Sofia Hosts First European Baseball5 Cup
Bulgaria will host the world’s first European Baseball5 tournament for club teams on July 25–26 in Sofia. The inaugural European Cup will take place in the open-air square in front of the National Palace of Culture, showcasing this dynamic, street-style version of baseball, CE Report quotes BTA
Twelve teams from eleven countries will participate, including two from Bulgaria: Akademiks and NSA Lions. Other nations represented are Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Turkiye, and France.
The tournament is co-organized by the Bulgarian Baseball and Softball Federation, the Bulgarian Association of North Atlantic Sports, and the Sofia - European Capital of Sport Association. Sesame.bg will serve as the main sponsor.
“This event is a major step in promoting Baseball5 in Bulgaria,” said Anatoli Iliev, Chairman of Sofia – European Capital of Sport. “We want to share this exciting sport with a wider audience.”
Bulgaria has been a pioneer in Baseball5, previously hosting the first Balkan Championship in 2018, the first indoor tournament in 2020, and the first European U17 Championship in 2022.
“Baseball5 is a sport for everyone — simple, inclusive, and fast-paced,” said Yuri Alkalay, founder of Akademiks and chief organizer of the event. “It’s one of the sports of the future.”
The tournament will feature two groups of six teams, with the top four from each advancing to knockout rounds. Remaining teams will compete in placement playoffs to determine final rankings.
