The defending champion Bavarian Warriors will face host Nordrhein-Westfalen in the 2026 Jugendländerturnier Tackle final after winning their opening day games, the American Football Verband Deutschland (AFVD) reported. Kick-off for the championship game at the Horststadion in Herne is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 2:30 PM local time.

Bavarian Warriors Secure Narrow Semifinal Victory

Bayern opened their tournament campaign with a dominant 51-0 victory over Saxony. However, their subsequent semifinal matchup against Baden-Württemberg proved significantly tighter.

The contest remained scoreless for long stretches as both defensive units clamped down on opposing play-callers. Bayern eventually broke through to secure a narrow 14-12 victory, punching their ticket to the title game.

“It was a game on absolute equal terms in which neither team gave anything away,” said Bayern Head Coach Martin Hansemann. “Our defense played an outstanding performance and allowed the opponent very little yardage. At the same time, our offense continued to work continuously and rewarded themselves in the end.”

GreenMachine NRW Shuts Out Niedersachsen

Host Nordrhein-Westfalen advanced to the final by defeating the Niedersachsen Mustangs 21-0 in Bochum. The GreenMachine established a 7-0 lead after the opening quarter and steadily built on their advantage while pitching a shutout for the full 60 minutes.

The clean sheet sends the local selection through to a home-soil championship match. Head Coach Sascha Krotil acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge ahead.

“We had a very hard game against Niedersachsen and are now overjoyed to be in the final at our home tournament,” Krotil said. “With Bayern waiting, the reigning state champion and thus a very strong opponent is facing us. We hope for loud support from the football community from NRW.”

Herne Horststadion Hosts Final Day Matchups

The tournament concludes on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the Horststadion in Herne. Action begins at 11:00 AM local time with the third-place fixture between Baden-Württemberg and Niedersachsen. The championship final between the Bavarian Warriors and the GreenMachine NRW follows at 2:30 PM.