwardly doesn't count), to be sent to the stands (if the ref is clearly very biased however...), spit, argue with the ref or fight. Players will also tend to inform the referee about mistakes/clarifications in judgement regarding throw-ins, fouls given but with no contact and goal kicks/corner kicks (plus other bouts of honesty - up to you).

by **Saperetia** » Sat Jun 13, 2026 6:26 pm

National Football Squad of Saperetia

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes, but please keep it realistic (no sending off the entire team)
Godmod other events: Nothing that isn't realistic
(Anything that has happened in a football match is fair game)

Style: -5

by **Carpathia and Ruthenia** » Mon Jun 15, 2026 2:45 pm

Carpathia and Ruthenia Cup of Harmony XCIII Squad
(Style Mod: +2)

Formation of the Starting XI

Staff
Manager:

Brelk-Xeral Erv
Assistant Manager:

Marisa Novák

Starting Lineup
GK: Federica Antonini (20 caps/0 goals)

DF: Panni Verona (3 caps/0 goals)
DF: Szevér Naldi (20 caps/1 goal)
DF: Delia Alinari (2 caps/0 goals)
DF: Loris Kövér (20 caps/0 goals)

MF: Ottavia Lecce (20 caps/0 goals)
MF: Anastagio Brunetti (20 caps/1 goal)
MF: Lucia Vinci (7 caps/1 goals)

FW: Clara Bassi (c) (20 caps/11 goals)
FW: Róza Crocetti (7 caps/3 goals)
FW: Rebecca Pék^† (20 caps/6 goals)

Substitutes
GK: Marina Voltolini (0 caps/0 goals)
GK: Efisio Rapallino (0 caps/0 goals)

DF: Lazzaro Cino (3 caps/0 goals)
DF: Rosalba Selmone (3 caps/0 goals)
DF: Ermanno Ruzsa (4 caps/0 goals)
DF: Grazia De Marco (0 caps/0 goal)
DF: Fabrizia Buffon (0 caps/0 goal)

MF: Adél Alemagna (20 caps/0 goals)
MF: Giannino Pugliese (3 caps/0 goals)
MF: Salvatore Piccirillo (3 caps/0 goals)
MF: Franciska Büki (5 caps/0 goals)

FW: Annunciate Mondo (3 caps/0 goals)
FW: Gioachino Brunetti (0 caps/0 goals/5 U21 caps/4 U21 goals)
FW: Vida Ildiko (0 caps/0 goal)
FW: Alberto Sabbatini (0 caps/0 goal)

^† Penalty taker

........Home Kit..................Away Kit..............Goalkeeper Kit....

Other Information
Fan's Temperament: Good-natured (They will not react violently to a loss and lay siege to the host's city)
Team's Temperament: Normal (Every now and again one player might get sent off, but they are not going to hack/beat up the opposing team as a strategy)
Manager's Temperament: Positive and upbeat, they will go to bat for their players anywhere, anytime, any way, all the way.
RP Permissions: No godmodding goals or killing my players

by **The Martian Independent Republic** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 9:08 pm

The following was submitted as part of a competition to create an educational song teaching Martian schoolchildren about the nations of Anaia. It was rejected on the very flimsy grounds of "overemphasizing football", "leaving out Flavovespia", "having mastery over neither rhyme nor reason", and "being submitted three months after the deadline", whatever that means.

Seagulls, Spiders, Legalese
Bostopian Ts and Ds
Beans & beans & beans & beans
Kimi's got racing machines

Audio versus Ko-oren
(band, their football leaves you snorin')
E&E ain't doin' so well
Hanalia, UHL

It's been a while since we've seen
Starblaydia, NMS, Mriin
Time with Evan's never boring
Cardenao just said "good morning"

Calania, Nova and non-
Ochre's here and now they're gone
Leaving Plough as only Islands
A boat has radio silence

Atheara's somehow back
Huay says "vultures, go attack"
Krytenia, that Bekkside zone
Warkus and their ancient clone

Mertagne continues Bekkside cruise
It's not close to StrayaRoos
1830, LigAnaia
Beat a team that's from Pyazhnaya

Cobrio, Saint Eleanor
Latter's winning more and more
Osarius, Cosumar
Pacitalia's quite far

101 final has Bulls
Now, Koroa City pulls
Sets off saw-a-fox klaxon
Abridged overview is done

Feedback from reviewers:
"Why are Aleirave and the MIR referred to by their sporting nicknames?"
"Huayramarca does not have attack vultures, and Warkus doesn't have an ancient clone, whatever that means."
"In what accent does klaxon rhyme with done?"
"It was certainly a bold choice to limit yourself to seven syllables per line, but that doesn't mean it was a good one."

by **IA3x** » Sun Jun 21, 2026 6:47 am

Mugel Krygorf is not only the manager for the Athearan National Team, but he is also the head of the Football Federation of Atheara.

That means all matters related to football, he must deal with. Abroad or domestic, the older Krygorf must have a hand in them. With Athearas confirmed participation in the Cup of Harmony alongside the completion of the nations newly founded domestic football league in the Primärliga, the former goalkeeper currently has his hands full. Which is something he doesn't want considering his political involvement with The Second Republic's government.

So right now, as he sits inside his office, he waits. This was a decision he made the moment he finished preparations for The Blue Guards participation in the Cup of Harmony, that he would abdicate from his position as Director of the FFA. The other heirs were confused at his decision, but the truth is, Mugel just doesn't want to deal with more jurisdiction and bureaucracy than he needs to as the manager of the national team. Not only that, he personally has selected one person to succeed him as Director.

The new FFA Director would not be swayed by the other heirs or anyone from the other departments. They would be compliant with whatever he asks for, if only for the sake of the national team. Other than that, every other domestic footballing matter would be settled by the new Director and the rest of the FA. Mugel would not have to deal with any of it.

And he believes he has made the right selection. This one person he selected is young, yet full of desire to see Athearan football become better than what it once was. Not to become as good as it once was, better. They used that very specific word, and Mugel knew that the one he personally handpicked would be the right choice to replace him.

A few minutes later, three knocks are heard. "Come in!" Mugel spoke, before seeing the door open. There they were, his replacement for FFA Director.

Katrina Hellavensk Doryen. She is quite young for the job, being only twenty three years old, but Mugel believes she's the right person for the job."Uhm, Mr Krygorf... I'm honored to take up the role of Director." She spoke, rather nervously. Mugel stood up from his chair, a calm expression on his face. "At ease, Katrina. Call me Mugel, we'll see each other a lot."

Katrina takes a few deep breaths, nodding in understanding. "Of course, Mugel. Any particular reason I was called here today?" She asked. Mugel grabs one file off the table, and hands it to her. This was confidential information, but the new Director needed to be in the know for the sake of it. "Some time from now, there are plans for The Second Republic to recolonize and inhabit some land from the First Republic. With this in mind, I need you and the rest of the FA to make long-term plans for the future of Athearan football."

It was the simple description. In actuality, the plan was to hopefully reclaim every single bit of land that once belonged to The First Republic. What territory Atheara inhabited in this completely different world would stay under Athearan administration, however, the plan was to bring this floating city back home to Anaia alongside its people. Athearas people.

Of course, everything about this now small nation would be affected. But the FFA ought to deal with the football-related consequences of whatever ridiculous plan this was going to be. It'd take perhaps up to a century for Atheara to reclaim every bit of land, especially considering how inhospitable the northernmost parts of Aurora were.

Opening the file and reading everything inside, Katrina was surprised. Not about the government, pretty much everyone who works for the Athearan government is in the know of what happens behind the screen that is the "Representative". She is surprised at the details of the plan and all of that. "The Primärliga should be a league that focuses on development and quality. I'll discuss this further with the rest of the board." Mugel nodded, before Katrina proceeded to excuse herself from his office room.

Three more games at the minimum for The Blue Guard. Time to see what can be done, and what has to be changed for the future.

by **Saterun** » Sun Jun 21, 2026 2:52 pm

Calling the Babur Marja International Airport, or Anasb International, as it was better known, a zoo would have been cruelly disrespectful to actual zoo animals. As Edvin Nyquist strolled through the fake marble halls, he nearly took out several elderly civilians, as well as one stroller. Approximately two other players of the Saterun national team were even in viewing distance, with the rest of the squad spread out in the eastern wing of the airport. They were supposed to be heading to gate 51B, but a quick glance to his right confirmed that they had only made it to the 10s. At least the numbers were going up. They still had some time, luckily, before the scheduled departure time, and Edvin decided that he could probably get something to eat. They were taking a chartered plane anyways, and surely they wouldn't leave without him.

Edvin was from Sandre, a city in the north of the main island, and he hadn't been back there for quite a while. Imagine his joy when, just a few gates down, he spotted a tungred specialty shop. Tungred was a dish endemic to Sandre, and made almost nowhere else. It had been ages since he'd had any. As he got in line, his phone buzzed with a text from Aleksander. Delayed an hour. Smth about runway scheduling. While Edvin usually didn't like delays, it just gave him more time to get his tungred. He gradually moved his way through the line, before finally sitting down with his bowl of rice, corn, and lamb. He ate without too much thinking, just scrolling on his phone as he did. After Saterun had missed out on world cup qualification, yet again, he hadn't been able to go on social media for a while. It was too bad there. Now, however, things had calmed down, and most fans were just wishing the team good luck as they sought to defend their Cup of Harmony title.

As he finished up and headed to the gate, he saw Handrix standing in front of a group of Saterun players. This didn't look good. "Edvin, there you are. I'm sorry, but we've gotten more bad news. We're delayed for another 5 hours." Handrix kept going, but by the time Edvin had heard "5 hours" he immediately checked out. That was an ungodly delay, and one that he was dreading sitting through. Edvin hated boredom with a fiery passion, and airports were boring. But he had no idea how bad it could still get. Or better, depending on how you thought about it. 3 hours later, it was finally announced. Due to a combination of factors, the flight would be delayed by 2 more days. During the next day, the SFF apparently decided that it was time to get a move on. They were shifted south, to the Fontecoro Regional Airport, from which they'd fly to Treadwellia before embarking for Eshialand. A quick drive promptly deposited them at the FRA, and they were finally up in the air shortly after, a brief 28 hours after their original flight was supposed to leave.

The flights were fine, but Edvin's travel nightmare wasn't over yet. Once they touched down in Penrose Airport, he was excited to finally get off the plane and into Eshialand. However, the airport had other plans. They sat on the taxiway for a bit, before an announcement came over the plane's speaker. "Unfortunately, due to a backup caused by high arrival volume, traffic control has alerted us to a minimum two hour delay." A two hour delay. On the tarmac. Edvin sighed as he rolled over in his seat. Never in his life had he been subject to so much travel delay. At this rate, the team would barely have time for a group dinner before they kicked off against Carpathia and Ruthenia on Saturday. But, eventually, time passed. They got off the plane, and into the airport. Surely, now, it would be a smooth ride to the hotel.

And it was, to Edvin's shock. Besides a 10-minute wait for the bus, the final leg in their trip had gone quite smoothly, and he was quite glad that they were staying in Eshialand City for the rest of the group stage. Of course, this Saterun squad planned to be here for far longer than the group stage. The only way to avenge another failure to qualify was to have a deep CoH run, and being the reigning champions and one of the highest ranked squads in the tournament surely made them favorites. However, that meant nothing once they got out on the field. But the Saterun squad did have one thing no one else had. They were fighting for something extremely special. By now, it was common knowledge that Handrix would leave the team at the end of this tournament. He was beloved by the players, though, and they all wanted him to get a special send-off. One final trophy would be the perfect way to do so. Their road started soon, and it was still a long way to go. However, after everything that it had taken just to get here, Edvin wanted to rest for just a little while.

by **Eriadni** » Sun Jun 21, 2026 4:54 pm

The Eriadnians will face their first match of the 93rd Cup of Harmony in Kwrpanmap, taking to the field of Capital Park! This marks the third major tournament campaign for the team in what has been a packed season for Eriadnian international football.

Regionally, the Eriadnians enjoyed their time in the TCB Kovatsk Cup. A dominant performance in the group stage saw the side tipped as one of the favourites, but unfortunately the team exited in the Round of 8. Elimination is always disappointing but an elimination on penalties to Archalit after a tight, focused game was even moreso. That said, many Eriadnian fans and players were impressed by the wonder save from the Archalit keeper which sent the Eagles packing.

Eriadni are seeking to mark out their place in the CoH following a tough World Cup qualification campaign. While coming in sixth of the group was a respectable effort for their first ever qualification campaign, a 4-0 loss to Sernet was the nail in the coffin for the team's playoff hopes.

Remarkably, the team was able to scrape 10 draws, the most of any team in the qualifiers, and meant the team only saw four defeats. The question now for the team is how they can take their offense to the next level and start marking out wins. The transition stage and the counter-attack have reportedly been a focus for head coach Li as the team have prepared for the CoH. The team's tried and tested 4-3-3 formation is set to remain, but viewers can expect some more forward and attacking moves from the fullbacks in an effort to overload wide spaces and open up opposition defences. The team's roster is expected to remain the same, with Coach Li expected only to make changes at the end of this international season.

Despite falling short in qualifiers and the Kovatsk Cup, the CPE and state authorities have continued to put their support behind the team, recognising the unifying power of the team and the impact the performances have had on youth participation and football at all levels. It is hoped that another respectable performance in the CoH will continue to pay dividends for football in the country. A large contingent of fans have been organised to travel for the CoH, with an official government delegation and representatives from major sporting associations also attending alongside hundreds of Eriadnians.

Match Squad
1 Long Xiaolian GK
2 Zhu Xiaofan D(L)
4 Ye Ting D(C)(c)
5 Lei Shan D(C)
3 Ren Qingzhao D(R)
8 Cui Chen M(L)
6 Feng Chengguang CDM
7 Wen Pengfei M(R)
11 Zeng Da W(L)
9 Bai Yanyu ST
10 Shen Lanfen W(R)

Subs
12 Zou Wencheng
14 Ding Lanfen
13 Mao Xia
15 Chang Yun
16 Wan Qing
17 Gong An
18 Xiang Ai

by **Katzeburg** » Mon Jun 22, 2026 4:43 am

The below is an excerpt from leading Katzeburgian television publication Broadcast Weekly.

This coming broadcast television season sees long-running drama Paint Drying begin its ninth season on air, moving the series - which follows the trials and tribulations of the Wolsten family on the swampy plains of Western Katzeburg - into the pantheon of the longest-running series on Katzeburgian television, with only a handful of shows running for more than nine seasons. But when fans look to tune into the ninth season premier this coming Sunday - a time which has also drawn ire from football fans who will be forced to choose between seeing the dramatic conclusion to Gordon Wolsten's murder trial or the Blue Cats take on their former World Cup 100 Qualifying groupmates Atheara in the opening game of their Cup of Harmony 93 campaign - they'll be watching a show which still lags significantly in terms of longevity behind another show taking the airwaves this season.

Class of AK4 is a drama broadcast on KatzeTV, the largest private broadcaster in the country, and this season will be on the air for its 25th season, having initially begun its run in the months immediately following the Katzeburgian Revolution. A cornerstone of KatzeTV's schedule, the programme has a lot to owe to other shows which aired in the annals of Katzeburgian broadcasting history which didn't make the cut.

This can be best exemplified in the short-run show The Undergraduates, which ran on KBC for 13 episodes all the way back in BK42. At the core of the show, was a rather simple concept - what if you followed a group of university freshers through the course of their degree to see how they grow, change, and become adults in a changing Katzeburg? Pitched by a fresh-out-of-university Graham Williams - who would eventually go on to become one of Katzeburg's leading off-screen talents as the creative force behind the cult-classic Lake Byrne and films like Rivoli Street (AK4) and Fallen Empire (AK11) - the show was one of the first to go to air in Katzeburg with the concept of long-running plot arcs, working off the assumption that the audience will tune in for the life of the series to see how the characters at the heart of the show would change and develop over time.

At the heart of the show was first year student at the University of Katzestadt, Franz Othmar (Tim Wallsend), moving to the big city after growing up on the plains of Refeld and becoming the first person in his family to attend university. Searching for meaning and a better life, Franz was the gentle tightrope on which the show pinned all its hopes, alongside a small cast of friends, roommates, and academic staff which made up the wider universe of the show. "It was a big swing for us to take at the time," Williams told Broadcast Weekly during our 50th anniversary retrospective in AK8. "I remember one network executive in the pitching room skimmed over the script for the first episode and the loglines for the wider series and said, 'what happens if I miss a week because I have to go to the hospital or a Lord's dinner? Why would I bother watching the show if I lose all context?' - but the public had no idea that something away from what we now call episodic content could exist in the televisual space and they were scared of the risk; but one of us had to be the pebble which dislodged the landslide to come."

Championed by young KBC executive Andy Voller, the network opted to give the idea a short 13-episode run in the summer of BK42 to test the waters and fill the void of KBC's usual lacklustre summer schedule. While initial test viewings with select audiences suggested some interest in the overarching concept, the series itself landed with a bit of a resounding thud on air - the pilot episode reached just over 500,000 viewers (or around six per cent of all televisions at the time, according to Shirtzen Media). By the end of the shows run six weeks later (as KBC opted to burn off the full order to get it off the schedule as soon as possible) the finale would see these numbers descend to just over 100,000, making it one of the lowest rated shows to air on Katzeburgian television that season. The concept of overarching plotlines would be condemned as a failure by the major networks at the time, with another attempt at bringing consistent storylines together not coming to air for another two decades, upon which KBC's Ynysgard Shores would explode in popularity when it first aired in BK20; kick-starting a wave of shows where continuity was suddenly something viewers craved.

Champion of the show Voller would lose his job at KBC - ultimately going on to land on his feet by starting Collected Artists, one of Katzeburg's largest movie studios today - but for many others involved in the series, it would take a long while in the wilderness before they would find their way back to the spotlight. "I was toxic after that show crashed out," Williams said in AK8. "Any pitch for film or series funding I went into for the next two decades had at least one person bring up the fact I brought this programme to air. After a certain point, it was eaiser just to stop defending it and take the blow face-on." Williams would eventually find success through another big creative swing in Lake Byrne, which ran for three seasons prior to the Katzeburgian Revolution to initial critical and commercial acclaim before sliding into obscurity after Williams left the show early in the third season after complaining about 'executive pressure' from the KBC higher-ups.

Tim Wallsend, the fresh-faced actor who took on the role of Franz, would have no such luck - appearing on screen just two more times following the airing of The Undergraduates as he struggled to be selected for roles owing to the unpopularity of the show, despite positive critical reviews for his performance. Both of these would be decades after the show's run - with a guest star role in Lake Byrne as the town's scrupulous mayor Dale Whisperly earning him a Boxie nomination for Best Guest Star in a Drama, before another appearance on long-running sitcom Some People Occasionally Tolerate Raymond which was intended to set up a recurring role, but Wallsend would unfortunately pass from a heart attack three days after his final appearance went to air.

But what made The Undergraduates so unpalatable at the time of airing? It's hard to tell - contemporary critical reviews have given the show somewhat of a reappraisal as a show decades ahead of its time; each episode bridging to the next one with a consistent storyline and world which was so far removed from the status quo nature of all the other shows around it at the time. Viewers who tuned in saw characters develop and change over the course of 13 episodes - the course of a single semester in-universe - and saw Franz change from a clueless youngster making his first steps in the world to someone (by the time the series finished its first and only season) broken by the geographical separation between himself and his family and the pressure of university life and love. To this day, many who have uncovered the show in the years that follow pick at the finale ending which left Franz standing atop a bridge over the River Cuomo, questioning whether he had enough in him to stop himself from jumping off the edge after his girlfriend Selena Andrews (Helena Wolf) was found in bed with his roommate and best friend Ryan Mattheus (Anders McNally) - it was a dark and bold cliff-hanger for a show at the time, considering almost all Katzeburgian shows would end each week with a laugh track and a return to the status quo.

"It was a huge risk ending it like that," Williams chuckled during our interview in AK8. "But by the point we were filming the finale we knew we didn't have a hope in all the cosmos of a second season, so we went for it to give something for people to talk about - the fact so many people talk about it all these years later, especially having found the show after its time really does warm my heart. To make art which lasts, even if not understood at the time its made, is all that you can do."

Critical reviews from the time suggest The Undergraduates was something which missed the mark - even our own reviewer from BK42 said the show "misses the point of what television is all about. If you are working in the fields labouring for eight hours a day only to come home and watch moody teenagers drone about their problems, you might yearn for a return to the fields once more" - but some would also suggest that the series itself had a natural lifetime due to its core concept. With the average Katzeburgian university degree taking four years, many critics believed even if you could make it past the drastic changes to television the show pitched, the story would run to a stop after four years as all these characters would go in different directions. But what would happen if The Undergraduates was able to last the full length of its run? We might have an answer in Class of AK4, which has so thoroughly shot past its initial story arc, it's become a thing of beauty to marvel at the chaos the show has created in its two-plus decades on air.

by **Kamijiro** » Mon Jun 22, 2026 4:52 am

Kamijiroan Roster for Cup of Harmony 93

So, you've been drawn to play Kamijiro in the Cup of Harmony. What does that mean for you and your players? Well, if recent results are any indicator, this is not the powerhouse squad that fought its way into the top ten in the KPB rankings. This is not the nation that went 15-0-1 in a World Cup Qualifiers just two cycles ago. This is, for all intents and purposes, a squad that is in disarray. Ryuji Kagawa, Kamijiro's most successful manager ever, was sacked after failing to qualify for the World Cup's knockout stages during that cycle previously mentioned. Alexandre St. Francis was his replacement, initially named as an interim manager but hired full-time following a third-place finish in the Campeonato Esportiva. However, he was sacked after the squad floundered its way to a fourth-place finish in the qualifiers of the World Cup this past cycle despite being a pot two team, though they nearly snuck into the proper. Former national team goalkeeper Bunta Nagano, who still holds the record for oldest player to make a Kamijiroan National Team appearance at age 45, takes the reins. He's 51 now, making him also the oldest manager in KNT history.

Bunta runs a tight ship and employs a throwback style of play, often referred to as Route One. This tactic involves hoofing the ball over the midfield by either the goalkeeper or defense and then having the striker, typically a more physical one, contend for the ball in the air. From there, the midfield is expected to be in positions to win second balls. This is also the first time in a very long time that Kamijiro will operate as an actual four-at-the-back as opposed to a pseudo-four that was secretly a three or five. Sōji Kokubun fits this tactic quite well up top as he stands at six-four and is quite hard to move out of position. The real question is how well the midfield five will handle being moved into secondary roles as runners-on as opposed to being playmakers that make opportunities for Sōji.

Another important note: this is a heavily demoralized Kamijiro as a nation. The Lightning Isles are a former empire of their own, despite being the result of rampant imperialism in its past. However, they've lost yet another piece of their empire, this one the closest they've ever had to their main islands. Jirinho declared independence and then was able to successfully defend that claim despite having a fighting civilian force that was untrained and made up entirely of volunteers. Jirinho is, quite literally, smack in the middle of the two main islands of Kamijiro, has maybe a rounding error of budget compared to the big islands and won off of guerrilla tactics, as they were defending what amounts to a swamp during a monsoon. The main reason that they won is because the Kamijiroan public didn't support the war at all and Parliament folded like wet paper at the first sign of public dissent.

Back to the football, though.

The kits are sponsored by Icaria and feature the wing sleeves, which debuted at the World Cup proper two cycles ago. Unless Icaria re-ups their sponsorship, this will be the final run for these kits.

Starters listed in bold.
Goalkeepers:
1.  Ichi Asumi          (Miraisaki United).                 Age: 23 [Vice Captain]
5.  Genichi Kitamura    (Pwllheli).                         Age: 22
99. Kai Itakura         (Narakugai).                        Age: 18

Centerbacks:
2.  Ryō Murai           (Porto de Kamijiro).                Age: 25
3.  Akinari Akaminai    (Jirō Island).                      Age: 23
4.  Kō Kamimura         (Jirō Island).                      Age: 35
17. Kyōji Kirishima     (Narakugai).                        Age: 27
47. Kennedy Jaques      (Pwllheli).                         Age: 31

Fullbacks:
19. Tōshi Kameda        (Jirō Island).                      Age: 25
44. Azuma Kogushi       (Kyethas Rivermen FC, Tikariot).    Age: 24
45. Hiro Kumakiri       (Miraisaki City).                   Age: 21
66. Ryuta Nomura        (Miraisaki City).                   Age: 27

Midfielders:
7.  Katsu Fujiwara      (Miraisaki United).                 Age: 23 [Captain]
8.  Saiichi Demizu      (Miraisaki United).                 Age: 29
10. Kento Kanazono      (Miraisaki United).                 Age: 29
13. Nicácio Xavier      (Arsenal de Releinthi, Abanhfleft). Age: 21
14. Haruka Kagawa       (Miraisaki City).                   Age: 21
20. Hiroshi Abiko       (Miraisaki United).                 Age: 30
23. Vivienne Silva      (Porto de Kamijiro).                Age: 19
41. Keigo Nakaji        (Crossroads, Chromatika).           Age: 19

Attackers:
9.  Sōji Kokubun        (Miraisaki United).                 Age: 26
21. Darren Williams     (Daxler AFC, Saterun).              Age: 26
22. Tatsuya Nakamura    (Jirō Island).                      Age: 22

Schedule:
MD1: Kamijiro v. Myrtle Beach @ Capital Park in Kwrpanmap
MD2: Kamijiro v. Eriadni @ Capital Park in Kwrpanmap
MD3: Kamijiro v. Natkr @ National Stadium, Tydebwg

RP Permissions
Choose my scorers: yes
Choose my scoring events: yes
Godmod scoring events: yes
Book my players (yellows): yes
Book my players (reds): yes
Injure my players: yes, I reserve right to say no if it's too severe or unrealistic.
Godmod injuries: no
If you have any RP questions or want to collaborate with me on RPs, please reach out! I'm generally very accomodating to RP requests and have done some fun outside-the-box RPs before.
Style mod: -3.5

by **Zwangzug** » Mon Jun 22, 2026 7:51 am

Watching the World Cup at Work

Oh, how the fans lament their suffering
from the broadcasts' unstable buffering!
We try to watch the match occur;
we get a pixelated blur.
We cannot follow either team
because of the janky livestream.
Audio may lift the World Cup
but our audio won't go up.
(That's not just watching sports, you'll find;
for Skype meetings, we're just resigned
to dial in via touch-tone
and tilt our necks to hold the phone.
Why not report this buggy mess?
The job's one of learned helplessness.
No one explains to you the rules;
you stumble on, feeling like fools,
until there's water you can tread
enough to not get left for dead.)
Time travel dazzles us at last!
We're twenty minutes in the past:
at least, according to the screen
which shows the status as was seen
a couple of ejections prior.
We cannot catch up with the wire.
But hey, if we just try to watch
the messy, pixelated blotch;
if I can do no useful labor
because I'm making sure my neighbor
does not monitor what's on mine--
in the grand scheme of things, that's fine.
I hope by now I've made it clear:
that's just a normal Tuesday here.

by **Sel Appa** » Mon Jun 22, 2026 12:18 pm

A look ahead at the 93rd Cup of Harmony

Sel Appa are back in the Cup of Harmony after a long hiatus, having finally earned an invitation after four unsuccessful attempts at qualifying for the World Cup in their return to international football. This marks a new era under Federation President Rockwell Bates and Coach Walter Daviande. The duo from Royal Fizroe led the team to an unexpected 4th place at the 25th Independents, and saw some improvements at World Cup qualifying, but the Turtles still fell short after being in the running for a playoff spot at midpoint. However, meriting a spot in the consolation tournament is a testament to the advances the team has made with this leadership.

The boys in blue have been drawn into the first group of seven of an unusual 28-team tournament, which will see two each thru, and the best two third place teams overall. Sel Appa are ranked 84th overall out of qualifiers, facing 43rd Eastfield Lodge, 56th Martian Independent Republic, and 261st Eraman. The group stage starts off at National Stadium in Tydebwg, Kwrpania against the Martian Independent Republic (8-3-7: 27), who narrowly missed qualification by losing to Kamijiro in the second round of playoffs. This is anticipated to be the toughest match for Sel Appa from a strong and competent side, but a win here would be big. Previously, the two teams faced each other in World Cup 99 qualifiers, with a 2-5 loss at home and a 0-1 loss away. Following that, the Turtles take on Eraman, which is expected to be a win. The low-ranked team performed poorly in qualifiers earning a last place 3-4-11 (13) in Group 11. And finally, our team meets Eastfield Lodge (6-3-9: 21) from our qualification group at Capital Park in Kwrpanmap. Sel Appa defeated the Lodgers at home in qualifiers, but drew away. The returning side will want revenge, but the rank gap has narrowed. This presents a good opportunity for the Turtles to take second place and go on to the Round of 16. The fight for the two third place positions out of seven groups will be tough, tight, and best avoided.

Coach Daviande is confident, however, and excited to make his Harmony debut. "The team had missed out the last few qualification runs, so we are really happy to be headed to Kwrpania for this opportunity. I believe in our boys day in and day out." Asked about personnel changes, Daviande said he might switch up starters and strategy, but the roster remains the same from qualifiers. "We arent ready to make any big changes, well see how this goes and Independents down the line." The players were similarly optimistic with rising striker Antonio Rodriguez looking to bolster the family legacy of his uncle, former star player and later coach, Estevez. "We are ready to roll into this tournament with the energy we brought to Independents. World Cup qualification is a grind, and it takes a lot of teams out over the long haul. The Cup of Harmony will give us the chance to shine again."

Inside the Turtles team jet
As Sel Appas team sets off for Kwrpania, we get an exclusive look at the private aircraft that takes them there. The TriStar JetStar 250 is not much different from a regular commercial flight, but is geared to the needs of the team. The players are afforded comfortable wide lie-back seats that compare to the higher end options on ASA or TA. The absolutely plush seats feel like sitting on a cloud and the sleep configuration is better than one might expect. In the rear, we find more standard sized seats for support staff, but still better than what you see on the major carriers. The plane has more soundproofing installed than standard, and each seat is appointed with personalized equipment for each players needs and preferences. The galley includes one of the teams personal chefs, who cooks to the desires and demands of the team. There is also a small lounge for those who want to get up and stretch their legs or change scenery. The lounge also offers an opportunity to correspond with staff, or even take an interview when media are allowed on board.

The use of the private jet enables the team to dispatch with the complexities of commercial air travel. The decision was an obvious one years ago, altho the planes have varied over the years. The livery is Sel Appan blue, but the cockpit forms the head of a turtle, as it must. As the players board, they slap the right side of the fuselage, a Sel Appan superstition. Each seat has a number on it, assigned to each player, making it easy and ensuring everyone can maintain their seat to their liking. The attendants learn the likes and dislikes of each player, from preferred flavor of TurtleAde to the snacks they all want. And there are a lot of snacks. Taking their seats and getting cozy, we learn that Karlo Metassis is partial to lemon rehydration, but also sometimes takes orange, or lime. Or mixes all three together. "It really should be a flavor, its so good." We are assured by his seatmates that all three are usually ready for him, since it is never a certainty.

A lesser known use of the jet is philanthropic work. When off duty, the Players Charity Network frequently uses the plane to bring children and families from rural areas and less-appointed provinces to better hospitals for treatment. The patients are allowed to travel in comfort and frequently get to meet their favorite players. The network also provides counselors and support staff to families struggling with difficult processes and decisions. This program has been credited with helping young people feel better before they receive medical service, and make the arduous journey that much more pleasant. The experience provides a much-needed distraction in a stressful time, and also gives parents a break and takes one worry away.

GIMP Disclosure: Graphics were designed by hand with GNU Image Manipulation Program, and incorporates free clipart.

by **Carpathia and Ruthenia** » Mon Jun 22, 2026 1:58 pm

Last chance saloon for Brelk-Xeral Erv

After an encouraging campaign in the centenary edition of the World Cup, just one point shy of a playoff spot and only having lost two games in the entire run. You might have felt like the national team had reached a turning point. When you watched them play in the Sixth Arrosia Regional Cup, in which we made it to the Round of 16 and not only that, they managed to beat Farfadillis three goals to nothing, that feeling may have burned brighter still. When the organisers announced the qualifying format for the one hundred and first World Cup with fifth place in the group being a chance for a playoff spot, that feeling caught fire within your heart.

Buckets of cold water have firmly extinguished that flame now, a campaign that saw us lose half the matches we played, with a minus ten goal difference and languishing in seventh place and one of the worst performances in recent memories. The team and manager are the same as in the two previous tournaments so what on earth went on? Rumors of fighting egos within the team, went from rumours to outright fights on the pitch in Carpathia and Ruthenia’s 4-4 draw against bottom of the table Libesia, ugly scenes seeing two red cards given to Arsenij Fedoryshyn and Zaira Addis for fighting each other on the pitch.

The calls for Brelk-Xeral Erv had become a roar by this stage, and most everyone expected them to be terminated at the end of the qualifying campaign. However so far the FCCR have resisted the calls for their termination, being quoted as saying that Brelk-Xeral Erv’s appointment to the role was always a long term building project and that a bump in the road shouldn’t cause us to turn around now. The FCCR’s staying faith with Brelk-Xeral Erv, must have been infectious and they have also kept faith with Fedoryshyn and Addis, both making apologies to the press and Brelk-Xeral Erv stating that they are young and the point of being young is to make mistakes, but that they love playing for their country and shouldn’t be punished forever for it.

It would seem a united front, however according to my sources it appears that the FCCR is behaving like a swan at the moment, seeming serene all the while madly paddling below the water. Fedoryshyn and Addis while having reconciled in public are reported to have been attending separate training sessions, and according to one anonymous source Brelk-Xeral Erv may well have been terminated already had it not been for the last minute invitation to the ninety-third Cup of Harmony and a chance to right the ship in the eyes of the public before the next regional cup.

By Margita Ongaro
CBC Ruthenia

ISideWith UK · by **Eastfield Lodge** » Mon Jun 22, 2026 5:20 pm

After what could be considered Eastfield Lodge’s most embarrassing qualifying campaign, is this Cup of Harmony the beginning of a new era of promise and success, or yet another false dawn?

It is strange to think that only a few months ago, Aleksandr Meogegiv was stood in the corridor for a post-match interview at the Memorial Stadium after the Imperial Commonwealth were eliminated from World Cup qualifying, announcing his resignation in a one-on-one interview instead of the tried and tested formal press conference route literally minutes after the final whistle. The next international break saw the now interim manager Georgina Wadimu win both match, albeit in a relatively unconvincing fashion as the Lodgers conceded twice in both matches, including against bottom of the table Boring Paradise. Wadimu had made it clear that she didn’t intend on taking the job full time at this stage, but rumours emerging from the ICELFA headquarters did make it sound like she was the front runner. After all, who would want to take this job unless they were desperate?

How about a former Pasargan striker who has never been a senior team manager himself? Lots of eyebrows would have been raised when it emerged Alexander Jager, assistant manager at one of the biggest clubs of world football in CA Paulinthal, had agreed a two cycle contract with the Eastfielder FA to take over as manager of the national team. His only experience of any management was of Pasarga’s under-19s, before becoming an assistant manager of the under-21s in the DBC before moving to CA Paulinthal. But he’s already been on the media circuit, talking about his plans to reign in the reckless attacking mindset the team had under Meogegiv, and a return to a more orthodox and traditional 4-4-2 diamond formation, not used by the Lodger since their early days in the World Cup.

To that end, whilst we don’t have a definitive starting line-up for the match against Eraman, reports from the training camp, and the make-up of the squad that has been called up, does suggest a few changes are going to be made. Rumour has it that Amin Horak will surrender the gloves to two-time Golden Glove winner for Royal Jam Beatrice Melia, and Yuvin O’Sullivan won’t even travel to Kwrpania following his disastrous season between the sticks at RGS. The back four looks to be changed up as well, with Norrion’s Apollo Halward set to debut in the starting centre-back pairing alongside Beatrisa Darragh, with Webber moving to full back joined by Tanrisal-based Diana Kirkup, with Rubeus Fevison and Mimi Phelan both surprising exclusions from the squad as well. The formation change comes at the right time for captain Harun Farrow to retire from football entirely, allowing Szilard Forde to operate at the base of the diamond all alone, and the rest of the midfield is largely unchanged as well from qualifying, Darrell Hangeland following up his breakthrough in qualifying with a likely starting berth on the left as Daisi Hackett also retires from international football. Up front will be the usual suspects, Enoch Ingersleben’s breakthrough as one of the most promising international strikers despite the team’s performance in qualifying, and Chappell Holdsworth getting the nod to partner him after a dazzling 23 goal league season for the Stags.

The jury will be out until after the Eraman match finishes, but many fans across the Imperial Commonwealth are quietly hopeful that the team can kick on from the doldrums and do well at this Cup of Harmony - who knows, they may even surpass the 4th place finish from the 58th Cup of Harmony.

Line-up to play Eraman (4-1-2-1-2):
Melia - Darragh, Halward, Kirkup, Webber - Forde - Caceres, Hangeland - Scripps - Ingersleben, Holdsworth
Suspended: N/A
Injured: N/A

by **Kwrpania** » Mon Jun 22, 2026 5:58 pm

MD1 results

Group A
Eraman 0–5 Eastfield Lodge
the Martian Independent Republic 2–1 Sel Appa

Group B
Kamijiro 3–0 Myrtle Beach
Natkr 1–3 Eriadni

Group C
The Ko-orenite Constellation 0–2 Solgavden
Hamborn 3–1 Delaclava

Group D
Katzeburg 2–0 Atheara
Calgasia 4–0 Libegeist

Group E
Saterun 2–0 Carpathia and Ruthenia
Taeshan 0–4 Airannia

Group F
Megistos 2–4 Kelssek
Milchama 0–1 Saperetia

Group G
Warkus 4–0 Aamathyr
Zwangzug 1–0 The Republic of the United Marble Tribes

by **Milchama** » Mon Jun 22, 2026 10:50 pm

Alexandria Times-Tribune-Sun-Moon-Sky-Picayune-Courier-Post-Pre-Forward-Current-Reader

Sports Section

Milchama Hit New Low, Lose to Saperetia in Cup of Harmony

The Milchama Warriors have hit a new low and loss to a terrible team in the Cup of Harmony. Saperetia, ranked 112th, pulled off an impressive upset over the Warriors with striker Richard Seppel scoring in the impossible to score in the current World Cup 24th minute. Milchama almost scored in the 68th and 69th minutes, two other impossible minutes, but Milovan Hranislav made two impressive to stop the Warriors. Beyond that, the Warriors were mostly toothless despite having 66% of the possession, they only generated 1.3 xG and even that stat looks high.

The problem started in the first quarter, oh we should probably mention here that the most recent World Cup started hydration breaks. Many people noted that these hydration "did not occur during the Nationstates World Cup," "would never happen during a World Cup between multiple nations that are actively communist," and "are mind numbingly stupid on an elemental level." However, our RP only works if we assume that 1. they happen 2. we complain about them 3. all our goals are only scored during those hydration breaks. Therefore, we're going to run with these assumptions and just do it. Also, this is the rare newspaper post that will explicitly break the 4th wall, we're just running with it. I'm drunk, school's out, fuck it.

Anyways, this hydration break, was clearly important because it happened during the 24th minute, just like the current World Cup. But instead of listening both teams kept playing and during that time, Seppel was able to round Ben Aron, and get a nice shot off that just passed Lindsey leading to a goal and a 1-0 lead. It was unfortunate, but nothing that couldn't be overcome. Until Milchama kinda sucked the rest of the game. Before the goal, the Warriors clearly had the initiative, which we would show in one of those momentum charts but we are too lazy to make and we won't use AI at this paper. Regardless, Milchama was clearly the better side as the all new Warriors took the initiative, the momentum, and the shots, to pepper the Saperetian goal. So many shots, so many misses, and some mediocre finishing stopped the Warriors from scoring.

After the goal, however, the momentum shifted. And while it is not shown on one of the fancy momentum charts since Milchama still had the majority of the possession, the quality of the chances clearly went down. It didn't help that Saperetia put 10 people behind the ball and waited for the Warriors to break them down, a task that Milchama could not and did not do well. The [insert nickname here for Saperetia] clearly were deserved winners and the Warriors were just not good enough. Pity the fools.

The pressure now turns to Elton Freehold and the new look Milchamian squad to not screw up and actually play well. It's not a long group stage and poor CoH performance will harm Milchama in the long term. If this squad isn't good enough in the Cup of Harmony then there is no reason to bring it to the ARC or the next World Cup qualifying as we try to find new players and attempt to create something new from the chaos of Milchama.

Milchama 0
Saperetia 1 (Seppel 24)

by **IA3x** » Tue Jun 23, 2026 6:24 am

There were many thoughts flowing within the mind of the manager for Athearas national team as of lately. Things have been quaint.

Mugel Krygorf is looking at a whiteboard, with magnetic pins displaying Athearas starting line-up formation. The match against Katzeburg went alright, all things considered. Sure, it was a rather bleak 2-0 loss, which meant The Blue Guard needed to grab points in their next matches if they want to to through. But the team looked solid.

Despite that though, Mugel had this nagging feeling inside of his mind about how the team played. He admittedly isn't a tactical genius, but the way they played... It felt flat. That was an apt description perhaps. This Cup of Harmony would perhaps serve as a sort of testing ground, along with the delayed CAFA Cup later on. The competitions delay really messed the entire scheduling up, but the former goalkeeper wasn't in a rush. No one on the team is, so they will take their time to figure things out.

He thinks on what tactical system or idea to implement. The Athearan talent pool has severely shrunk due to the catastrophe, the nation's player selection thus is limited to what remaining players that are still alive. He also had to ensure that whatever tactical idea he employs has to be fitting for the players themselves. No use fitting a square into a circle.

"Something that everyone can train on, easy to pick up... My mind is drawing blanks." Mugel commented aloud, not hearing the door to his temporary planning room opening.

"Hey brother." The voice of Mikel Horzabath Krygorf could be heard. Mugel looks behind him, seeing Mikel pick up one of those pre-packaged water bottles. "What are you thinking about?" The active goalkeeper asked, before Mugel responded. "Take a look at it yourself." Mikel proceeded to approach and stand beside his brother, looking at the whiteboard.

Athearas 4-3-1-2, pinned out in comparison to what formation Katzeburg used. "I know The Blue Guard has historically used a defensive system, but we need... Something for attack. Systemic defense works just fine, but offense... You know of a way to be strong on the defense while overloading the attack when needed?" Mugel asked.

Mikel thinks about it, before proceeding to rearrange the pins. "A back five, with both wing backs moving forward? Stamina and endurance are probably on the easier side to train." He spoke. Mugel nodded. He'd have to consult the thought with Tedd, who was currently busy with his own issues, but the idea seemed sound. "Anyways, I'm counting on you, manager." Mikel spoke, patting his older brother on the back before proceeding to leave the room. That and there, when Mikel referred to Mugel as manager.

This was not a problem for Mugel Krygorf the Goalkeeper, this was a problem for Mugel Krygorf the Manager. And he knew that thought very well.

Looking at the whiteboard now, Mikel had arranged it into a 5-4-1. Atheara has never used a lone forward before, and the one footballer that Mugel had in mind that could fill such a role wasn't available. The team also currently had four forwards, so it didn't feel right. But maybe switching the positions of some players could work? Was this a stupid idea?

Grasping at straws, Mugel tries changing the formation that Mikel had arranged. Moving the pins, assuming how the team would move in his mind. How the formation would work, which position does what. Thinking about it, the manager comes to the conclusion that it does work, but it'd take a lot of time and effort. "Worth a shot," he muttered.

Fortunately for him, Atheara had plenty of time and is the sort of team willing to put in effort. But for now, he will have to make do with what The Blue Guard has.

by **Katzeburg** » Tue Jun 23, 2026 9:22 am

Katzeburg 2-0 Atheara
Hershey 10', Moores 73'

1 Beauden Moore, 2 Katharine Howland, 3 Prudence Deering, 4 Ezekiel Hodges, 5 Eva Badcock (Ben Heidrich 65'), 6 Serena Plank, 7 Babe Barr, 8 Gwen Sessions (Starla Baumer 65'), 9 Petra Moores, 10 Walton Hershey, 11 Brianne Chaplin (Leith Coburn 65')

Possession - 73% / 27%
Shots - 13 / 6
Shots on Target - 7 / 2
Fouls - 9 / 15

The below is an excerpt from leading Katzeburgian television publication Broadcast Weekly.

Class of AK4 was one of the first programmes to launch on KatzeTV in the immediate aftermath of the Katzeburgian Revolution, twisting its original name from Class of Tomorrow to align better with the changing time measurement which raised from the ashes as Katzeburg was born a new nation. "There was a sense of optimism at the times," original showrunner Barry Fontana told us as he sat down for us for an interview as part of this wider retrospective. "The Revolution had opened the door for something a bit more hopeful, a feeling that the whole world was open to all of us - that's the essence we wanted to hit with the initial pitch."

The series was to many televisual historians, a re-tread of The Undergraduates itself; repurposed and repackaged for a new Katzeburg. Set at Konigpool University, the series followed a group of freshmen in the first university cohort following on from the Revolution, while focusing on their personal lives and growth both as people, but as citizens of a new Katzeburg. At the core was Ingrid Royce (Audrey Sheparton), a fresher from Blackmouth who was looking to make her way in the world while studying a law degree. Her roommate, Ella Masterson (Idella Frei), was initially her complete opposite; a slacker who was only on campus to have a good time and eke out an arts degree because her parents wanted her to be the first one in her family to go to university. Rounding out the initial main cast was Aston Sorge (Leon Terry), the son of a Lord who lost it all during the Revolution, with Aston now needing to make his own way rather the enjoy the free ride he would have gotten only months earlier.

The dynamic which would link all three would be the focus of the pilot episode, which saw Ingrid arrive on campus and put through the paces of her orientation day, from meeting Ella by accidentally locking her out of the residential building they lived in, to Aston's initial arrogance being numbed by Ingrid over a beer following a disastrous orientation group session. The pilot, shot only weeks after the official end of the Katzeburgian Revolution, was a hastily-cobbled together affair; the initial script was decimated to provide for changes following the Revolution (including Aston initially being a Lord himself, leading to an expensive Lord's Quarters set needing to be repurposed into the opulent common room you see in the series) and filming begun so quickly at the insistence of KatzeTV that in a handful of scenes in the pilot you could see still smouldering wreckage from the Konigpool Protests.

As a result, expectations were low - the network had only given an initial 13 episode order, covering the first year of university, and the programme was shunted to a 9pm Tuesday timeslot opposite hit KBC gameshow Flash Flood. "The week after we filmed the pilot, I was right back to looking for other roles," Terry told us. "Tom [Marcus, the director of the pilot] told me after we wrapped filming that the whole thing was never going to last, the whole thing smacked of a rushed to market story to latch onto the goodwill of the Revolution."

But to the surprise of many, Class of AK4 managed to hang around - initial viewing figures of just over 1.5 million (or around 10 percent of all televisions in Katzeburg at the time) were nothing spectacular, especially against the 7.5 million viewers watching Flash Flood the same evening. For those that would make it past the pilot however, they'd access a richly-written world built off strong performances, especially from Frei and breakout recurring character Marcus Johansen (Daniel Guttenberg), who turned the classic class clown archetype into a character with real emotional depth and a humour which would cut through even the darkest of moments. The show would quickly form a devoted core following, but while critical response improved over the course of the season, viewership went the other direction - with the season finale hitting a mark of just over 750,000 viewers, a slight increase on the three weeks before but one of KatzeTV's lowest rating shows for the broadcast season.

But while the viewership would normally result in a swift cancellation, the sole thing keeping Class of AK4 alive in the early days was the quality of its writing - with the showing earning a Boxie for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the first season's sixth episode, 'The Frat Party', in which the initial season romantic tension between Aston and Ingrid was finally broken as the two hooked up after a drunken night out in Ingrid's dorm room and deciding to lock Ella out. By the time the sun had risen the next morning, Ella had vanished, kickstarting one of the major plotlines of Class of AK4's early years.

The plotline was one forced upon the producers, as KatzeTV increasingly put their thumb on the creative scale over the course of the first season as they desperately tried to arrest the declining ratings. "The network wanted to try anything to boost the ratings in those early days," Frei said. "It's fair to say that it worked, but the way they treated me in the immediate aftermath was disgusting." PR pieces from KatzeTV to selected media journalists framed Frei as a constant off-screen problem, from late arrivals at shoots to threatening to hold production to a standstill if she didn't receive an increased salary. The plotline was a way of progressing the show without her, the network affirmed. And for the character of Ella Masterson, Class of AK4 would progress on without her - the back half of the first season would twist into a hybrid mystery show as Ingrid, wracked with guilt from her involvement in the disappearance, investigated into where Ella had gone, bringing along with her a new recurring character in Diane Westwood (Ellen Guiness), a fresher criminology student who moved in across the hall from Ingrid and offered to help investigate despite harbouring her own dark undertones.

Of course, all this occurred alongside the 'traditional' campus life storylines, giving the show a mishmash of genre and tone that the writers were able to somehow deftly navigate - with many long-time fans of the show calling the eleventh episode, 'Exams', as an early classic of the fine balance Class of AK4 could do at its best. With end of year exams looming, Ingrid's various activities all come to a head as she faces her criminal law final while dealing with a proposal from Aston to transfer to Katzestadt for the next year and a break in the investigation into Ella's disappearance. The episode culminates in a tense final few moments, as Ingrid is followed back to her residence by a skulking figure only to realise once she gets there, Aston has left bound for Katzestadt.

By the time the show wrapped up its freshman season, many industry figures assumed there was not much more life in the show. Despite the critical acclaim, Class of AK4 had lost a core cast member, with another seemingly on the fence about being written out. It's very likely that the show would have met the same fate as The Undergraduates all those years earlier had that season not seen the end of a number of stalwart KatzeTV shows, including reality show Dining Disasters, historical drama Streets of Lowport, and sitcom Gordo! "The network was in a bit of a bind with so many high-rating programmes ending their runs all at once," Fontana said. "I remember getting a call from Max [Archer, the KatzeTV executive in charge of drama commissioning] and he basically said, 'we're gonna bring you back for a second season, but there's going to be some changes. If we can't get it working, then that's that.' I basically lost control of the core vision of the show at that point. But you do what you need to with the cosmos to make sure people stay in a job."

KatzeTV would end up renewing Class of AK4 for a four episode second season, demanding a range of changes to both cast and overall plotlines in an attempt to garner new interest to the show. It's fair to say these changes would work a little too well.

New look Blue Cats storm past Atheara to kick off Cup of Harmony run

By Otis Huffman, KBC

A raft of changes to the national team proved to breathe new life into Katzeburg as the nation started off their Cup of Harmony campaign with a resounding 2-0 win over Atheara at Dragon Park in Frjálshöfn. With the side failing to qualify for the World Cup after a second straight elimination in the playoffs, Katzeburg have returned to the Cup of Harmony amidst several questions as to the country's viability on the international stage with a pending governmental vote to decide whether the country's warring domestic federation and national federation are to merge.

Off-field drama notwithstanding, manager Becka Haberkorn named a significantly changed side to the one which ran out against Choppyhausen in the playoffs, and her trust in the burgeoning talent of Katzeburgian football paid off as the side would take an early lead against Atheara through Walton Hershey - the Littleport striker firing off a header from a Serena Plank corner to break the tension. Atheara would remain in the match however, with Zarbir Iltchoporsk coming within inches of levelling the score in the 23rd minute with a powerful effort from the edge of the box which forced a fully outstretched Beauden Moore to tip the ball over the bar. Iltchoporsk would have another chance to lock it up just after half-time, with a looping header beating Moore but not the upright, leaving Athearan's to think they had been done hard by through the passage of play.

But Katzeburg would weather the storm and create chances of their own - Brianne Chaplin would see a curling effort pushed away by Mikel Horzabath Krygorf in the 57th minute and Hershey would slice an effort just wide two minutes later to deny him his brace. It would take Petra Moores to put the result beyond all doubt, cutting in from the right flank past Ryan Caleb-Moore to fire a shot which squeezed between the right post and the diving body of Krygorf. The win pushes the Blue Cats to the qualification spots of Group D, level on points with Calgasia but behind the side after they stormed to a 4-0 win over Libegeist. "It was an encouraging performance on a number of levels," manager Becka Haberkorn told media in Frjálshöfn.

"There was a real hunger which you could say has been missing from our World Cup qualifiers and the team went out there with a purpose and a plan and executed it to perfection. I'm not going to go out and say we're going to replicate our performance at the last Cup of Harmony as there are a lot of quality teams in the mix - but if we put in good showings like that there's no reason to think we can't be in that conversation at the end of the day."

Katzeburg take on Libegeist in their next game in what is the first meeting between the two nations - Libegeist just missed out on the playoffs in the World Cup Qualifiers after finishing sixth in Group 15 behind The Golden Harp on goal difference, but the side will be looking to turn around following on from their initial performance to ensure they can take a step further over in Kwrpania and Eshialand.

by **The Ko-orenite Constellation** » Tue Jun 23, 2026 9:47 am

The AFC - the Constellation's football association - is, about two years into the Constellation experiment, easily the best entrenched, supported, and trusted supranational body. Where the Council struggles to find quorum in its attempts to lead the bloc politically, and other organisations are only barely finding their bearings, the AFC can look back on two successful internal Championships and a World Cup qualification. For the qualifiers, member states compete separately - that means that TJUN-ia will play, say, Isidoren, and Chromatika face, say, Ndugutisaoren - but for the playoffs and finals, the Constellation must pick a superteam to represent a bit of everything.

The internal Championships determine which member states get to play in the qualifiers, but the team for the finals is an issue. Five nations see themselves as the strongest footballing power within the union - none of which have won the Championship, by the way - and they will never allow someone from one of the other four to evaluate who should go to the playoffs, World Cups, Cups of Harmony, or the Campionato Esportiva. Or, as the Taröreni representative said: "Isidoren don't get football and if it were up to them, we're just selecting cautious 4-4-2s." Two attackers hurt Tarören as they have three of the best strikers in the Constellation and the odds of them playing goes down drastically. At the same time, Ndugutisaoren says of Tarören that "Let's face it, the era of 3-2-5 is over by about a century, it's time to move on."

Much like in the political arena, these nations aren't going to trust each other. And so we turn to Meia-Armadoren, who secured the headquarters of the AFC to be located in their capital city of Chutalina.

Leandro Pereira - yes, the father of Athletic Club FdE's Leandrinho - who was named chairman of the AFC for the time being, was waiting for his staff to join him in the air conditioned (albeit poorly) meeting room that happened to be on the headquarters' premises. When they rented the office, any office space would do, they didn't have any ideas about needing meeting spaces at the time. Every seat had a good view of the screen at the head of the table, which read 'Professionalisation'. Most of the staff that got to the room, one by one, was Meia-Armadorense: locals who applied for jobs that were listed on Meia-Armadorense websites.

Some of the staff came from abroad, too. This happened for two reasons: one, now that the AFC had to look respectable after sending a team to the World Cup and Cup of Harmony finals, it was necessary to bring in staff from the other football heavyweights in the Constellation in order to combat accusations of favouring the Meia-Armadoren national team over the rest - the few Ndugutisaoren, Isidoren, and reluctant Bandar Cang Prathoren staff were here to do their job and oversee neutrality. The second reason had to do with the fact the offices were in Chutalina to begin with: back when there were multiple rivaling Constellation-wide football associations battling to decide who was going to be the actual, only, official assocation, there was some greasing of palms and some offering of jobs to people from member states that had an undecided vote. And how better to make sure, say, Galnoren's vote was going to you instead of Isidoren's proposal for a football assocation?

"Today's meeting is on professionalisation." Pereira started, despite some team members still coming into the room. In Meia-Armadoren, times were guidelines more often than not. "The Constellation Team is starting to attract attention and we'll have to think about the following."

"On the international side, we need a manager, a staff of selectors for player tracking while they're at their clubs, and assistant managers. The manager must be above member state differences, so for the time being it cannot be someone with a Constellation passport themselves. I fear that we might even need to consider a... Ko-orenite hire." A shudder went through the room. And we need a list of host stadiums that are IFCF and WCC-ready. We're getting calls from our opponents every time asking who they're facing, and where, and how to get there. Amateur stuff. Oh, and we also need impartial staff to handle the organisation of the Constellation Championship. We lack a fair bidding process. And... we're going to need a register of trusted referees, and so on, to get these games going, on the member state side."

"How about a Champions League?"

"Let's not overcomplicate things. We're not going to be responsible for that for a loooong time. I dread to have the talk with league such and such about why their 3rd place wasn't allowed in but the other league gets to send four teams. No, no, no, and no."

by **Hamborn** » Tue Jun 23, 2026 10:08 am

Hamborns start good in Group C !

In their first matchday, the hambornian won 3-1 against Delaclava, showing that the D2 trainer of Hamborn is keeping the competition serious even if they got eliminated of the World Cup 101 in qualifiers.

0' Welcome in Sunset Coast Arena, Bezpenpam, Kwrpania. Hamborn starts with the ball.

34' On a long pass to Arlemus Luvoski, Bilo Nosinto made a very good pass !!! Arlemus had already opened the score at the 34', one nil for Hamborn !

47' Walle Vargas pass to Johnny Pavia and he shot a goal at 25 meters, 1-1 just after the return of lockers !

56' Joan Von de Polux take the corner and centers on Joseph Liven and the heeaaaaaaad !!!!!!!! 2-1 for Hamborn !

76' Hamborn try to break the defense of Declava to done an advantage to Hamborn team, Joseoh Liven saw the call of Joan and now Joan is facing the goal of Declava a tap in top Corner ! 3-1 for Hamborn !!!!

90+5' Hamborn end this match with a first win, Hamborn takes the second place, they will play Solgdaven for securing the qualification in octofinals.

by **City of Myrtle Beach** » Tue Jun 23, 2026 11:00 am

The job of a football team is generally known to be the playing of football. That is why when the Myrtle Beachian team showed up with two grills to their game versus Kamijiro and proceeded to have a "cookout" in the middle of the pitch, people were confused. Notably missing from the pitch was Myrtle Beachian manager James Robinson, who had been sacked twenty minutes prior. So, the Seagulls (that is, the Myrtle Beachian team) decided as a team that they would go on strike until Robinson was reinstated as manager. Somehow, in the 20 minutes between Robinson's sacking and the beginning of the game, they managed to acquire two large grills, a considerable amount of hot dogs and burgers, and 15 lawn chairs, and they decided that they were going to take in the view from that open south side of the stadium, watching the sun set over the Kwrpan capital and their future in football.

Unsurprisingly, the match officials were not happy with this. For thirty minutes after the scheduled kick-off time, they pestered the Myrtle Beachians to please stop cooking food on the pitch and to get up and play the damn game. Unfortunately, the Myrtle Beachian team had shunned all match officials since the World Cup qualifiers, so nothing was to be done from that source. Eventually the Kamijiroans would join the Myrtle Beachians after the match officials gave them the 3-0 win as a forfeit by Myrtle Beach. The teams shared stories about their time in football and legends from their homelands. Many of the fans also came down from the stands onto the pitch (to the dismay of the stadium officials) and joined the teams in watching the sun set. It was a peaceful night. After the food ran out and many of the fans left, the only sounds remaining were the sounds of the birds chirping and the city around them. It was beautiful.

About three hours after the match was scheduled to end, the Myrtle Beachians packed up and return to their hotel. That night the FAMB re-instated Robinson as manager until the conclusion of the Cup of Harmony, at which point his status would be "re-evaluated." It was enough for the team, though, and so they begun their preparations to actually play in their second match.

by **Saterun** » Tue Jun 23, 2026 3:56 pm

For the first time since the IAC, the Claws of Saterun felt that they were finally among the favorites for a competition. They had just beaten Carpathia and Ruthenia 2-0, marking back-to-back CoH group stage wins against that opposition. Although C&R weren't the highest ranked team in this year's Cup, they were still a formidable opposition, especially in the group stage. They were also the second-seeded team in the group, and Saterun had beaten them without a hitch. However, due to Airannia's 4-0 trouncing of Taeshan, the Claws actually only sat second in the table. In all honesty, though, it was fine. This win gave them more than enough confidence, and it was already looking like they'd have a strong title defense.

To celebrate their opening win, and because they'd have a few days before the next match, Handrix had decided to take the team to downtown Eshialand City. They were in the capital, after all, and instead of their usual drunken partying it might be nice to see some actual culture for once. They hopped on one of the train lines near their hotel, and started to make their way to downtown. It was quite a big city, probably close to Ias back home, and Edvin truly felt like he was in a foreign country. Which, to be fair, was exactly what he wanted. Apparently there was a museum somewhere near the city center, and that did appear to be where Handrix was taking them. However, once they arrived, they started walking the other way. By now, Edvin was pretty confused. What could possibly be more cultural than a museum? When they finally got to their destination, some of the other players started whispering excitedly. Edvin tried to make out the neon words one the sign above the building. Laser Tag.

Once they got inside, the workers explained the rules to Edvin and the team. Apparently this wasn't new to many of them, but Edvin had never heard of it. From his understanding, they chased each other around with pretend guns and shot each other. Given Saterun's...more violent past, he wasn't surprised that it hadn't really caught on there back home. Either way, the opportunity to beat his teammates in an intra-squad battle was too good to pass up. They got on the gear, were led out into the arena, and got ready for the game. It was quite bright inside, with lights everywhere. Edvin was convinced that this would be a cakewalk. The game official started counting down. Edvin pressed the button to load his fictional gun with fictional bullets, and got ready to go. Just then, the lights cut off.

Safe to say, he wasn't expecting that. The first game was a frantic chase for Edvin, as he tried to survive in an unfamiliar environment. He died several times, and didn't get off a single kill. It was, frankly, pathetic. But the young midfielder didn't give up. In the second game, he was ready. As soon as the lights cut, he ran to a hiding place that he'd spotted last round. As long was he stayed there, he'd be safe. Hopefully. Through the dark, he saw what looked like Max Nicoloasi gliding past a decoy truck. Edvin raised his gun, before unleashing a flurry of shots. Some of them must have hit, as Max's vest flashed bright red to indicate a kill. Edvin finally contributed to his team. Unfortunately, it seemed like the kill had given away his position. He was killed an instant later, and had to go back to the respawn point. However, he was just happy to have finally gotten a kill. The third and final game went even better, as he got 5 kills with only 12 deaths. Compared to his earlier performances, that was pretty incredible.

It had been quite the night, but now they were all very thirsty. It had been more running than Edvin usually had to do at practice, and it wasn't even too late. Because of that, a good portion of the team decided to go down the street to a bar. It was a quick walk, and before he knew it they were there. It was a pretty small place, tucked into the side of a larger apartment complex. He stayed there for a while chatting with some locals, before stepping outside to get some air. However, once he was there, he spotted something down the street. It was Aleksander and Dylan, and they seemed to be in some trouble. They were up against the wall, surrounded by 4 other men. They didn't seem to have weapons, however, which is what probably gave Edvin the courage to do what he did next. He picked up a pipe laying on the ground, before banging it against a nearby wall. That got their attention. In a moment of pure, unscripted man-to-man communication, Edvin signaled for his two strikers to have at it. Aleksander in particular was quite big, and all three of them were very fit. Dylan through the first punch, a decent right hook, and the fight was on.

by **Zwangzug** » Tue Jun 23, 2026 6:37 pm

(OOC: The Kerlagrad Courier is a rather satirical source. Don't take this too seriously.)

The Kerlagrad Courier

Land loses match, marbles

The Republic of the United Tribes were embarrassed on Matchday One of the Cup of Harmony in Yzandria. Not only were they defeated 1-0 behind a goal by Callans Regins-Ybou, but they have appeared to misplace their eponymous marbles.

"I know sometimes it happens that you have your marbles taken away from you by invasive colonizer countries, but I don't really think Zwangzug have the military or outward-facing spirit to pull that off," commented Harold Ecclestone. "The worst thing they've ever done in that vein is make a bunch of abstract, slippery-slope arguments about how universalist museums are good actually, which neglect nuance and the human element and all the other warm fuzzy intangibles I like to wax poetic about. But let's face it, their most prominent external delegates are their sports teams. And considering how pathetic this team was against Pasarga and Saint Eleanor in the qualifiers, I don't think they have the strength to carry off anybody's marbles, either."

Ecclestone considers it more likely that the Land may have misplaced their marbles the old-fashioned way. "Being stuck across a river from such unappealing wilderness as Super-Llamaland would make anybody lose their marbles," he opined. "I'm not sure how the Elephants could stand it for so long."

The Yellow Monkeys sport a (1)-3-4-3 formation, and enjoyed several spells of midfield possession. "The back-and-forth between [Enoch] Barack and [Simon] Hart was well controlled, and led to a couple impressive shots from [John] Leicester that just went over the bar. This display didn't strike me as a side devoid of its marbles. Then again, there are players who are certainly marble-free that manage to excel on the world stage, so who knows."

Ecclestone considers the most probable culprit here to be the amount of neuroses the high-strung Lanians must contend with. "It's really unlikely to show up to a prestigious international tournament like the Cup of Harmony and hear people belittling association football as a sport. Likewise, I don't think it's super common for our counterparts to mistake a region for an individual country, although in the case of Esportiva who knows, that paranoia might be justified. But if you spend all your time worrying about inadvertently saying the wrong thing and giving offense...well, your marbles aren't the only thing you're going to lose."

by **Kelssek** » Tue Jun 23, 2026 7:01 pm

“Kurispin Moloses, you played in the World Cup for Farfadillis, captained Shearwater in the Kelssek Championship, but you’ve been very skeptical about Ryan Potter. You posted on Honkr recently that he should, quote, just leave coaching before the coaching leaves you. So I’m guessing you disagreed with him being given the chance to lead Kelssek in the Cup of Harmony?”

KURISPIN MOLOSES: “Look, I have to respect the trophies he’s won at Burnaby, right, but the past is in the past, and for Kelssek, he’s done enough damage already. Now the minimum has to be winning this tournament, if not, he really has to be gone. It’s not good enough, just retire before you destroy your reputation. Of course, I’ll allow some understanding because the World Cup Committee is fixing the matches against Kelssek, but even with drug-trafficking terrorists using AI to hack the VAR cameras–”

“Uhm, okay, so we have to point out that those are unproven allegations, of course.”

KURISPIN MOLOSES: “How much more proof, really...”

“How about the performance in the opening match, then, did you think Titan Pogbacar proved some doubters wrong?”

KURISPIN MOLOSES: “I have to be impressed by what he does every day because once you find out what race he is, it all makes sense. He is a top player and proving that you can have the desire and motivation even if you live in a country where the tap water is drinkable. I know I’ve also faced that racism my whole career. His movement and creativity today was world class. Player of the Match award, so well deserved.”

CASSIE MRYTHE: “He scored a great goal, too.”

KURISPIN MOLOSES: “That’s always an important part of the game. But I was a full-back so I have different views than normal.”

“Alright, great to have your insights, as always. We’ll be back to wrap up our coverage of Kelssek’s match at the Cup of Harmony after this hydration break.”

KELSSEK 4 – Niemi (11’, 81’), Pogbacar (17’), Consðntin (85’)
Tessier, Bastien, Lalande, Cleeves, Casiraghi, Pogbacar (Licea 78’), Métisser, Ostend (Gosling 89’), Obident (Consðntin 78’), Cutter (Lìos 64’), Niemi (Teokotai 89’)
MEGISTOS 2 Marin (22’), Lìos o.g. (90+3’)

Cup of Harmony 93 | Everything Thread

Eriadni off to Kwrpanmap!

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