Women's National Xball League
The Women's National Xball League (WNXL) is a women's competitive paintball league within the National Xball League tournament programme. Introduced through an exhibition at the 2021 NXL World Cup, it began its first full professional season in 2022. Its United States competitions include professional five-player Xball, amateur five-player and women's three-player formats.[1][2][3]
Major League Paintball (MLPB) describes the WNXL as a partnership with established participants in women's paintball, intended to increase women's participation in the sport.[2]
History
Introduction in 2021
The WNXL was introduced at the 2021 NXL World Cup exhibition, where players associated with the planned 2022 franchises formed two teams, Fire and Ice.[1]
The exhibition used a 20-minute Xball match with two-minute intervals between points. Fire defeated Ice 7–3. The organiser's contemporary report announced six franchises for the following season.[1]
First professional season
The inaugural professional season comprised the Sunshine State Major, Mid-Atlantic Major and World Cup.[4]
Six teams contested the opening rounds: Dallas Vibe, Destiny, The Heroines, Femmes Fatale, Sacramento Diamonds and Cheetahs. Shieldmaidens and Suricatos also competed at World Cup.[4][5]
The Heroines won Mid-Atlantic and World Cup, securing the first professional season championship. Destiny reached all three finals and finished second in the season standings.[4][5]
Development from 2023 to 2025
The 2023 WNXL season comprised professional rounds at Sunshine State, Windy City and World Cup. Cheetahs finished second at all three events and won the season championship, while Dallas Vibe won World Cup.[6]
The 2024 WNXL season used Las Vegas, Mid-Atlantic and World Cup as its professional rounds. The Heroines won the latter two events and the season title.[7]
The 2025 WNXL season comprised Tampa Bay, Midwest and World Cup. Femmes Fatale won Tampa Bay, followed by victories for The Heroines at Midwest and World Cup. The Heroines retained the professional season championship.[8]
Separate amateur five-player and women's three-player standings were also recorded. Their calendars and champions differed from those of the professional Xball competition.[6][7][8]
2026 season
By the 2026 WNXL season, eleven teams were competing in the United States professional five-player circuit. The Heroines won both completed professional rounds, Tampa Bay and Midwest.[9]
The 2026 WNXL Tampa Bay Open also included women's three-player Xball, won by Dallas Vibe. The event programme featured WNXL competition inside Raymond James Stadium on 19 March.[10][11]
As of 2 November 2026, World Cup remained scheduled and the season standings were provisional.[9][12]
Organisation and competition structure
The WNXL operates alongside selected NXL tournaments, with its own professional division and season standings. Event registration, schedules, results and championship tables are published through PBLeagues International.[3][6][7][8]
MLPB includes the WNXL among its paintball brands and describes its involvement as a partnership supporting the development of women's competition.[2]
Professional event championships and the season points championship are separate awards. In 2023, for example, Dallas Vibe won World Cup while Cheetahs won the season championship.[6]
Formats
Professional five-player Xball
The principal professional competition uses five-player Xball. The 2026 event information specified 15-minute matches and a five-point mercy rule.[10][12]
At the completed 2026 professional events, eleven teams played preliminary competition, with six advancing to the playoffs.[13][14]
Amateur five-player
Women's amateur five-player is separately classified from professional WNXL Xball. Event information specifies five-minute games.[10][12]
The amateur calendar can include events without professional WNXL competition. In 2025, for example, Lone Star contributed amateur five-player results but was not a professional WNXL championship round.[8]
The published 2025 amateur season rule counted each team's best three scores, with no more than two regional-event scores.[8]
Three-player competition
Women's three-player competition has separate results and standings. Dallas Dolls 3v3 1 topped the 2025 women's three-player standings, while VXNS won that year's World Cup event.[8]
Three-player Xball has also been staged. Tampa Bay's 2026 WNXL three-player Xball division used seven-minute matches with a three-point mercy rule.[10]
The scheduled 2026 World Cup registration separately listed women's three-player competition with three-minute games. These published formats should be distinguished when describing individual events.[12]
United States professional champions
| 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 |
Sources: official season standings.[4][6][7][8]
The 2026 championship remained incomplete on 2 November.[9][12]
United States professional event winners
| Season | Event | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Sunshine State Major | Dallas Vibe |
| 2022 | Mid-Atlantic Major | The Heroines |
| 2022 | World Cup | The Heroines |
| 2023 | Sunshine State Major | Destiny |
| 2023 | Windy City Major | The Heroines |
| 2023 | World Cup | Dallas Vibe |
| 2024 | Las Vegas Major | Dallas Vibe |
| 2024 | Mid-Atlantic Major | The Heroines |
| 2024 | World Cup | The Heroines |
| 2025 | Tampa Bay Open | Femmes Fatale |
| 2025 | Midwest Open | The Heroines |
| 2025 | World Cup | The Heroines |
| 2026 | Tampa Bay Open | The Heroines |
| 2026 | Midwest Open | The Heroines |
Sources: official season standings.[4][6][7][8][9]
Amateur season standings leaders
The following teams finished first in the published United States amateur five-player and women's three-player season tables.
| Season | Amateur five-player | Women's three-player |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Suricatos Women | — |
| 2024 | Sacramento Storm | Tiki's Ohana Red |
| 2025 | NJ High Rollers | Dallas Dolls 3v3 1 |
Sources: official season standings. A dash indicates that no three-player leader is included here for that season.[6][7][8]
2026 professional teams and standings
The following teams appeared in the United States professional standings after Tampa Bay and Midwest. Positions and points are provisional as of 2 November 2026.[9]
| 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 |
Source: official season standings.[9]
Scheduled 2026 World Cup
As of 2 November 2026, World Cup was scheduled for 11–15 November at 6000 West Osceola Parkway in Kissimmee, Florida.[12]
The registration programme listed professional WNXL Xball for 12–15 November, amateur five-player for 14 November and women's three-player for 15 November. Professional matches were listed with a 15-minute clock and five-point mercy rule; the amateur five-player and women's three-player games had five-minute and three-minute limits respectively.[12]
These were scheduled competitions at the article's cut-off date. No 2026 World Cup results or final season champions are included.
See also
References
- NXL – Fire vs. Ice: The Debut of a Female Professional Paintball League, the WNXL!, 18 November 2021, updated 19 November 2021.
- Major League Paintball – WNXL: league overview and partnership.
- NXL – WNXL United States events.
- PBLeagues – 2022 National Xball League season standings.
- NXL – The 2022 NXL World Cup Event Recap: Dynasty Wins! Season Title Races Decided.
- PBLeagues – 2023 National Xball League season standings.
- PBLeagues – 2024 National Xball League season standings.
- PBLeagues – 2025 National Xball League season standings.
- PBLeagues – 2026 National Xball League season standings, consulted 2 November 2026.
- PBLeagues – 2026 Tampa Bay Open: dates, stadium programme, divisions and formats.
- PBLeagues – 2026 Tampa Bay Open final placings.
- PBLeagues – 2026 World Cup: scheduled dates, venue and formats, consulted 2 November 2026.
- PBLeagues – 2026 Tampa Bay Open scores and playoff brackets.
- PBLeagues – 2026 Midwest Open scores and playoff brackets.