Women's National Xball League: Difference between revisions
Created page with "The '''Women's National Xball League''' ('''WNXL''') is a professional women's competitive paintball league established in 2021 as part of the National Xball League (NXL). The league provides women with a dedicated professional competition in the Xball format, with competitions in the United States and Europe.[1][2] The WNXL held its first exhibition match in November 2021 and began its inaugural competitive season in 2022. It has subsequently expanded to include pr..." |
Update WNXL's US history, professional teams, event winners and season champions through 2 November 2026; clarify MLPB affiliation and separate professional X-Ball, amateur five-player and three-player formats; distinguish scheduled World Cup competition from completed results. |
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The '''Women's National Xball League''' ('''WNXL''') is a professional women's | The '''Women's National Xball League''' ('''WNXL''') is a professional women's [[paintball]] competition established in 2021. Its United States championship operates alongside selected [[National Xball League]] (NXL) tournaments, with separate women's professional results and season standings. The WNXL forms part of [[Major League Paintball]] (MLPB).[1][2] | ||
The | The league debuted with an exhibition at the [[2021 NXL World Cup]] and began regular competition in 2022. Its principal professional format is five-player [[X-Ball]]. Women's amateur five-player, conventional three-player and three-player X-Ball competitions have also appeared at selected events.[3][4][5][6] | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
=== Establishment | === Establishment and exhibition === | ||
The WNXL | The NXL introduced the WNXL at World Cup on 13 November 2021. The exhibition brought together players associated with the franchises preparing for the inaugural season, divided into teams named Fire and Ice.[3] | ||
The match used a twenty-minute X-Ball format. Fire defeated Ice 7–3. The league's contemporary account presented the exhibition as the introduction to a planned six-franchise professional competition in 2022.[3] | |||
=== Inaugural season, 2022 === | |||
Regular WNXL competition began at the [[2022 NXL Sunshine State Major]]. Dallas Vibe won the inaugural tournament, completing a 6–0 match record and defeating Destiny 5–3 in the final.[4] | |||
The | The six teams appearing throughout the inaugural three-event championship were:[7] | ||
* [[Dallas Vibe]] | * [[Dallas Vibe]] | ||
| Line 26: | Line 24: | ||
* [[Cheetahs (paintball team)|Cheetahs]] | * [[Cheetahs (paintball team)|Cheetahs]] | ||
The Heroines won the Mid-Atlantic Major and World Cup, securing the first season championship with 393 points. Destiny finished second with 384 and Dallas Vibe third with 373.[7] | |||
World Cup also admitted additional international entrants, including Shieldmaidens and Suricatos. Their inclusion in the final standings should be distinguished from the six teams contesting all three rounds.[7] | |||
=== Subsequent seasons === | |||
Cheetahs won the 2023 professional season championship through three runner-up finishes. Destiny, the Heroines and Dallas Vibe each won an individual event, while Cheetahs accumulated the highest season total.[8] | |||
The | The Heroines regained the championship in 2024, winning the Mid-Atlantic Major and World Cup. They retained the title in 2025 after victories at the Midwest Open and World Cup.[9][5] | ||
The professional field changed between seasons. The 2025 standings recorded ten teams participating across the three professional rounds; eleven teams appeared at both completed professional rounds in 2026.[5][6] | |||
== Organisation and MLPB relationship == | |||
MLPB describes the WNXL as a partnership between its organisation and established participants in women's paintball. Its stated purpose includes increasing women's participation in the sport.[1] | |||
The WNXL operates alongside the NXL event programme while maintaining its own professional competition identity and standings. MLPB's tournament competition membership covers WNXL alongside NXL, the [[International Classic Paintball League]] and NXL Europe.[2] | |||
Registration, schedules, results and season rankings are published through [[PBLeagues International]]. Women's professional and amateur categories are recorded separately.[5][6] | |||
A separate women's championship also operates alongside [[NXL Europe]]. Its results are distinct from the United States championship.[1][2] | |||
== Competition formats == | |||
=== Professional five-player X-Ball === | |||
The principal WNXL professional competition uses five active players per team and repeated points within a timed match. Teams attempt to eliminate opponents and activate the opposing buzzer. | |||
For the 2026 Midwest Open, the registered professional WNXL format specified a fifteen-minute match clock and a five-point mercy limit. The scheduled 2026 World Cup used the same listed conditions.[10][11] | |||
The league publishes a dedicated United States professional WNXL rulebook.[12] | |||
== | === Women's amateur five-player === | ||
Women's amateur five-player is a separate category from professional WNXL X-Ball. Its registration records specify five-minute games.[10][11] | |||
In 2025, NJ High Rollers finished first in the WNXL Amateur five-player season standings, ahead of Dallas Dolls. These were separate titles from the Heroines' professional championship.[5] | |||
=== Three-player competition === | |||
Women's conventional three-player competition and women's three-player X-Ball are also distinct categories. | |||
The [[2026 NXL Tampa Bay Open]] included women's three-player X-Ball, won by Dallas Vibe ahead of Femmes Fatale and the Heroines.[13] | |||
The scheduled 2026 World Cup registration separately listed women's conventional three-player competition with three-minute games. Its announced programme also referred to WNXL three-player X-Ball, so the two descriptions should not be treated as interchangeable formats.[11][14] | |||
The following | == United States professional champions == | ||
The following table distinguishes the season points champion from the winner of professional WNXL competition at World Cup.[7][8][9][5] | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
! | ! Season | ||
! Season champion | ! Season champion | ||
! Points | |||
! World Cup winner | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2022 | | 2022 | ||
| | | The Heroines | ||
| 393 | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2023 | | 2023 | ||
| | | Cheetahs | ||
| 384 | |||
| Dallas Vibe | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2024 | | 2024 | ||
| | | The Heroines | ||
| 393 | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2025 | | 2025 | ||
| | | The Heroines | ||
| 393 | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|} | |} | ||
== | The 2026 season remained incomplete on 2 November, with World Cup still scheduled.[6][11] | ||
== United States professional event winners == | |||
The winners below are recorded in the corresponding official season standings.[7][8][9][5][6] | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
! Year | ! Year | ||
! | ! Event | ||
! Winner | |||
|- | |||
| 2022 | |||
| [[2022 NXL Sunshine State Major]] | |||
| Dallas Vibe | |||
|- | |||
| 2022 | |||
| [[2022 NXL Mid-Atlantic Major]] | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |||
| 2022 | |||
| [[2022 NXL World Cup]] | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |||
| 2023 | |||
| [[2023 NXL Sunshine State Major]] | |||
| Destiny | |||
|- | |||
| 2023 | |||
| [[2023 NXL Windy City Major]] | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2023 | | 2023 | ||
| [[ | | [[2023 NXL World Cup]] | ||
| Dallas Vibe | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2024 | | 2024 | ||
| [[ | | [[2024 NXL Las Vegas Major]] | ||
| Dallas Vibe | |||
|- | |||
| 2024 | |||
| [[2024 NXL Mid-Atlantic Major]] | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |||
| 2024 | |||
| [[2024 NXL World Cup]] | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |||
| 2025 | |||
| [[2025 NXL Tampa Bay Open]] | |||
| Femmes Fatale | |||
|- | |||
| 2025 | |||
| [[2025 NXL Midwest Open]] | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2025 | | 2025 | ||
| [[ | | [[2025 NXL World Cup]] | ||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 2026 | | 2026 | ||
| [[ | | [[2026 NXL Tampa Bay Open]] | ||
| The Heroines | |||
|- | |||
| 2026 | |||
| [[2026 NXL Midwest Open]] | |||
| The Heroines | |||
|} | |||
== 2026 United States competition == | |||
=== Professional teams and provisional standings === | |||
The following eleven teams appeared in the professional standings after Tampa and Midwest. These are provisional positions as of 2 November 2026.[6] | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
! Position | |||
! Team | |||
! Points | |||
|- | |||
| 1 | |||
| [[The Heroines]] | |||
| 200 | |||
|- | |||
| 2 | |||
| [[Femmes Fatale]] | |||
| 189 | |||
|- | |||
| 3 | |||
| [[Dallas Vibe]] | |||
| 183 | |||
|- | |||
| 4 | |||
| [[New Jersey High Rollers]] | |||
| 180 | |||
|- | |||
| 5 | |||
| [[Bear Ridge Saints]] | |||
| 172 | |||
|- | |||
| 6 | |||
| [[San Francisco Sirens]] | |||
| 160 | |||
|- | |||
| 7 | |||
| [[Baltimore Nevermores]] | |||
| 140.67 | |||
|- | |||
| 8 | |||
| [[Northern Lights]] | |||
| 123.33 | |||
|- | |||
| 9 | |||
| [[Thunder Valley Voltage]] | |||
| 92 | |||
|- | |||
| 10 | |||
| [[The Royals]] | |||
| 92 | |||
|- | |||
| 11 | |||
| [[The Immortal Angels]] | |||
| 90 | |||
|} | |} | ||
These are teams participating in the United States circuit; the designation does not imply that every team is based in the United States. | |||
=== Raymond James Stadium programme === | |||
The Tampa opener included WNXL competition inside Raymond James Stadium on 19 March. The announced evening programme included Femmes Fatale against Dallas Vibe and the Heroines against New Jersey High Rollers. Women's three-player X-Ball finals were also included in the stadium programme.[15] | |||
=== Scheduled World Cup === | |||
The [[2026 NXL World Cup]] was scheduled for 11–15 November in Kissimmee, Florida. Its registration programme listed professional WNXL X-Ball from Thursday to Sunday, women's amateur five-player on Saturday and women's conventional three-player on Sunday.[11] | |||
The organiser's wider programme also advertised WNXL three-player X-Ball on Wednesday.[14] | |||
As of 2 November 2026, these remained scheduled competitions. No 2026 World Cup winner or final United States professional season champion is assigned in this article. | |||
== Broadcasting == | |||
Professional WNXL competition is included in the organisation's online tournament coverage. Official NXL event pages direct viewers to the Premier Field broadcast for WNXL and Semi-Professional competition, separately from the principal professional field service.[14] | |||
The 2026 Stadium Takeover programme also placed selected WNXL matches and finals within the same stadium presentation as professional NXL competition and the Summit Awards.[15] | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
* [[National Xball League]] | * [[National Xball League]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Major League Paintball]] | ||
* [[Women's paintball]] | * [[Women's paintball]] | ||
* [[ | * [[X-Ball]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Paintball World Cup]] | ||
* [[ | * [[PBLeagues International]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Paintball in the United States]] | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
# [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/post/fire-vs-ice-the-debut-of-a-female-professional-paintball-league-the-wnxl | # [https://www.majorleaguepb.com/wnxl Major League Paintball – Women's National X-Ball League: official overview.] | ||
# [https://www.majorleaguepb.com/memberships Major League Paintball – Memberships and sanctioned competitions.] | |||
# [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/post/2022-nxl-sunshine-state-major-recap-dynasty-wins-g-i-sportz-dominates-x-ball-in-a-history-first | # [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/post/fire-vs-ice-the-debut-of-a-female-professional-paintball-league-the-wnxl Quinn Nadu, National Xball League – Fire vs. Ice: The Debut of a Female Professional Paintball League, the WNXL, 18 November 2021.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/ | # [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/post/2022-nxl-sunshine-state-major-recap-dynasty-wins-g-i-sportz-dominates-x-ball-in-a-history-first National Xball League – 2022 NXL Sunshine State Major Recap: Dynasty wins, G.I. Sportz dominates X-Ball in a history first, 21 March 2022.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/ | # [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/2025 PBLeagues – 2025 National XBall League standings: professional WNXL and separate women's divisions.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/ | # [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/2026 PBLeagues – 2026 National XBall League standings: professional WNXL, consulted 2 November 2026.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/ | # [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/2022 PBLeagues – 2022 National XBall League standings: Female WNXL X-Ball.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/league/ | # [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/2023 PBLeagues – 2023 National XBall League standings: professional WNXL.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/ | # [https://pbleagues.com/league/316/seasonRankings/2024 PBLeagues – 2024 National XBall League standings: professional WNXL.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/ | # [https://pbleagues.com/event/9320/info PBLeagues – 2026 Midwest Open: professional WNXL and women's five-player formats.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/ | # [https://pbleagues.com/event/9322/info PBLeagues – 2026 World Cup: scheduled dates and women's competition formats, consulted 2 November 2026.] | ||
# [https:// | # [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/wnxl-pro-x-ball-rulebook National Xball League – United States professional WNXL rulebook.] | ||
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/9198/rankings PBLeagues – 2026 Tampa Bay Open results: women's three-player X-Ball.] | |||
# [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/world-cup National Xball League – 2026 World Cup programme and broadcast links, consulted 2 November 2026.] | |||
# [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/stadiumtakeover National Xball League – Raymond James Stadium Takeover programme, 19 March 2026.] | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
* [https://www. | * [https://www.majorleaguepb.com/wnxl Official WNXL overview] | ||
* [https://www. | * [https://www.nxlpaintball.com/ National Xball League] | ||
* [https://pbleagues.com/ PBLeagues | * [https://pbleagues.com/league/316 National tournament records on PBLeagues] | ||
[[Category:Paintball leagues]] | [[Category:Paintball leagues]] | ||
[[Category:Women's paintball]] | [[Category:Women's paintball]] | ||
[[Category:Professional paintball]] | [[Category:Professional paintball]] | ||
[[Category:Paintball in the United States]] | |||
Revision as of 15:55, 2 November 2026
The Women's National Xball League (WNXL) is a professional women's paintball competition established in 2021. Its United States championship operates alongside selected National Xball League (NXL) tournaments, with separate women's professional results and season standings. The WNXL forms part of Major League Paintball (MLPB).[1][2]
The league debuted with an exhibition at the 2021 NXL World Cup and began regular competition in 2022. Its principal professional format is five-player X-Ball. Women's amateur five-player, conventional three-player and three-player X-Ball competitions have also appeared at selected events.[3][4][5][6]
History
Establishment and exhibition
The NXL introduced the WNXL at World Cup on 13 November 2021. The exhibition brought together players associated with the franchises preparing for the inaugural season, divided into teams named Fire and Ice.[3]
The match used a twenty-minute X-Ball format. Fire defeated Ice 7–3. The league's contemporary account presented the exhibition as the introduction to a planned six-franchise professional competition in 2022.[3]
Inaugural season, 2022
Regular WNXL competition began at the 2022 NXL Sunshine State Major. Dallas Vibe won the inaugural tournament, completing a 6–0 match record and defeating Destiny 5–3 in the final.[4]
The six teams appearing throughout the inaugural three-event championship were:[7]
The Heroines won the Mid-Atlantic Major and World Cup, securing the first season championship with 393 points. Destiny finished second with 384 and Dallas Vibe third with 373.[7]
World Cup also admitted additional international entrants, including Shieldmaidens and Suricatos. Their inclusion in the final standings should be distinguished from the six teams contesting all three rounds.[7]
Subsequent seasons
Cheetahs won the 2023 professional season championship through three runner-up finishes. Destiny, the Heroines and Dallas Vibe each won an individual event, while Cheetahs accumulated the highest season total.[8]
The Heroines regained the championship in 2024, winning the Mid-Atlantic Major and World Cup. They retained the title in 2025 after victories at the Midwest Open and World Cup.[9][5]
The professional field changed between seasons. The 2025 standings recorded ten teams participating across the three professional rounds; eleven teams appeared at both completed professional rounds in 2026.[5][6]
Organisation and MLPB relationship
MLPB describes the WNXL as a partnership between its organisation and established participants in women's paintball. Its stated purpose includes increasing women's participation in the sport.[1]
The WNXL operates alongside the NXL event programme while maintaining its own professional competition identity and standings. MLPB's tournament competition membership covers WNXL alongside NXL, the International Classic Paintball League and NXL Europe.[2]
Registration, schedules, results and season rankings are published through PBLeagues International. Women's professional and amateur categories are recorded separately.[5][6]
A separate women's championship also operates alongside NXL Europe. Its results are distinct from the United States championship.[1][2]
Competition formats
Professional five-player X-Ball
The principal WNXL professional competition uses five active players per team and repeated points within a timed match. Teams attempt to eliminate opponents and activate the opposing buzzer.
For the 2026 Midwest Open, the registered professional WNXL format specified a fifteen-minute match clock and a five-point mercy limit. The scheduled 2026 World Cup used the same listed conditions.[10][11]
The league publishes a dedicated United States professional WNXL rulebook.[12]
Women's amateur five-player
Women's amateur five-player is a separate category from professional WNXL X-Ball. Its registration records specify five-minute games.[10][11]
In 2025, NJ High Rollers finished first in the WNXL Amateur five-player season standings, ahead of Dallas Dolls. These were separate titles from the Heroines' professional championship.[5]
Three-player competition
Women's conventional three-player competition and women's three-player X-Ball are also distinct categories.
The 2026 NXL Tampa Bay Open included women's three-player X-Ball, won by Dallas Vibe ahead of Femmes Fatale and the Heroines.[13]
The scheduled 2026 World Cup registration separately listed women's conventional three-player competition with three-minute games. Its announced programme also referred to WNXL three-player X-Ball, so the two descriptions should not be treated as interchangeable formats.[11][14]
United States professional champions
The following table distinguishes the season points champion from the winner of professional WNXL competition at World Cup.[7][8][9][5]
| Season | Season champion | Points | World Cup winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | The Heroines | 393 | The Heroines |
| 2023 | Cheetahs | 384 | Dallas Vibe |
| 2024 | The Heroines | 393 | The Heroines |
| 2025 | The Heroines | 393 | The Heroines |
The 2026 season remained incomplete on 2 November, with World Cup still scheduled.[6][11]
United States professional event winners
The winners below are recorded in the corresponding official season standings.[7][8][9][5][6]
| Year | Event | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2022 NXL Sunshine State Major | Dallas Vibe |
| 2022 | 2022 NXL Mid-Atlantic Major | The Heroines |
| 2022 | 2022 NXL World Cup | The Heroines |
| 2023 | 2023 NXL Sunshine State Major | Destiny |
| 2023 | 2023 NXL Windy City Major | The Heroines |
| 2023 | 2023 NXL World Cup | Dallas Vibe |
| 2024 | 2024 NXL Las Vegas Major | Dallas Vibe |
| 2024 | 2024 NXL Mid-Atlantic Major | The Heroines |
| 2024 | 2024 NXL World Cup | The Heroines |
| 2025 | 2025 NXL Tampa Bay Open | Femmes Fatale |
| 2025 | 2025 NXL Midwest Open | The Heroines |
| 2025 | 2025 NXL World Cup | The Heroines |
| 2026 | 2026 NXL Tampa Bay Open | The Heroines |
| 2026 | 2026 NXL Midwest Open | The Heroines |
2026 United States competition
Professional teams and provisional standings
The following eleven teams appeared in the professional standings after Tampa and Midwest. These are provisional positions as of 2 November 2026.[6]
| Position | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Heroines | 200 |
| 2 | Femmes Fatale | 189 |
| 3 | Dallas Vibe | 183 |
| 4 | New Jersey High Rollers | 180 |
| 5 | Bear Ridge Saints | 172 |
| 6 | San Francisco Sirens | 160 |
| 7 | Baltimore Nevermores | 140.67 |
| 8 | Northern Lights | 123.33 |
| 9 | Thunder Valley Voltage | 92 |
| 10 | The Royals | 92 |
| 11 | The Immortal Angels | 90 |
These are teams participating in the United States circuit; the designation does not imply that every team is based in the United States.
Raymond James Stadium programme
The Tampa opener included WNXL competition inside Raymond James Stadium on 19 March. The announced evening programme included Femmes Fatale against Dallas Vibe and the Heroines against New Jersey High Rollers. Women's three-player X-Ball finals were also included in the stadium programme.[15]
Scheduled World Cup
The 2026 NXL World Cup was scheduled for 11–15 November in Kissimmee, Florida. Its registration programme listed professional WNXL X-Ball from Thursday to Sunday, women's amateur five-player on Saturday and women's conventional three-player on Sunday.[11]
The organiser's wider programme also advertised WNXL three-player X-Ball on Wednesday.[14]
As of 2 November 2026, these remained scheduled competitions. No 2026 World Cup winner or final United States professional season champion is assigned in this article.
Broadcasting
Professional WNXL competition is included in the organisation's online tournament coverage. Official NXL event pages direct viewers to the Premier Field broadcast for WNXL and Semi-Professional competition, separately from the principal professional field service.[14]
The 2026 Stadium Takeover programme also placed selected WNXL matches and finals within the same stadium presentation as professional NXL competition and the Summit Awards.[15]
See also
- National Xball League
- Major League Paintball
- Women's paintball
- X-Ball
- Paintball World Cup
- PBLeagues International
- Paintball in the United States
References
- Major League Paintball – Women's National X-Ball League: official overview.
- Major League Paintball – Memberships and sanctioned competitions.
- Quinn Nadu, National Xball League – Fire vs. Ice: The Debut of a Female Professional Paintball League, the WNXL, 18 November 2021.
- National Xball League – 2022 NXL Sunshine State Major Recap: Dynasty wins, G.I. Sportz dominates X-Ball in a history first, 21 March 2022.
- PBLeagues – 2025 National XBall League standings: professional WNXL and separate women's divisions.
- PBLeagues – 2026 National XBall League standings: professional WNXL, consulted 2 November 2026.
- PBLeagues – 2022 National XBall League standings: Female WNXL X-Ball.
- PBLeagues – 2023 National XBall League standings: professional WNXL.
- PBLeagues – 2024 National XBall League standings: professional WNXL.
- PBLeagues – 2026 Midwest Open: professional WNXL and women's five-player formats.
- PBLeagues – 2026 World Cup: scheduled dates and women's competition formats, consulted 2 November 2026.
- National Xball League – United States professional WNXL rulebook.
- PBLeagues – 2026 Tampa Bay Open results: women's three-player X-Ball.
- National Xball League – 2026 World Cup programme and broadcast links, consulted 2 November 2026.
- National Xball League – Raymond James Stadium Takeover programme, 19 March 2026.