Malta Paintball’s Involvement Across Three Divisions at the 2026 NXL European Championships
Malta Paintball’s week in Dreux extended beyond our Nations Cup debut. Members of our playing and support group also took part in the NXL European Championships club competitions, joining international lineups in Division 3, Division 4 and Semi-Pro.
The championships took place at Ace Paintball in Dreux, France, from 2 to 6 September. Chris Cioffi competed with The Leftovers III, supported by Michael Earley on the team’s staff. Gavin Scott played with The Leftovers, while Austin and Tristan Setzer competed with BM Uprising.
Joining The Leftovers
The Leftovers is a free agent paintball organisation run by Matt Engles from the Maple Leaf Chiefs. It brings players together for major tournaments, offering places to people without a regular team or whose usual squad is not attending a particular event.
With lineups across several divisions and formats, the organisation helps players compete, meet new teammates and build their paintball network. At Dreux, that approach provided opportunities for Chris and Gavin to join international squads, with Michael contributing off the field.
Two victories for Gavin Scott in Division 3
Gavin Scott combined his role on Malta’s Nations Cup support staff with playing for The Leftovers in Division 3 Xball.
The team began on Friday with a close 2 to 3 defeat against TEMPLIERS VERDUN, then secured a 5 to 2 victory over Assala legende.
On Saturday, The Leftovers drew 3 to 3 with DRGS Gators before beating 1 Nordic tornados by 4 to 2. That completed their preliminary campaign with two wins, one draw and one defeat.
The Leftovers finished 19th among 45 teams. Although they did not qualify for the knockout rounds, they recorded positive results in three of their four matches.
Chris Cioffi and Michael Earley with The Leftovers III
Chris Cioffi competed with The Leftovers III in Division 4 Xball, with Michael Earley serving on the team’s support staff.
Their Saturday matches ended in 0 to 2 defeats against Ballistix and Sabotage. On Sunday, the team lost 1 to 3 against PBL Murcia and 0 to 2 against GCO Factory Team.
The Leftovers III finished 18th among 19 teams. It was a difficult campaign, adding another competitive challenge to Chris’s week in France and another support role for Michael alongside Malta’s national team commitments.
Austin and Tristan Setzer in Semi-Pro
Malta’s Nations Cup coach Austin Setzer also competed during the championships, joining Tristan Setzer on BM Uprising’s Semi-Pro roster.
BM Uprising is a Belgian team registered in Amel, with Actionzone listed as its home field. The team competes in NXL Europe’s Semi-Pro division and also attended this year’s Czech Cup.
In Dreux, BM Uprising opened with a 0 to 4 defeat against Droogs Frankfurt, followed by a narrow 2 to 3 loss against Manchester Firm EDS.
Saturday brought another match decided by a single point, with a 3 to 4 defeat against 019 Porvoo. A 1 to 4 loss against Trash Pandas completed the team’s preliminary stage.
BM Uprising finished 22nd among 25 teams. Their opponents included eventual runners-up Trash Pandas and fifth-placed Droogs Frankfurt.
Austin’s participation meant he combined coaching Malta in the Nations Cup with competing in the European Semi-Pro division during the same championship week.
The connection continues at World Cup
The Leftovers connection will continue in November, when Michael Earley will compete with the organisation in the Masters division at the NXL World Cup in Orlando, Florida. The division is an open class competition for players over 40.
For Malta Paintball, the week in Dreux showed the different ways our community can take part in international competition, as national team players, club team players, coaches and support staff.
Thank you to The Leftovers and BM Uprising for welcoming members of our group, and to the teammates, friends, families and supporters who helped make their participation possible.
Photography and image use
The Leftovers photos by The In House Collective, used with permission. Thank you for capturing the event and helping us share our players’ involvement at the NXL European Championships.
These photographs are not for commercial use. Paintball brands, sponsors and other businesses must obtain express permission from The In House Collective before using them for advertising, product promotion, posters, campaigns or similar marketing purposes. Please respect the photographer’s work and retain the original credits when sharing.