WASPA rankings of May 2026 are finally available!
We had another impressive period with 42 tournaments added in the records and we are happy to see WASPA events held in many different countries.
Players in Australia, England, Ireland, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Wales, Malta, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand had the chance to attend tournaments.
Specials hugs to our friends from Hungary and Switzerland who held their first events for a long while!
Congratulations to the clubs of Aberaeron SC (Wales), Finchampstead Subbuteo Club and Norfolk Subbuteo Club (England) for hosting their first WASPA event!
Finally, congratulations to the clubs of SMAFC (Hungary) and Virtus Calabria (Italy) for entering the junior ranking of clubs!
If you have any questions about the circuit, please do not hesitate to contact us – we are always happy to help.
Thinking about joining the WASPA circuit?
The circuit is open to all Subbuteo groups, whether you are an established club or a new initiative. We are welcoming returning clubs, new clubs, and several ambitious projects already in development.Here is a structured analysis of the main trends and insights from the latest rankings generated by AI.
1. Strong global expansion of WASPA
Evidence
- 42 tournaments added
- Events in multiple continents (Europe, Australia, Africa)
- New activity in:
- Hungary
- Switzerland
- Wales
- England
This clearly shows growth + geographic diversification
Link with rankings
- Many countries appear in the rankings (30+ nations)
- New or returning nations (Hungary, Switzerland) are still low in points but present in the ecosystem
Trend:
WASPA is moving from a “core European circuit” → to a truly global grassroots network
2. Growth is driven by local initiatives (clubs)
From your announcement
- New clubs hosting first events:
- Aberaeron SC (Wales)
- Finchampstead SC (England)
- Norfolk SC (England)
This is crucial: growth is decentralised
From the data
- Club rankings depend on:
- organising events
- number of players
- English clubs dominate because they host many events:
- Solent (#1)
- Worthing (#2)
- Yorkshire, Pedmore, etc.
Key insight:
WASPA growth is club-driven, not federation-driven
3. England still massively dominates (but ecosystem is spreading)
Data confirmation
- #1 nation with huge margin:
- England: 2281 pts
- Belgium: 1008 pts
- Most top clubs are English
But your text shows:
- more countries organising events
- new nations becoming active
Trend:
- England = mature ecosystem
- Others = emerging ecosystems
4. Youth development is becoming a major pillar
From your text
- SMAFC (Hungary) and Virtus Calabria (Italy) enter the junior club ranking
This is very important structurally
From rankings
- Junior ranking dominated by Italian players
- Club Rebels Genova clearly #1 junior club
Interpretation:
- Italy is building the next generation
- New countries (Hungary) are starting youth development
Trend:
WASPA is evolving from a senior competition → to a long-term development system
5. Dynamic and active circuit
From your text
- “Impressive period”
- many new events
- returning countries
From rankings
- The season ranking ≠ overall ranking
- Jason Christopher = #1 season
- Malcolm Jamieson = #1 overall
Meaning:
- rankings are activity-based
- players must stay active to remain competitive
Trend:
WASPA is not static → it rewards participation + consistency
6. Inclusivity and openness as core identity
Explicitly in your message
- “open to all Subbuteo groups”
- welcoming:
- new clubs
- returning clubs
- new projects
This is not just communication — it matches the data:
- many low-ranked players → broad participation
- many countries with small representation
Trend:
WASPA is:
- not elitist
- built as a community-driven circuit
7. Multi-level structure is clearly working
From the tables:
- Top Clubs
- Development League
- Conference League
- Junior rankings
This creates:
- clear progression paths
- incentives for:
- organising events
- growing membership
- developing juniors
Trend:
WASPA is becoming a structured “ecosystem” rather than just rankings
8. Key strategic insights
Putting everything together:
1. Growth model = bottom-up
- new clubs → new events → new players → rankings growth
2. Geography is expanding
- especially Eastern/Central Europe (Hungary, Romania)
- plus continued strength in UK, Italy, Australia
3. Youth = future competitive shift
- Italy currently ahead
- new countries entering (Hungary)
4. Activity is the main driver of success
- best players and clubs = most active ones
Final synthesis (very concise)
The May 2026 WASPA rankings show:
Rapid global expansion (more countries, more events)- Club-driven growth model
- Continued English dominance
Strong rise of youth development (especially Italy)- A dynamic, activity-based ranking system
- Increasing inclusiveness and accessibility
- A structured multi-tier competitive ecosystem
1. Dominance patterns (players, clubs, nations)
England remains overwhelmingly dominant
- In the individual ranking, a very large share of top 20 players are English.
- In the nation ranking (by points), England is clearly #1 with 2281.93 points, more than double Belgium (#2).
- In the clubs ranking, almost all top clubs are English (Solent, Worthing, Yorkshire, Pedmore, Bristol…).
Key takeaway:
England is the central hub of competitive WASPA activity, both in depth (many players) and in structure (clubs, events).
A single world leader stands out
- Malcolm Jamieson is clearly #1 with 643.98 points, far ahead of #2 (~590 pts). This gap suggests:
- sustained consistency,
- or heavy participation in high-value events.
Strong “secondary nations”
After England:
- Belgium (#2)
- Australia (#3)
- Netherlands (#4)
- Italy (#5)
These countries show:
- strong local ecosystems (clubs + events),
- a smaller but competitive elite group.
2. Differences between “overall ranking” and “season ranking”
This is one of the most interesting insights.
Example:
- Overall #1: Malcolm Jamieson
- Season #1: Jason Christopher
Interpretation:
- The overall ranking rewards long-term consistency
- The season ranking reflects current form/activity
Key trends:
- Some players are “in form” (season ranking high) but lower overall
- Others are “established elites” (overall ranking high) but less active recently
This creates:
- a dynamic competition
- potential upcoming changes at the top
3. Youth (Junior ranking): a major Italian wave
Italy dominates the junior scene
Top juniors:
- Samuele Bignardi
- Tommaso Sani
- many players from Club Rebels Genova
And:
- Club Rebels Genova #1 junior club (479 pts)
Key trend:
- Italy is investing strongly in youth development
- Future top rankings may shift toward Italy
4. Club structure = key performance driver
Top clubs are highly structured
Example:
- Solent Subbuteo Club (#1 with 806 pts)
Requirements (from the sheet):
- event organisation
- regular activity
- a minimum number of players
Insight:
Performance is not individual only → it is club-driven:
- more events = more points
- strong communities produce top players
Multi-tier club ecosystem
There are 3 levels:
- Top Clubs
- Development League
- Conference League
This indicates:
- a pyramid system
- clear pathways from local → elite level
5. Global spread vs concentration
Wide international participation
- Players from Europe, Australia, Asia, USA, Africa
- 1000+ ranked players
WASPA is clearly global.
But still concentrated
Top levels are dominated by:
- UK (especially England)
- Western Europe
- Australia
Emerging countries exist but are not yet competitive at top level.
6. Nation rankings — two perspectives
By points
- Measures top elite strength
- Example: Scotland high because of one superstar
By places
- Measures depth of participation
- Example: Netherlands #2 and Belgium #3
Insight:
- Some countries = strong elite only
- Others = strong base + depth
7. Key structural trends
Increasing professionalisation
- Clear rules for clubs
- League tiers
- ranking systems (overall, season, junior)
Activity-driven performance
- Players/clubs that organise events perform better
Youth pipelines emerging
- Especially visible in Italy and some English clubs
8. What we can conclude overall
1. England = dominant ecosystem
- best players depth
- best clubs
- most events
2. Italy = rising power (especially youth)
- strong junior dominance
- clubs like Club Rebels Genova shaping the future
3. Rankings show two dimensions:
- long-term excellence (overall)
- current momentum (season)
4. Clubs are the key unit
- performance strongly linked to club structure and activity
5. WASPA is global but uneven
- many countries involved
- only a few dominate elite performance
