US Quidditch Cup 11 Is This Weekend!
One of the biggest events in the world of Muggle quidditch is happening in Round Rock, Texas, this weekend: the 11th US Quidditch Cup!
The US Quidditch Cup is an annual event that is the national championship for the sport in the United States and represents one of the largest quidditch tournaments in the world, with 88 teams competing, split across two divisions. Teams qualify for the 24-team community division or 64-team college division from regional championships held between October and March.
This year is the first year the competition has been split into the two divisions. The community division is being played in pools of six on Day 1, before progressing to the elimination bracket stage on Day 2. The collegiate division, meanwhile, features a Swiss-style format with four flights of sixteen before progressing to a 44-team elimination bracket. A full explanation and schedule can be found here.
Last year, Texas Cavalry was crowned champion and is favorites again this year in the community division, while Texas State, last year’s silver medallist, still looks strong in the collegiate division. (Last year, US Quidditch Cup 10 was mixed, rather than being split into community and collegiate divisions.) It won’t be an easy path to the championship for either team, however, with plenty of competition from rival teams such as QC Boston, the Lost Boys, University of Maryland, and fan favorite the BosNYan Bearsharks (Just look them up. #ChillVibesOnly).
Texas Cavalry was crowned champion of the last year’s US Quidditch Cup 10. Photo Credit: Sana Sadiq Photography
Besides quidditch, the tournament also features a Fan Festival that includes a to-be-announced feature exhibit, food, merchandise, and more. There will also be events tailored for kids of all ages!
The tournament will run for the whole weekend of April 14–15, with tickets available here. For those of you watching from home, you can also check out the live stream here.
Quidditch is a sport primarily played not only by college students but also increasingly by high school students and graduates around the world. It was inspired by the Harry Potter books, adapted into a real-life ball sport, and became a fast-paced, full-contact, mixed-gender sport played on a field – firmly on the ground but inspired by many of the tenets from the series. Tournaments such as the US Quidditch Cup represent the competitive pinnacle of the sport, featuring some of the world’s top teams. This year, there’s plenty more to look forward to, with the European Quidditch Cup happening at the end of this month in Germany and the Quidditch World Cup happening in July in Florence.
Are you going to be at the US Quidditch Cup this year?