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Bulgaria Wins 2106 Quidditch World Cup Title
Irish national team advanced to quarterfinals
by Brian McGuire

TOKYO, JAPAN -

Every four years, the magical community worldwide gets a little extra Quidditch. For 2106, this meant a trip to Japan for sixteen lucky teams, government representatives, and many more spectators for the Quidditch World Cup. The national teams of both Scotland and Ireland were included in the sixteen teams that participated in the group stage. In total, 18 players representing 10 of the teams in the British and Irish Quidditch League participated in Quidditch World Cup play this year.

In group D, the Scottish national team played Egypt, Chile, and Indonesia, but did not advance. In Group C, the Irish national team played Japan, the United States of America, and Denmark. Japan and Ireland both advanced from the group stage to the first elimination stage. Ireland played Bulgaria for their first elimination game and unfortunately lost 240-50.

In the championship match, the host team of Japan played Bulgaria in the Japanese National Quidditch Stadium. For anyone who has ever attended a match of the British and Irish Quidditch League, that stadium is awe-inspiring. Surrounded by cherry blossom trees that bloom even in August when the Quidditch World Cup final is held, instead of a grassy pitch, the players fly above a giant koi pond. Luckily, since these are professional Quidditch players, the best of the best, there were no accidents and no Quidditch players joined the koi in the pond. The match was surprisingly clean, with no exceptional injuries and both teams exchanging goals until Bulgaria caught the snitch, winning the match 330-100.

Text Cut: British and Irish Quidditch League representation

Ireland
Keeper - Dylan Cane (Kenmare Kestrels)
Chaser - Kevin O'Brien (Falmouth Falcons)
Chaser - Juanma Lopez (Kenmare Kestrels)
Chaser - Candra O'Sullivan (Chudley Cannons)
Beater - Bart Culloden (Kenmare Kestrels)
Beater - Shadi Sheehy (Ballycastle Bats)
Seeker - Lucy Epernick (Tutshill Tornados)

Scotland
Keeper - Kirk Forsfelle (Pride of Portree)
Chaser - Melanie Hopper (Montrose Magpies)
Chaser - Marcel Baines (Wimbourne Wasps)
Chaser - Daniel Buter (Montrose Magpies)
Beater - Jennifer Viret (Pride of Portree)
Beater - Cameron Tamesis McKinley (Falmouth Falcons)
Seeker - Libby Malecot (Montrose Magpies)

Bulgaria
Chaser - Zinnia Shacklebolt (Kenmare Kestrels)