Admin: Document the 2025 US NXL season, including calendar, formats, professional five-player and 3v3 results, WNXL, divisional winners, season champions, promotion/relegation and the separate ESPN2 championship.

2026-11-02T20:30:24Z

Document the 2025 US NXL season, including calendar, formats, professional five-player and 3v3 results, WNXL, divisional winners, season champions, promotion/relegation and the separate ESPN2 championship.

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The '''2025 NXL season''' was the United States national tournament season of the [[National Xball League]]. Its five-event calendar ran from the [[2025 NXL Tampa Bay Open|Tampa Bay Open]] in March to the [[2025 NXL World Cup|World Cup]] in November. Competition included professional and divisional five-player X-Ball, [[Women's National Xball League|WNXL]], conventional five-player and three-player divisions, and Classic competition. A separate professional three-player X-Ball points series began at the Midwest Open.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

[[PaintballFIT]] won the professional five-player season championship, [[Edmonton Impact]] won the professional three-player series, and the [[Heroines]] won the WNXL professional championship. [[Tampa Bay Damage]] won both professional five-player and professional three-player competition at World Cup.[1][11][12]

== United States calendar ==

The national points series comprised five events. Dates below include additional competition days where applicable, rather than only the Friday–Sunday five-player programme.[2][3][4][5][6]

{| class="wikitable"
! Event
! Dates
! Venue
! Location
|-
| [[2025 NXL Tampa Bay Open]]
| 7–9 March 2025
| Raymond James Stadium event site
| Tampa, Florida
|-
| [[2025 NXL Atlantic City Open]]
| 2–4 May 2025
| Bader Field
| Atlantic City, New Jersey
|-
| [[2025 NXL Midwest Open]]
| 19–22 June 2025
| Joyce Park
| Fairfield, Ohio
|-
| [[2025 NXL Lone Star Open]]
| 11–14 September 2025
| Audubon Park
| Garland, Texas
|-
| [[2025 NXL World Cup]]
| 12–16 November 2025
| NXL World Cup site, 6000 West Osceola Parkway
| Kissimmee, Florida
|}

The Midwest and Lone Star programmes included professional three-player X-Ball on Thursday. World Cup began its professional three-player competition on Wednesday, 12 November, before the five-player programme.[4][5][6]

The [[2025 MLPB Pro 3v3 World Championship]] was held separately on 1 August. It was not an additional round in either of the NXL professional points tables.[1][15]

== Playing formats ==

=== Five-player X-Ball ===

The event registration records specified the following standard X-Ball match lengths and mercy limits:[2][4][6]

{| class="wikitable"
! Division
! Match time
! Mercy limit
|-
| Professional
| 15 minutes
| Six-point lead
|-
| WNXL professional
| 15 minutes
| Five-point lead
|-
| Semi-Professional and Division 2
| 15 minutes
| Five-point lead
|-
| Divisions 3 and 4
| 12 minutes
| Four-point lead
|-
| Division 5
| 10 minutes
| Three-point lead
|}

The professional final at Tampa used a different format: two ten-minute halves separated by an eight-minute interval. Contemporary reporting by Dynasty coach Mike Bianca documented the change.[13]

=== Professional three-player X-Ball ===

Professional three-player X-Ball was contested at the Midwest Open, Lone Star Open and World Cup. The Midwest and Lone Star registration records specified seven-minute matches; World Cup specified seven-minute matches with a three-point mercy limit.[4][5][6]

This competition had its own results and season standings. It was separate from the conventional three-player divisions, whose event registration records specified three-minute games.[1][4]

=== Other divisions ===

The programme also included conventional five-player competition, amateur ten-player competition, Classic five-player and seven-player divisions, women's amateur competition and youth divisions. Their availability varied between events.[2][3][4][5][6]

World Cup offered additional categories, including Masters X-Ball, the Commander's Cup, Veterans International X-Ball, Classic Mounds ten-player competition, and open and amateur three-player X-Ball.[6][11]

== Professional five-player competition ==

PaintballFIT won the opening two events. Red Legion won the Midwest Open, Edmonton Impact won the Lone Star Open, and Tampa Bay Damage won World Cup.[7][8][9][10][11]

{| class="wikitable"
! Event
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| Tampa Bay Open
| PaintballFIT
| San Diego Dynasty
|-
| Atlantic City Open
| PaintballFIT
| TonTon FSU
|-
| Midwest Open
| Red Legion
| TonTon FSU
|-
| Lone Star Open
| Edmonton Impact
| San Antonio X-Factor
|-
| World Cup
| Tampa Bay Damage
| PaintballFIT
|}

PaintballFIT secured the season championship despite finishing second to Damage at World Cup. The leading three teams in the final points table were:[1][12]

{| class="wikitable"
! Position
! Team
! Points
|-
| 1
| PaintballFIT
| 1,052
|-
| 2
| Red Legion
| 984
|-
| 3
| San Antonio X-Factor
| 937
|}

World Cup's registration programme included a four-team Championship professional group alongside the other professional entrants.[6]

== Professional three-player competition ==

San Antonio X-Factor won the first national professional three-player event at the Midwest Open. San Diego Dynasty won at Lone Star, and Tampa Bay Damage won World Cup.[9][10][11]

{| class="wikitable"
! Event
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| Midwest Open
| San Antonio X-Factor
| Edmonton Impact
|-
| Lone Star Open
| San Diego Dynasty
| PaintballFIT
|-
| World Cup
| Tampa Bay Damage
| Edmonton Impact
|}

Edmonton Impact won the three-event season championship without winning an individual round.[1]

{| class="wikitable"
! Position
! Team
! Points
|-
| 1
| Edmonton Impact
| 670
|-
| 2
| Tampa Bay Damage
| 636
|-
| 3
| San Diego Dynasty
| 633
|}

== WNXL competition ==

Professional WNXL competition took place at Tampa, the Midwest Open and World Cup.[7][9][11]

{| class="wikitable"
! Event
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| Tampa Bay Open
| Femmes Fatale
| New Jersey High Rollers
|-
| Midwest Open
| Heroines
| Femmes Fatale
|-
| World Cup
| Heroines
| Dallas Vibe
|}

The Heroines won both World Cup and the professional season championship. Women's amateur five-player and women's three-player competition were recorded separately from the professional WNXL division.[1][11][12]

== Divisional event results ==

The following tables record event winners as named in the individual PBLeagues results. These names can differ from those subsequently displayed in the season standings.[7][8][9][10][11]

=== Divisional X-Ball ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Division
! Tampa Bay
! Atlantic City
! Midwest
! Lone Star
! World Cup
|-
| Semi-Professional
| tppcrew
| Preferred mob
| BR Factory
| Los Angeles Collision
| New York Wrecking Crew
|-
| Division 2
| Immortal Effect
| Rejects
| New York BRAVE
| Noobies
| Rejects
|-
| Division 3
| New Jersey Filthy
| AG Knights
| New Jersey Filthy
| PTN
| NR FACTORY
|-
| Division 4
| Gunnerz
| Filthy
| Smoke Red
| Protocol
| Ohio Outlaws
|-
| Division 5
| Protocol
| Protocol
| S.N.A.F.U. 2
| LAXtreme
| Protocol D5
|}

=== Conventional five-player competition ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Division
! Tampa Bay
! Atlantic City
! Midwest
! Lone Star
! World Cup
|-
| Division 3
| Panda Express Elite
| NMI
| WPG Konvicts
| Papeletto
| NMI
|-
| Division 4
| Magic City Steel
| Quebec Paintball
| Magic City Vulcans
| ColdBlooded
| FZR
|-
| Division 5
| Ragtag D5
| New York Khaos
| New York Khaos
| TexeCutioners by PBGateway
| Tampa Bay Exile
|-
| Youth / Youth Advanced
| Hydra Kidz
| Hydra Kidz
| Filthy Kids
| —
| Filthy Kids
|-
| Women's amateur
| Protocol XX
| NJ High Rollers
| Dallas Dolls
| Dallas Dolls
| NJ High Rollers
|}

The Atlantic City women's five-player result was listed without season points. World Cup also included Youth Beginner five-player competition, won by YPL Allstars.[8][11]

=== Ten-player and Classic competition ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Division
! Tampa Bay
! Atlantic City
! Midwest
! Lone Star
! World Cup
|-
| Amateur ten-player
| Smoke
| PHILIPPINES
| LockDown OGs
| CRBN
| Smoke
|-
| Classic seven-player
| Image
| Image
| Doc's Raiders
| PHILIPPINES
| Image
|-
| Classic five-player
| Image
| Image
| Aftershock
| Papeletto Team
| Aftershock
|}

An additional Open ten-player division at Atlantic City was won by Annapolis A-Team. NXS won the Classic Mounds Open ten-player division at World Cup.[8][11]

=== Conventional three-player competition ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Division
! Tampa Bay
! Atlantic City
! Midwest
! Lone Star
! World Cup
|-
| Amateur
| Doc's Raiders
| Sinners
| Doc's Raiders
| ColdBlooded
| The Lost Boys
|-
| Intermediate
| NFO NEW YORK
| Pony Princess
| NFO NEW YORK
| Destiny Space City
| PR1ME CATS
|-
| Novice
| Alliance
| Shooting Blanks
| KYF Kidz
| Texas Easy Company
| 2 Slow 2 Bunker
|-
| Youth
| TCP Micro Machine
| —
| TCP Micro Machine
| —
| Iron kids
|-
| Women's
| —
| —
| Dallas Dolls 3v3 1
| —
| VXNS
|}

A dash indicates that no result was listed for that category in the event results consulted.[7][8][9][10][11]

=== Additional World Cup winners ===

World Cup's additional results included Aftershock in Masters X-Ball, Marines in the Commander's Cup, Veteran Militia in Veterans International X-Ball, Wyldside Distortion in Open three-player X-Ball, Panda Express Elite in Amateur three-player X-Ball, and NXS in conventional Open three-player competition.[11]

== Divisional season champions ==

Season titles were determined by the relevant points standings rather than by the World Cup result alone. Divisional standings applied different limits on counting results and dropped scores.[1]

{| class="wikitable"
! Division
! Season champion
|-
| Semi-Professional X-Ball
| Jungle Cats
|-
| Division 2 X-Ball
| Noobies
|-
| Division 3 X-Ball
| NR FACTORY
|-
| Division 4 X-Ball
| Gunnerz
|-
| Division 5 X-Ball
| Protocol D5
|-
| Amateur ten-player
| Smoke
|-
| Classic Mounds Open seven-player
| Image
|-
| Classic Mounds Open five-player
| Aftershock
|-
| Division 3 five-player
| NMI
|-
| Division 4 five-player
| JakkBoyz
|-
| Division 5 five-player
| Tampa Bay Exile
|-
| Youth Advanced five-player
| Filthy Kids
|-
| WNXL Amateur five-player
| NJ High Rollers
|-
| Women's three-player
| Dallas Dolls 3v3 1
|-
| Amateur three-player
| Doc's Raiders
|-
| Intermediate three-player
| Nomadz
|-
| Novice three-player
| Hasbeens D5
|-
| Youth three-player
| Shenanikids
|}

== Promotion and relegation ==

Jungle Cats won the Semi-Professional season championship and earned a professional place for 2026. The programme appeared as BR Factory in the Midwest event results; coach Mike Bianca subsequently confirmed that the team had won the Semi-Professional series and professional place in 2025.[9][18]

NRG Elite were relegated following the season. Contemporary reporting subsequently documented NRG owner Alan Bufton's acquisition of Houston Heat, a separate ownership transaction following the relegation.[19]

== ESPN coverage and the MLPB championship ==

The [[2025 MLPB Pro 3v3 World Championship]] took place on 1 August at The Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Walt Disney World. The four entrants were Edmonton Impact, PaintballFIT, Red Legion and San Diego Dynasty.[15]

The organiser described qualification as being for the current top four NXL professional season-ranked teams. The event was broadcast live on ESPN2 at 10:00 Eastern Time as part of ESPN8: The Ocho programming.[14][16]

The televised format used ten-minute three-player X-Ball matches on a 120-by-100-foot field. Each player began a point with one hopper and two pods. The clock ran between points until the final 30 seconds; tied matches proceeded to a 30-second sudden-death one-on-one, with the fastest regulation point used if neither player was eliminated.[14]

Edmonton Impact defeated San Diego Dynasty in the final.[17] This standalone championship was distinct from Impact's NXL professional three-player season title.[1][15]

== See also ==

* [[National Xball League]]
* [[Women's National Xball League]]
* [[2024 NXL season]]
* [[2026 NXL season]]
* [[2025 MLPB Pro 3v3 World Championship]]
* [[Paintball in the United States]]

== References ==

# [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/2025 PBLeagues – 2025 National XBall League season rankings.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8786/info PBLeagues – 2025 Tampa Bay Open: dates, venue and formats.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8815/info PBLeagues – 2025 Atlantic City Open: dates, venue and formats.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8926/info PBLeagues – 2025 Midwest Open: dates, venue and formats.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8927/info PBLeagues – 2025 Lone Star Open: dates, venue and formats.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8928/info PBLeagues – 2025 World Cup: dates, venue and formats.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8786/rankings PBLeagues – 2025 Tampa Bay Open results.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8815/rankings PBLeagues – 2025 Atlantic City Open results.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8926/rankings PBLeagues – 2025 Midwest Open results.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8927/rankings PBLeagues – 2025 Lone Star Open results.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8928/rankings PBLeagues – 2025 World Cup results.]
# [https://eclipsehq.blogspot.com/2025/12/eclipse-teams-dominate-nxl-world-cup.html Planet Eclipse – Eclipse Teams dominate NXL World Cup, December 2025.]
# [https://zenandtheartofpaintball.com/2025/03/15/tampa-bay-nxl-2025-event-recap/ Zen and the Art of Paintball – Tampa Bay NXL 2025 Event Recap, 15 March 2025.]
# [https://www.majorleaguepb.com/3v3-world-championship-espn Major League Paintball – Pro 3v3 World Championship: format and ESPN2 broadcast guide.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/cgi-bin/showteams.cgi?EID=9033&LID=532 PBLeagues – Major League Paintball Pro 3v3 XBall World Championship: date, venue and entrants.]
# [https://us.espnpressroom.com/press-releases/2025/07/espn8-the-ocho-returns-july-31-august-3-as-the-ultimate-destination-for-seldom-seen-sports-and-absurd-athleticism/ ESPN Press Room – ESPN8: The Ocho Returns July 31–August 3 as the Ultimate Destination for Seldom-Seen Sports and Absurd Athleticism, July 2025.]
# [https://medium.com/@olsonbrandon/paintball-on-espn-2a74f8b7e21d Brandon Olson – Paintball on ESPN?, 16 August 2025.]
# [https://paintballdirt.substack.com/p/weekly-newsletter-nxl-rostermania Paintball Dirt – Weekly Newsletter featuring Mike Bianca, 5 January 2026; includes Bianca's account of Jungle Cats' 2025 promotion.]
# [https://paintballdirt.substack.com/p/weekly-newsletter-houston-heat-changes Paintball Dirt – Houston Heat Changes Ownership, 24 November 2025.]

== External links ==

* [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/ National Xball League]
* [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/2025 Official 2025 season standings]

[[Category:National Xball League seasons]]
[[Category:Paintball in the United States]]
[[Category:2020s in American paintball]]
[[Category:2025 in paintball]]

2025 NXL season - Revision history

Admin: Document the 2025 US NXL season, including calendar, formats, professional five-player and 3v3 results, WNXL, divisional winners, season champions, promotion/relegation and the separate ESPN2 championship.