Catégorie : État des lieux

EXCLUSIF : Coupe d'Europe de Roller Derby 2027

Last July, the global Roller Derby community descended on Olympiaworld in Innsbruck for the 2025 Roller Derby World Cup. It was an exhausting, 5 track logistical marvel that redefined the scale of the sport, taking over 1,600 people (including 1,000+ skaters and 600+ crew members!) to execute 80 historic games over 4 gruelling days.

But as the dust settled on that monumental event, a collective demand emerged across the continent: Europe needs its own dedicated battleground. Today, we can exclusively announce that the inaugural European Roller Derby Cup (ERDC) will take place in the autumn of 2027, pitting the continent’s fiercest national and borderless teams against each other.

ERDC 2027: At a Glance

Dates: September 24th – 26th, 2027.

Location: Riccione (a municipality in the province of Rimini), Italy.

Host: Lega Italiana Roller Derby (LIRD).

Tournament Format: 3 days, 2 tracks.

Size: Final bracket size to be confirmed.

From Leagues to Nations

Historically, European tournaments, like the WFTDA European Continental Cups, have been built exclusively for individual teams. What makes the 2027 European Roller Derby Cup unique is that it is a continental competition structure built specifically for National Teams and Borderless Teams. Eligibility is rooted in the RDNC’s (Roller Derby Nations Committee) ‘Definition of a Nation’. As of late 2025, there are 29 potentially eligible teams, with organisers planning a tight bracket to ensure maximum competition.

This means we can hope to see a dynamic mix of traditional country-based teams. We think this will be a great opportunity to see how much teams like Team Portugal, Team Denmark, and Team Netherlands will have grown and evolved since their 2025 World Cup appearances. Not to mention that the ERDC is a chance for brand new, European-level borderless teams to develop and showcase on the continent’s biggest stage.

Hosts Making it Happen: Lega Italiana Roller Derby

Italy, officially recognised by the RDNC as a Type i Nation, boasts a deeply dedicated and highly organised Derby ecosystem under LIRD’s guidance. Their organisational achievements over the past two years prove they are more than ready to command the international spotlight.

As the organisers of the official national championship, “Brace for Impact,” their current season utilises a multi-weekend format to ensure teams get maximum track time. And they don’t forget about skater development, coordinating events like “Rodei 2.0” in Fanano, a national gathering that provided dedicated bootcamps and high-level bench clinics run by top European talent.

But most importantly, Lega Italiana actively champions, embraces and embodies the values that the European Roller Derby Cup demands. Their events tackle vital community topics head-on, dedicating real time to trans inclusion in sports, fighting fatphobia, and ensuring a safe space for all skaters and participants.

Want to know more about Italian Roller Derby? Read more here

Europe’s Momentum

The 2025 World Cup dramatically shifted the global narrative. Europe is making moves and now commands quite the presence in the world’s top slots. With England (#3), France (#4), and Sweden (#5) claiming elite positions, Europe now commands 50% of the world’s top 10 slots.

We also can’t forget that ‘Belgian Bounce,’ as Team Belgium staged a phenomenal recovery to finish 8th in the world, nor Team Finland claiming that final 10th spot. No doubt about it, the competitive density of European Roller Derby is higher than ever before.

But executing a 3 day, 2 track international event will require an immense logistical effort, including an estimated 100+ volunteers just to keep operations running. Fans, officials, Teams and skaters are encouraged to watch social media over the coming summer for team & volunteer applications, plus any further updates. And of course, EDN will be there, keeping you informed. For any immediate questions regarding the event, the organising committee can be reached directly at eurorollerderbycup@gmail.com.

Mark your calendars. If 2025 and 2026 were the years Europe took over the global stage, 2027 is the year we officially build a stage of our own.

La GRANDE lecture : Géographie contre grandeur

We’ve been watching the WFTDA Latin America Championships this weekend, and what a weekend of derby it was!

Congratulations to the new Latin America Champs – 2 x 4 Osom!

Seeing the Bogotá Bone Breakers battle their way from the very first round all the way to the final reminded us exactly why playoff season is the most brutal, beautiful time of the year. Leave it all on the track kind of derby that has us looking ahead to Champs in Malmö and saying the quiet part out loud…will this new playoff system actually let the best teams in the world compete for the Hydra?

Because looking good on a WFTDA spreadsheet doesn’t mean a thing when you’re lining up against a top tier tripod. But before we start tearing apart the GRR and GUR rankings to prove it, we need to talk about why these brackets are so warped in the first place: the massive, self-funded price tag required to even exist in global Roller Derby.

Money vs Maths

Pre-2020, WFTDA playoffs were purely based on global rankings. If you were in the top 40 globally, you went to a global playoff. While this was mathematically pure, it was a logistical and financial nightmare. Expecting a team from Australia, Europe or Latin America to raise tens of thousands of dollars/euros/pounds/kronor to fly to the USA for a Playoff weekend, and then fly back to the USA a month later if they qualified for Champs, was simply unsustainable.

Following the pandemic, WFTDA rightly recognised that the sport needed to recover. The Regional Competitive System, launched in 2023, has a noble goal at its heart – lower the barrier to entry, cut down on prohibitive travel costs, and guarantee that every region around the world gets representation at the highest level of the sport. By regionalising the playoffs, teams only have to travel within their own region to qualify for Champs.

Now, let’s be honest, we all share the same goal: to watch incredibly high-level roller derby while actively investing in the long-term future and accessibility of the sport worldwide.

But here’s the rub…where the noble intention clashes with the mathematical reality. In solving a massive financial and accessibility problem, WFTDA created a system where geography fundamentally takes precedence over actual global gameplay levels.

So, notebooks out. We’re going to break down how the brackets might come together, where the friction lies, and if there is an ideal system out there that balances the map, the money and the maths.

Decoding – GRR vs. GUR

First up, we need to talk about the two different sets of numbers running the show: the GRR and the GUR.

GRR (Geographic Regional Rankings): Exactly what it sounds like. It calculates how you stack up against the teams in your specific geographic region. The catch? It only takes into account games played against other teams within your same region. It’s a closed-loop system.

GUR (Geographically Unrestricted Region): Despite the clunky name, the GUR is essentially WFTDA’s global ranking. It calculates where teams stand worldwide. However, to get a GUR ranking, your team has to play at least one extra-regional game (a game against a team from a different region) within a rolling two-year window.

VIP note on GPA: Before we get into it, we need to issue a quick disclaimer! You absolutely cannot compare the Game Point Average (GPA) of a team in the GRR with the GPA of a team in the GUR. They might use the same maths but they’re calculating performance against entirely different, isolated pools of opponents. Any direct comparison between a regional GRR GPA and a global GUR GPA is mathematically useless.

Got no GUR?

Say a team hasn’t played another team outside of their region in the last two years, then they simply don’t exist on the global (GUR) leaderboard. They’re completely uncalibrated against the rest of the world and live entirely in their own regional bubble.

Back to that friction we mentioned…because the 2026 Champs invites are handed out based purely on region, a team with no GUR can still secure an invite to Playoffs and Champs. Meaning, if they’ve only played teams in their own back garden, they get a pass.

Guessing the Invites

We know that the 2026 Global Championships in Malmö will be a 16 team tournament, up 3 more teams than 2024. We’re also pretty sure that every WFTDA region is guaranteed at least one participating team. What we absolutely don’t know yet is how the WFTDA will slice up that 16 team pie across the seven playoff tournaments. We’ll have to wait and see what the Calibration Committee serves up.

But, looking back at recent years and weighing current global strengths, here is our educated guess for how those 16 invites will likely be allocated under the current structure:

NA West: 3 invites

NA Northeast: 4 invites (split over 2 playoffs)

Europe: 3 invites

Oceania: 2 invites

NA South: 3 invites

Latin America: 1 invite

If this allocation holds true, the regional maths becomes incredibly difficult for some, while offering a relatively smoother path to others.

Surviving the Group of Death: NA West

Assuming the West gets 3 invites, the region is currently so packed with top tier talent that it’s practically a bloodbath. Teams like regionally ranked #4 Groms: Legacy A are also ranked in the Top 16 globally on the GUR. Because the West will likely only have those strictly limited 3 invites, world class teams are going to be forced to eliminate each other just to advance. Statistically, it is highly likely that multiple Top 16 global teams will miss out on Champs because their region is simply too crowded.

“The maths proves that a fourth or fifth place finisher in these regions meets that global standard; they are top class, completely capable of holding their own against the best on the planet.”

No Deep End: NA Northeast

On the flip side, we have the NA Northeast. Splitting the Northeast into a Canadian tournament and a US Northeast tournament means they will need 12 teams each. While the Northeast certainly has absolute powerhouses at the top (like Arch Rival and Montreal), they’ll likely have to dip much further down the regional rankings just to fill out the brackets. Because of this lack of overall depth compared to the West, lower ranked teams in the Northeast have a significantly different path to competing for those expected invites.

High Ranking Hosts: Europe

For those of us in Europe, the maths is incredibly tight. Fan favourite teams like Crime City, Nantes, and London Brawling are sitting right on the bubble, fighting for, what we guess, will be 3 spots. And it gets even messier when you consider the unique case of the Paris All Stars. Currently, Paris is missing from the global GUR because they haven’t played that extra-regional game. Living their best life entirely in their own highly successful regional bubble. But, and it’s a big but, they are still a top seed in Europe.

This makes them the only top seed at any playoff tournament without a GUR. And because they are extremely likely to claim one of those limited European spots at Champs, this mathematical quirk creates an oddity: a team completely uncalibrated against the rest of the world is almost certain to push out another European team that holds a legitimate Top 16 global ranking. But we can’t punish a team for dominating the track in front of them without bankrupting themselves on international flights.

Bridging the Gap: NA South & Oceania

Roller Derby’s developmental gap is most visible in the NA South and Oceania regions. While Latin America’s 2×4 is undeniably a strong contender globally, the top teams from NA South proper often rank lower on the GUR. If Oceania teams secure those 2 invites, it further pushes out mathematically stronger North American or European teams to fill out that 16 team bracket.

“When the global skill gap on the track is simply too wide, the result isn’t a compelling underdog story; it’s a blowout.”

Competitive Champs

While guaranteeing geographical representation is a noble goal for the post-pandemic era, the WFTDA Calibration Committee is staring down another, equally pressing priority – preventing massive, uncompetitive blowouts on the global stage.

Making decisions like where to allocate the new, extra invites for Malmö’s expanded 16 team bracket, the powers-that-be aren’t just looking at who takes home the regional gold. There’s close examination of the GPA spreads within each region. Specifically? Looking at the gap between a region’s number one team and their number four or five team. The WFTDA will be considering these specific spreads to ensure that a region’s depth is genuinely up to a global standard before handing them additional tickets to Sweden.

In the exceptionally deep talent pools in NA West and Europe, the GPA spread is real tight. The maths proves that a fourth or fifth place finisher in these regions meets that global standard; they are top class, completely capable of holding their own against the best on the planet. In other regions, however, the GPA spread tells a different story, and the skill drop off after the top seed or two can be dramatic.

Another collision point…Maths vs the reality of the sport as a spectator event. We all saw what happened at the 2024 Championships. When the global skill gap on the track is simply too wide, the result isn’t a compelling underdog story; it’s a blowout. No one, not the skaters spending thousands to be there, not the officials, and certainly not the fans tuning in around the world, wants to see massive, demoralising point differentials on the sport’s biggest stage.

The only way to ensure a truly competitive Champs is if WFTDA acts strategically. Funnelling those extra invites to the regions with the tightest GPA spreads isn’t just a nod to statistical greatness; it’s a necessary safeguard. To have a tournament in Sweden where every single jam is a battle of equals, the math dictates that those extra invites have to go to the regions whose deep rosters definitively meet the global standard: NA West and Europe.

Every Fix Has a Flaw

This got us wondering: if the current regional system artificially restricts the deepest talent pools to satisfy geographic quotas, and requires a level of strategic assistance from the WFTDA… how do we fix it? Should we fix it? What does an ideal system look like? Is there an ideal system?

Uncomfortable truth time. The perfect system/bracket does not exist. Every structural solution forces us to choose between mathematical accuracy, financial viability, and global inclusion. Let’s look at the options on the table, and the massive catch that comes with each one.

Option 1: Math Utopia (Pure GUR / Wildcards)

What if we guarantee one invite for every regional champion (to ensure global representation), and then hand out the remaining spots as Wildcards purely based on the Global Rankings (GUR)?

Result: The NA West’s “bloodbath” is averted as their top teams easily secure spots. Europe gets a boost.

Catch: It’s a wealth test. Do you know how you get a high GUR ranking? You play extra-regional games. Do you know how you play extra-regional games? You have the money to travel. Handing out wildcards based on the GUR just guarantees that the wealthiest teams who can afford to constantly fly around to inflate their global strength factor get to hoard the spots. It turns the postseason into a financial arms race.

Option 2: Coefficient System (UEFA Model)

Instead of relying on regular season algorithms, WFTDA could base regional invites on how teams actually perform at Champs. Every region gets a baseline number of invites, but if the NA West sends 3 teams to Malmö and they all finish in the top 5, the West earns a 4th invite for their region in the next cycle.

Result: It completely removes the wealth factor of the regular season. Regions earn their invites on the track at the World Championship, not with their travel budgets.

Catch: Derby moves too fast. Unlike professional football, grassroots roller derby rosters experience massive turnover year-to-year. A coefficient system punishes or rewards the skaters of 2026 for what retired skaters did in 2024. It is too slow to adapt to the reality of self-funded skaters.

Option 3: Day One “Repêchage” (Play-In Tournament)

If we can’t agree on who the 16th best team is on a spreadsheet, let them fight for it. WFTDA could hand out 14 guaranteed regional invites, and then invite the 4 highest ranked bubble teams to Malmö a day early for a Play-In tournament. Win, and you enter the main bracket.

Result: Purest distillation of “prove it on the track.” No algorithms, just Roller Derby.

Catch: It is financially AND emotionally devastating. Asking a self-funded team from Colombia or Australia to fundraise thousands of dollars to fly across the world to Sweden for a chance to play in the main tournament, only to potentially be eliminated on a Wednesday morning after one game, is cruel. (As anyone with a background in martial arts will tell you.)

Option 4: Status Quo (Strict Regional Quotas)

Which brings us right back to the system we currently have. WFTDA assigns strict regional invites based on geography to guarantee that developing regions have a secure seat at the table.

Result: Travel costs are lowered, the barrier to entry is accessible, and the sport grows in Latin America and Oceania.

Catch: World class teams are left at home. Top 16 global teams in the NA West and Europe will eliminate each other in their regional playoffs, meaning statistical greatness is no longer enough to earn a spot at World Champs.

No Magic Wand

When you look at the options laid out side-by-side, it becomes clear that the WFTDA is operating in a landscape of impossible choices. You can’t fix the maths without breaking the bank, and you can’t protect the bank without breaking the maths.

Tricky Travel & RSVP’s

Even with all this mapped out, the reality of 2026 remains fluid. Invites for the postseason have only just been sent out. On top of the ranking chaos, there are massive travel and visa issues to navigate this year. To prevent teams from having to unnecessarily leave or enter the USA, WFTDA is strategically inviting teams to specific North American Playoffs (Lansing, Michigan or Waterloo, Ontario). A logistical move that guarantees qualifying North American teams can attend a postseason event without facing hardship due to current US passport and immigration policies.

Our 30,000-Foot View

This year’s Champs in Malmö is built on a devastating trade-off. Even with the Calibration Committee funneling extra invites to the deepest regions, it isn’t enough. WFTDA is still mathematically sacrificing top teams from NA West and Europe, leaving world class skaters to watch from the stands. The derby played in Sweden will still be fiercely contested, but we can’t pretend the current system is fair. Writing off the heartbreak of these eliminated teams as ‘growing pains’ ignores the thousands of dollars/euros/pounds/kronor and endless hours they sacrificed for a shot they never truly had.

We must keep having these difficult, messy conversations about how we balance global inclusion with elite competition. Because while geography might dictate who gets a ticket to Sweden this year, the undeniable reality of who actually dominates on the track remains, and the teams pushing those boundaries deserve a system that will eventually reward them for it.

Mélange Super Sept

While the WFTDA algorithm remains blind to some of last weekend’s biggest matchups, the fans in Nantes, and us at home, got to see the reality of the European rankings play out exactly as it happened on the track.

One lesson we did take away from last weekend? Jammers don’t just get hit out anymore; they get hit out and down! Blockers are taking absolutely no chances. Doesn’t matter if you’ve only got 1 hand down if both your shoulders, or your bum, is down there too.

Nothing Toulouse vs. London Brawling (Unsanctioned)

Toulouse set the tone for the weekend immediately on Saturday morning. As we discussed in our Super Seven preview (and have confirmed) Toulouse made the strategic decision to play all of their games this weekend as unsanctioned. We have reached out to Nothing Toulouse to find out what was behind this decision and will bring you any update they share with us.

So, we’re going to presume it was to protect their microscopic Game Point Average (GPA) lead. And, unburdened by the algorithm, off they went. Offensive and defensive switching? Utterly seamless, anchored by incredibly smart leadership from Sweenie #19 and flawless jammer tracking from Lilove #747. Toulouse took a comfortable 191-74 victory, while London used the unsanctioned game to dial in a highly disciplined, strict five-jammer rotation that they would rely on for the rest of the weekend.

Nantes vs. Rainy City All Stars (Sanctioned)

When the first sanctioned game of the weekend kicked off, Rainy City’s veteran wall immediately made its presence known. The hosts had a weekend of slow starts, but Rainy was suffocating. Putting up a defensive shutout for the first 8 jams of the game and holding Nantes under 20 points for nearly the entire first period. Nantes’ Adrénalinss (#12) and Pignouf #252 managed to find some momentum late, but Rainy secured a dominant 183-86 win.

Nantes vs. London Brawling (Sanctioned)

The most competitive sanctioned game of WTS 11 happened right in the middle of Saturday afternoon. Lifted by a phenomenally loud home crowd, Nantes and London threw down in a gritty, middleweight grinder.

The Streak vs. The Comeback

In the second period, Nantes went on an absolute tear, securing Lead Jammer 8 times in a row to build a commanding 34-point lead (128-94) with ten minutes left. But London’s penalty kill units held the line, and in Jam 21, London’s Ellis (#18) capitalised on a double power jam to drop 23 points. In the very next jam, Pip #91 followed up with a 14-point run to completely erase the deficit. Ultimately though, Nantes managed to claw back the final points to win a sanctioned nail-biter, 140-131.

Nothing Toulouse vs. Rainy City (Unsanctioned)

Saturday closed out with the most anticipated game of the weekend: a brilliant, unsanctioned heavyweight clash showcasing two completely different derby philosophies.

Toulouse launched their Aerial Assault, with Jammer Trash Panda (#49) spending the game leaping over any apex the blockers offered up, while Mac (#007) proved equally lethal on, and over, the inside line.

But they faced slick offense and Veteran walls. Rainy City countered with sheer experience and control. Jammer #02 Black was impossibly smooth, dropping crucial 10-point and 12-point jams in the first period to create separation in a dead-even game. When Rainy’s blockers set up, they were formidable, pulling off a narrow 157-142 victory to establish themselves as the true winners of the weekend.

Sunday Blowouts

By Sunday morning, the gap between the Breakaway Pack and the rest of the Top 10 turned into a chasm.

Rainy City vs. London Brawling (Sanctioned)

Rainy City’s blocker rotation of Penny Block, Lily Gaskell (#88), Rollo, El Nassar, Roberts, F.Batts, and MacBeth provided a masterclass in well-drilled defense. They held London’s jammers to just 15 points across 23 jams in the first period, cruising to a brutal 237-60 sanctioned win. (And a quick warning: Rainy’s #38 will exact revenge if you mess with their jammer.)

Nantes vs. Nothing Toulouse (Unsanctioned)

Toulouse closed out their unsanctioned weekend sweep by unleashing a devastating offensive against the hosts. Trash Panda’s very first jam out, repeatedly jumped the apexes, and put up 24 points, without a power jam. Nantes fought hard, relying on Valére #11 for relentless offense, but Toulouse walked away with a massive 255-70 victory.

WTS 11 By the Numbers & Rankings Twister

Taking a look at the raw data from the weekend, the classic stats tell the story of the current European hierarchy perfectly:

Highest Scoring Individual Jams:

Lead Jammer Battles:

The heavyweight fight between Toulouse and Rainy City was a statistical dead heat. Both teams fought tooth and nail, resulting in a perfectly even split of 20 Lead Jammer statuses each. Against the rest of the pack, Rainy and Toulouse both secured Lead over 75% of the time.

Biggest Differentials Overcome: London erasing a 34-point deficit in exactly two jams against Nantes is easily the comeback attempt of the weekend, proving that no lead is safe against a disciplined jammer rotation.

An Algorithmic Twist: Toulouse thought they played the maths perfectly. By keeping all three of their WTS 11 games unsanctioned, they protected their GPA from any potential dips. However, the algorithm waits for no one!

Because Rainy City played sanctioned blowout games against London and Nantes, they pumped their own numbers up enough to close that microscopic 4.85 point gap. According to the brand-new WFTDA live rankings, Rainy City has officially leapfrogged Toulouse to take the #1 spot in Europe.

And the shakeups didn’t stop there. Over in Belgium, Paris’s sheer dominance has officially bumped them up to the #3 spot, pushing Crime City down to #4. The math changes everything, but to truly understand why the math changed, you had to be in the building.

Luckily for us, we had someone on the inside! So, to get us the reality of the Antwerp Triple Header, we handed the mic over to our correspondent on the scene: the legendary dorkmistress (Tournament Head Announcer amongst many, many, many other job titles). Here is her dispatch from a bracket-busting weekend.

Heartbreak, Hope, and High Speeds – Antwerp Triple Header

An on-site event report from dorkmistress for EDN

Anyone interested in European roller derby had a tough weekend, in choosing which game to watch in the most packed weekend for elite roller derby.

The minute Antwerp announced a triple header with themselves, Crime City Rollers and Paris All-Stars, I booked my travel. With Paris beating Crime City at Capitol Clash in November 2025 and Antwerp consistently upping their game, this weekend would give a good understanding of where these most interesting teams in the WFTDA Europe Top #10 really sit. My conclusion after watching three fantastic games?

Those rankings don’t reflect where these teams are, which will most likely lead to brackets being broken all over the place in Namur.

Crime City Rollers v Antwerp One Love

Antwerp have been on the rise for some time with slow, steady progression up, and into, the top 10. But are they starting to bridge the gap between the two halves of the top 10. The GPA says they are a way behind but from the first whistle the action on track showed they are an increasing force to contend with. Antwerp were in control (and the lead) for 90 per cent of the game, matching Crime City jam for jam, securing Lead Jammer status an incredible 31 times compared to Crime City’s 22.

Anything Fanilla Slice #90 could do, Hipshot #89 could do as well, and often better. The length of jams were measured in seconds not minutes, as the other jammer would get out right behind and force a call off. Every single point mattered to these teams.

The data proves it: out of 53 total jams, 42 of them saw the lead jammer score 4 points or fewer before calling it off.

The noticeable thing in the pack across all three games was how fast blockers get across and along the track. No more juking to get the wall to one side and then speeding past them on the inside/outside. The speed and agility of blockers has been supercharged and now jammers need to know about how to break a wall down, not just move it to the side. Thrilling roller derby at its absolute finest.

In the end Antwerp had a crucial jammer penalty 5 minutes from the end, opening a door for Crime City who used all their experience in these moments. In the very next jam, Crime City’s Fanilla Slice secured a massive 19-point run to steal the lead and eventually secure the 137-124 win.

Crime City didn’t have all the blockers they wanted that day, and Antwerp had home team advantage, sure. But what I saw was two very closely matched teams. That gap between #3 and #7 never felt smaller.

Crime City Rollers V Paris All-Stars

20 minutes later Crime City had to brush off that experience and face up to their new nemesis – Paris.

Capitol Clash in November 2025 provided outside observers with a bit of shock when Paris took the win. But for people watching the French Elite Championships it was no more than an expected outcome.

Paris has been on fire for some time now. Heading into the game, many would expect Paris to squeak the win. Paris had other plans. Sheer dominance was their tactic, and from the start they simply shut Crime City down, ultimately winning 216-91.

No matter how much Crime City tried to change the game and the tactics, Paris had an answer to keep the Crime jammers in the pack, taking Lead Jammer 33 times to Crime City’s 14. Paris also excelled at positional blocking from the jam line, giving their jammer an entire lane from the whistle.

Crime responded in the only way possible, star passing to Rhino #23 at every opportunity to force the call off. (In fact, Crime City was forced into making 14 star passes throughout the game just to survive the onslaught).

I want to rewatch this game in slow motion to really understand how the Paris blockers worked the pack, as it was all going so fast I felt I was watching the game at 1.25 speed. Dynamic blocking doesn’t even begin to cover what we watched.

Crime City were effective in reducing the multiple scoring trips and worked hard to stop Paris opening a wider gap but in the end Paris were in full control of the game.

Crime City has time now to go and review, dissect and ponder before Namur. One thing we know is that they have a strategy genius on their bench who will come back fighting after this weekend. Down, but not even a hand out.

Paris All-Stars vs Antwerp One Love

In many ways, watching game 3 felt like a replay of game 2 – showing just how closely Crime City and Antwerp are matched at the moment.

Both faced similar challenges in dealing with the Paris steam train. With Paris winning this one 196-66.

I watched oddly familiar moments where Antwerp were able to wrest momentum and control back, securing Lead Jammer 18 times against this Paris powerhouse but they struggled blocking off the jam line. And a remarkably similar amount of energy, commitment and heart was displayed on track.

dork’s Conclusions

No matter what the Europe rankings show come April 1st, it will not reflect the current state of play. Rainy City & Nothing Toulouse are locked in for #1 & #2, no matter the order but now Paris Allstars have begun to separate themselves from the rest of the top 10 too.

Antwerp’s performance says ‘What gap?!’, so teams in the #4-#7 spots can only be separated by the width of a sheet of paper. And the same is true for #8-#13.

So if there are extra invites to Champs on the table in Namur, it will be IMPOSSIBLE to predict who would secure the extra invite(s). And heads up, get your eye in for watching blockers, because they now move close to the speed of light!

Editor’s Wrap-Up: Maths, Momentum, and the Road to Namur

dorkmistress is absolutely right, if the Super Seven weekend showed us anything, it’s that the WFTDA algorithm only tells half the story, and the physical speed of the European game has been fundamentally supercharged.

When we fired up the laptop on Monday to look at the new WFTDA Live Rankings, the landscape of Euro Derby had shifted. Toulouse tried to play the maths safely by relying on unsanctioned bouts, but Rainy City’s sheer sanctioned dominance propelled them into the coveted #1 spot in Europe. Meanwhile, Paris proved that their November upset was no fluke, steamrolling their way into the #3 spot and cementing themselves in the elite Breakaway Pack.

But as the numbers crunch and the Game Point Averages settle, the real takeaway from this weekend isn’t just who sits at the very top. It’s the terrifying, razor-thin margins of the middle of the pack. Crime City, London, Nantes, and Antwerp all proved that on any given weekend, they have the defensive grit, the deep jammer rotations, and the tactical agility to break a game wide open.

With the WFTDA European Championships in Namur looming on the horizon, the stakes have never been higher. The battle for those top 12 invites is officially a dogfight. If the tournament seeding ends up reflecting this weekend’s beautiful, brutal chaos, we are in for the most unpredictable postseason in European derby history.

Don’t miss a single jam on the road to Namur. Make sure you follow us on Instagram at @euroderbynews for real-time reactions and upset alerts as soon as WFTDA drops the official tournament bracket. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to the Substack to get our deep-dive analysis and rankings breakdowns delivered straight to your inbox!

Tellement de maths ! Pourquoi les classements WFTDA ressemblent à un examen de maths (& pourquoi chaque jam compte)

If you have ever looked at the WFTDA ranking algorithm, you might have felt like you accidentally walked into a maths test instead of a roller derby tournament. Even as a semi-casual fan and skater, it’s easy to wonder: Does it really need to be this mathematically complicated?

Short answer? Yes.

But the good news is that the complexity isn’t there just to give us a headache. It exists to solve a massive logistical problem. Unlike the Premier League, Roller Derby teams don’t play a set schedule against a predictable rotation of opponents.

Because it’s an amateur, self-funded sport, teams build their own schedules based on their travel budgets/team restrictions. One team might play 15 international games a year, while another plays 4 local games. You can’t rank these two teams using a simple win/loss record because they are essentially playing two entirely different seasons.

To solve this, WFTDA calculates how well a team played (the score ratio) multiplied by how hard their opponent was to play against (their current Ranking Score, or GPA).

So, notebooks out…your baseline formula for any single game looks like this:

Your Game Points = (Opponent’s Ranking Score) x (Your Points / Their Points)

To see how this maths completely changes the strategy of the game, let’s look at the actual results from Saturday’s massive matchups at West Track Story 11 in Nantes.

*All figures except for today’s final scores are unofficial and are examples.

Scenario 1: Tight Upset (Nantes vs. London)

This game was a highly anticipated showdown. Because #5 London (approx. 256 GPA) and #6 Nantes (approx. 245 GPA) are so closely ranked, the maths predicted a tight, competitive game. And these teams delivered. Nantes fought hard and secured a thrilling 140-131 upset victory.

Here is how the maths looks for that game:

Nantes’s Game Points: London’s GPA (256) x Score Ratio (140/131 = 1.07) = 274 points

London’s Game Points: Nantes’s GPA (245) x Score Ratio (131/140 = 0.94) = 230 points

Takeaway: Because Nantes won a tight game against a slightly stronger opponent, they earned a game score of 274, which is significantly higher than their current 245 average. This upset will mathematically pull their ranking up!

Scenario 2: Quality Loss (Nantes vs. Rainy City)

Later in the day, Nantes had a much tougher assignment taking on the UK Giant, #2 Rainy City (approx. 449 GPA). Rainy City won comfortably, 183 to 86. But what does this mean for Nantes’s ranking? It entirely depends on how they lost.

Takeaway: Earning 211 points is a slight dip from Nantes’s 245 average, but it is not a disaster. Fighting for those 86 points on the track saved them from the absolute ranking free-fall that a 75 point blowout game would have caused. A quality loss against the #2 team is mathematically much safer than giving up and getting steamrolled.

A Loophole? Protecting Your Rank or a ‘Strategic Opt-Out’

Now that you see how risky the maths can be, you might be wondering: what happens if a team just refuses to play sanctioned games to protect their spot? In WFTDA tournaments, a higher ranking equals better seeding, a more favourable bracket, and potentially a coveted first-round bye.

If you already sit near the top, playing a highly competitive game where you might underperform carries a massive mathematical risk. To navigate this, teams will sometimes choose to play unsanctioned games. Look at the massive clashes today between #1 Toulouse (approx. 453 GPA) and both #5 London and #2 Rainy City.

These games were not officially sanctioned. We don’t know exactly which team requested to keep the WFTDA calculators turned off, but looking at today’s final scores shows us exactly what was mathematically on the line for Toulouse:

Massive Missed Boost (Toulouse vs. London)

Toulouse absolutely dismantled London, winning 191 to 74.

Maths: London’s GPA (256) x Score Ratio (191/74 = 2.58) = 660 Game Points

Takeaway: 660 points is a mammoth score. If this game had been sanctioned, it would have massively boosted Toulouse’s overall average. By playing unsanctioned, they missed out on a huge ranking reward.

Dodged Bullet (Toulouse vs. Rainy City)

Later, Toulouse played a nail-biter against Rainy City and lost, 142 to 157.

Maths: Rainy City’s GPA (449) x Score Ratio (142/157 = 0.90) = 404 Game Points

Takeaway: For a #1 team with a high 453 GPA, averaging a 404 point game into their season record could actually drag their overall score down. By playing unsanctioned, Toulouse successfully protected their ranking from taking a mathematical hit.

If it was Toulouse who opted out of the sanctioning, they essentially took out an insurance policy. Missing out on the mathematical reward of crushing London, but protecting themselves from the penalty of losing to Rainy City. They still got all the high-level practice ahead June, but on paper, it’s like today never happened.

Why It Makes the Sport Better

This mathematical risk is the exact reason rankings are so volatile, and why teams will call timeouts and spurious official reviews to fight tooth-and-nail for a single point in one more jam of a game they are already losing (or already winning by a landslide). The maths forces teams to play their hardest from the first whistle to the last, making it a relentlessly exciting sport to watch. But you already know that…

Don’t Miss Super Sunday!

West Track Story 11 (Nantes): Keep your eyes glued to Nantes’ Youtube channel for the stream. Free! Thank you Nantes! If you click now, it’ll notify you when they go live. First game 10am (CET).

(UK folks – it’s an all English affair at 9am our time with London v Rainy)

Antwerp Triple Header: Antwerp is also blessing us with a free live stream over on Twitch. Click Here. First game 10am (CET).

Because it is a free broadcast, make sure to keep your expectations for production value in check. It’s going to be raw, volunteer-powered derby stream energy, but regardless of the camera angles, you definitely don’t want to miss this.

Choices will have to be made. Or multi-screen. Show us your Super Sunday Set Up.

Looking Ahead to Euro Champs

As for how all this maths will translate into the actual bracket for the upcoming European Championships? The truth is, we don’t quite know yet. WFTDA hasn’t released the official tournament structure for Euro Champs, meaning we’re still waiting to see exactly how these rankings will dictate seeding, matchups, and those all-important byes. But don’t worry, as soon as the format drops, we’ll be right here to break it all down for you.

*All figures are unofficial and are purely to illustrate the maths. Please see the official data from the WFTDA here. Including their Live Rankings (Beta).

Instagram: @euroderbynews

Hit follow for live score reactions, upset alerts, and on-the-ground updates from both Nantes and Antwerp as the maths unfolds in real-time.

Subscribe here: Make sure you are subscribed so you always get your Euro Derby News delivered direct to your inbox.

Super Seven – L'Europe devient Super Saiyan

Euro rankings have reached a terrifying, beautiful boiling point. This weekend (March 7-8) isn’t just another set of games on the calendar. In an unprecedented scheduling bottleneck, the top seven teams in Europe are all taking to the track across two fantastic events.

We know the WFTDA European Championships are coming to Namur this June, and securing an invite requires surviving the brutal maths of the rankings. If you want to know what the postseason bracket will look like, you need to be watching West Track Story 11 and Antwerp’s Triple Header this weekend.

Can Toulouse stay on top?

Only the top 12 teams will punch their ticket to Belgium, making these March games vital for postseason qualification. Here is how the WFTDA algorithm shapes the stakes this weekend:

Battle for #1: – A Microscopic Margin

Can Toulouse be caught? Absolutely. In fact, they are in immediate danger!

#1 Nothing Toulouse: 453.69 GPA

#2 Rainy City All Stars: 448.84 GPA

The Gap: 4.85 points

Because they are playing each other this weekend at West Track Story 11, the maths is incredibly straightforward. Ahem. Well, the outcome will be. Whoever wins that heavyweight game will almost certainly emerge as the #1 ranked team in Europe.

HOWEVER, this is not actually a sanctioned/ranking game! But it will give us a good indication ahead of June.

Mind the Gap

After Rainy City, there is a massive 159-point cliff. Both Toulouse and Rainy City are mathematically insulated from the rest of the pack. Even if they have a terrible weekend, they are not dropping out of the top two spots.

Podium Scrap

This is where the maths gets incredibly tense. #3-#6 is tight:

Because rankings are based on score ratios, these margins are razor-thin. If Paris All Stars pulls off a win, or even a high-scoring narrow loss, against Crime City at the Antwerp Triple Header, they could steal the #3 spot. Similarly, Nantes is only 10 points behind London Brawling, meaning their direct matchup is likely to dictate who leaves with the #5 rank.

Bubble Bloodbath

While the Top 7 scramble for seeding, the fight for the final tournament spots is terrifying. Helsinki has firmly entrenched themselves as a Top 10 force at #9. However, for teams sitting just outside the top 12, this month is the final genuine opportunity to break the current deadlock. Lomme remains on the edge at #12, with Göteborg sitting just outside the bubble at #13. (Check out our ‘Fire & Ice’ February Review to see how their last matchups went.)

March concludes with EuroClash 2026, where teams like Lomme and Göteborg will have their last chance to fight for that ticket to Namur.

West Track Story 11 (Nantes, France)

With the European rankings tighter than ever, Nantes will host West Track Story 11, a tournament boasting a who’s who of elite talent. The Gymnase du Croissant (We swear, that really is the name. We checked!) will be ground zero for a mathematical scrap between #5 and #6.

Heavyweight Matchups

Nothing Toulouse (#1) vs. Rainy City All Stars (#2)

The undeniable main event of the weekend. Toulouse is sitting on a flawless 13-0 record. Rainy City is out to rain on that parade in particular. (Not sanctioned)

Nantes Duch.es (#6) vs. London Brawling (#5):

Good luck calling this one, it has the potential to be one of THE matchups of the weekend. When they met last April, London managed to pull away with a nail-biting 149-135 victory. With home-track advantage, Nantes will be looking for revenge and a chance to leapfrog Brawling in the standings.

Nantes Duch.es (#6) vs. Rainy City All Stars (#2): A big ask for the hosts. The last time these two met at a previous WTS, Rainy City dominated 193-69. However, Nantes put up 137 points against #1 Toulouse late last year. If they channel that offensive power, they could severely disrupt Rainy City’s GPA.

How to watch: We’ll be keeping our eyes on Nantes’ Youtube channel for any stream news and will share it with you as soon as we can.

West Track Story 11 – Schedule & Rosters

Antwerp Triple Header (Antwerp, Belgium)

While Nantes hosts a full-blown, well established tournament, Antwerp Roller Derby is set to host a massive triple-header featuring European heavyweights Crime City Rollers and Paris All Stars. It’s a super tight scenario that could see significant movement at the very top of the table.

Crime City Rollers (#3) vs. Paris All Stars (#4):

All about that bronze. Paris has been on an absolute tear this season. Crime City won the WFTDA European Championships back in 2024, proving their quality. A win for Paris here would be a massive statement and could secure them a top-3 seed for the postseason.

Antwerp Love (#7) vs. Crime City Rollers (#3):

Antwerp is fighting to claw their way back up the rankings. Just looking for some more of that Belgian Bounce. They have been refining their tactical execution but will need to find a way to shut down Crime City’s star jammers early to keep the score differential tight.

Antwerp Love (#7) vs. Paris All Stars (#4):

A brutal endurance test for the hosts. Paris’s relentless offensive style will push Antwerp’s stamina to the limit. Surviving this triple-header with strong score ratios is absolutely vital for protecting Antwerp’s Game Point Average before the April cut off.

Catch it live: Antwerp is blessing us with a free stream over on Twitch (Click Here). Because this is a free broadcast, keep your expectations for production value in check. We’re talking raw, volunteer-powered derby stream energy. No matter the camera angle, you aren’t going to want to miss this.

Antwerp Triple Header – Schedule & Rosters

When the Dust Settles…

By Monday morning, the landscape of European Roller Derby could be fundamentally altered. With the Top 7 teams all clashing on the same weekend, the GPA’s are going to be scrambled, streaks will be broken (or will they?!), and the roadmap to the European Championships in Namur will finally come into focus.

This isn’t just any old weekend of derby; this is a defining moment in the season.

Don’t miss anything!

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We’ll be sharing the streaming links and tracking the chaos all weekend long. Hit follow for live score reactions, upset alerts, and on-the-ground updates from both Nantes and Antwerp as the maths unfolds in real-time.

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