NL Cup crowns 2026 champions on Saturday
The NL Cup crowned new men’s and women’s champions Saturday night at historic King George V Pitch, with St. John’s Blue Water Shipping Capturing the men’s title and Banshees / Slayers the women’s crown.
The NL Cup is Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier senior knockout competition, bringing together men’s and women’s teams from across the province in a single-elimination tournament inspired by the traditional FA Cup format.
The NL Cup is a unique design created by Newfoundland and Labrador sculptor Morgan MacDonald with design elements including the provincial flower, the pitcher plant.
Banshees / Slayers Intermediate 3-1 Paradise Jubilee
Banshees / Slayers captured their first NL Cup women’s title on Saturday night with a 3-1 win over Paradise Jubilee at historic KGV Pitch in St John’s. They are the first Intermediate division team to do so, and reached the final by defeating the Feildians Jublilee squad.
Jordan Osmond scored Paradise’s lone goal three minutes into the game, only for Banshees’ Rebecca Squires to tie things up in the 23rd minute. Maria Mills added two more to put the win squarely in the Banshees sights.
The NL Cup is a single-elimination tournament styled after the UK’s FA Cup, which will allow teams from different divisions to play against each other, without having to commit to a league for a full season.
Banshees / Slayers team members include:
Geana George, Maria Mills, Rebecca Squires, Sydney Ezekiel, Alexandra Vaughan-Jackson, Erikka Kimberley, Beth Avery, Emma Power, Jessica Cole, Grace Pearcey, Sophie MacLaren, Kathleen Dyer, Victoria Greey, Jade Regular, Sitaye Penney, Emma Mugford, Avery Battcock, Heather Slaney, Rachael Fitkowski.
Contributing players not available for final: Mahima Mishra, Jessica Cole, Caroline Hubley, Devonne Ryan, Maggie Strong, Olivia Squires.
Coaches: Fomba Fambulleh, Matt Lahey
Replay of livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg7sCizFWZE&t=364s
St. John’s Blue Water Shipping Challenge Cup 2-1 Feildians Marco Challenge Cup (PKs)
The men’s final brought all the drama we have come to expect from the NL Cup in a hotly contested match that brought overtime, penalty kicks, and a double red card.
St. John’s had reached the final through a penalty shoot out, and another penalty shoot out would come before they could lift the NL Cup.
The teams were knotted at zero through regulation time, prompting two 15-minute overtime halves.
Ntsoa Ratsimandresy scored in the first half of overtime for Feildians Marco, only for Fomba Fambullah to respond for St. John’s Blue Water Shipping. Neither team gave any further quarter, finishing overtime tied at 1-1, and setting up a penalty shoot out.
Feildians Goalkeeper Michael Fisher blocked one and allowed four, while the St. John’s keeper Euan Devereaux blocked a critical shot and got some help from the crossbar to avoid another. Feildians and St. John’s had three successful penalties apiece when Euan’s brother Henry Deveraux buried St. John’s fifth and final shot to lock down the win.
This is the first time St. John’s Blue Water Shipping has claimed the NL Cup.
Team members include:
Fomba Fambulleh, Ngabo Charles, Mark Keumegne, Henry Devereaux, Euan Devereaux, Firmosa Hassan, Alexander Gosse, Elliott Peters, Aubrey Nunes, Sava Navrotskyi, Luke Gaulton, Colton Le Dez, Marco Del Rizzo, Graysen Hinchey, Dillon Brown.
Season contributors not available for final: Evan Carter, Nate Williamson, Lincoln Silver, Ben Collingwood, Aaron Reid, Liam Hennessey, Eamon Carew.
Coaching staff: Charlie Simmonds (Head Coach), Daniel Roche, Mark Peters.
Replay livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FedV9wRRUHQ
Fambulleh’s big night
Fomba Fambulleh added to the lore of the NL Cup on Saturday, winning in the men’s and women’s divisions as both a player and a coach. (Note: Jake Stanford coached the Holy Cross men’s and women’s teams to double NL Cup titles in 2025).
Fambulleh was behind the bench for the Banshees / Slayers women prior to lacing up his cleats for St. John’s Blue Water Shipping. Fambulleh scored the decisive tying goal in overtime, and got the scoring started for St. John’s by making his first penalty kick.
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