Ansbach’s Chris Roman takes control of the ball in a matchup against the Hohenfels Tigers that resulted in a 6-0 win over the Tigers at the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
The 2026 season could see the rise of new champions in the DODEA European boys soccer scene.
Sure, defending Division III Ansbach won’t see a drop off, but traditional powers Ramstein and Naples are in transition heading into the season.
Whether other teams can emerge and take the crowns remains to be seen. All will be decided during the European championships May 18-21 in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.
Here’s a team-by-team breakdown, based off responses from coaches across Europe:
The Cougars have great expectations heading into the 2026 season.
They have played in the last three Division III title games and finally got over the hump last spring with a title.
Coach Tracey Robertson and her staff have an embarrassment of riches on the field. Ansbach has 12 returners from that squad, many of whom were key contributors in the win.
The Cougars bring back their rock in net with Jack Lovallo. The junior captain was named tournament MVP and made first-team All-Europe.
Junior attacker Chris Roman scored three goals during the 2025 tournament, including the game-winning penalty in the final.
Senior captains Lucas Rudy and Nathan Arreguin anchor the defense, and senior outside midfielder Orlando Roman also will have the captain’s armband.
Other returners are senior defenders Jalen Donaldson and Sam Hanson, senior striker Kwace Jones, junior striker Ryan Ayat, sophomore midfielders Jamie Berger and Elijah Schuettpelz and sophomore defender Max Bacillio.
Junior Liam Parrish and freshmen Jonathan Beck, Aleksei Holloway, Aidan Boywer, Kayahan Arbolado, Elijah Thompson, John Williams and Fox Everett are new to the team.
Coach Ian Birch has a relatively young squad this spring.
The Saints have three seniors who return – defenders Kamren Rutland and Andre Sunia and forward Cruz Cottingham. Junior Mark Canales brings back his experience as goalkeeper, while junior Toby Canales and sophomore Logan Lawicki stay at top of the formation.
Four freshman – midfielder Eddy Kim, Caellum Johnston and Adrian Perez and defender Cooper Oakley – will play key roles.
The Buccaneers once again field a coed team and will take on the boys small-school division.
Coach Benjamin Davis has a roster of 22 players this spring.
That list consists of Alexander Bohon-Donaldson, Alyssa Meas, Adriel Rivera, Adam Rose, Alice Seale, Benaiah Morgan, Benjamin Whiteside, Caiden Brech, Cassidy Griffin, Ezekial Davenport, Emily Ramirez, Gabriel Laureano, Isabelle Clevenger, Justin Anderson, Kylie Bailey, Kacis Hernandez, Myles Crespo, Marley Wilson, Patrick Akar-Donkor, Jaquan Harewood, Triston McCormick and Yadriel Alejandro.
The Brigands lost half of their starting lineup to transfers, and coach Andrew Langenstein said he hopes the team will grow and be competitive in Division III.
Brussels can bank on the play of Tamaz Kapanadze, who was an all-tournament selection in 2025.
The Tigers are looking to build off the small steps they took in 2025, according to coach Joe Dreger.
In fact, the coach said the team should improve upon its eighth-place finish if his players can stay healthy.
Returning for the club are Aaden Lopez, Felix Abaldo, Taryn Owens, Connor Landreth, Joaquin Felix, Silas Abaldo and Mark Scott.
Newcomers include Joey Dreger, Matthew Stellfox, Will Odihambo, Nathaniel Stellfox, Grace Dermody, Julian Gonsalves, Jason Burke and Adrian Collier.
In 2025, the Royals were perfect during the regular season, only to peter out and finish fifth at Euros.
New coach Kris McAdam, a former Northern Ireland youth international player, said he wants to reverse that. The focus won’t be on the road to the finals; instead, Marymount will see every week as preparation for the tournament.
Senior Simone Clemente earned all-tournament honors last spring. Other seniors are Pedro Braz Martins, Federico Pipitone, Tancredi Toti and Giovanni Merico.
The Royals have a large junior class with Manfredi Geiger, Nicholas Lorenzelli, Sattam Faisal, Sebastian Furstenberg Fassio, Nicolo Cerqua, Tommaso Ilari, Giacomo Corradi, Giovanni Cecchetti, Giorgio delli Falconi, Valerio Massimo Carusi and Ernesto Bocca.
Four sophomores – Gael Grant Rios, Michele Gazzo, Leonardo Merico and Niccolo Bigi – also have experience.
Senior Drake Warren is new to the team, as are sophomore Emanuel Skwarczynski and freshmen Mikel Carrera, Valerio Cannizzaro, Ian Bongiorno and Valentino Benedetti.
Christopher Anderson takes over the back-to-back champions, and the coach anticipates a rebuilding year.
The Wildcats still have plenty of firepower to compete in Division II. Senior left winger Josh Banks made first-team All-Europe in 2025, while junior central midfielder Finn Stephens was selected for the second team.
Veteran center back Landon Heavrin will lead the backline.
Forwards Nico Calvo and Thies Mustert, center midfielder Milosz Bober and center back Harold Rice will make an impact for Naples this campaign.
DODEA-Europe long has learned not to count out the Royals during coach Dominik Ludes’ 25 years in charge.
The 2026 Royals likely will be no exception.
Ramstein will see a good number of players making the jump from JV to varsity, giving them an understanding of Ludes’ system. That should help with the transition after losing many from the back-to-back title winners.
Two veterans will pace the Royals. Midfielder Keiran Goodall is back after a season in which he was tournament MVP and first-team All-Europe, as well as being named Stars and Stripes boys soccer Athlete of the Year. Midfielder Kai Woodstock also made All-Europe’s first team.
Edward Francis transferred to Ramstein this season, while Connor Mack is one of the former JV players being promoted to varsity.
Coach Braddock McFarland has another young club, but he said he’s hoping the experience gained from last year will lead to better results.
Twelve Admirals return. Three of them – striker Daniel Guido, winger Christian Smith and defender Leo Torres – are seniors. Midfielders Leo McFarland and David Ortega are juniors.
The largest group of veterans are sophomores. Cole Root and Zac Van Slyke will see time at goalkeeper. Jose Camacho and Howard McLean will play in defense, and Evan Cypers will play in the midfield. Maddux Johnson and Gabe Parker add more depth on the wings.
New to the team are senior Nathan Moss, junior Joshua Padin, sophomore Esteban Solano and freshmen Wyatt Beal, Lucca Guido, Matthew Iglesias Rodriguez, Alex Madmon and Jaden Viloria Mesa.
The Spartans started strong but faded in the postseason in 2025.
Most of the core returns, and coach Erika Aquino said they have learned from that experience.
SHAPE has 16 veterans on the squad. In defense are left back Luis Carvajal; center backs Tavin Cairney, Antonio Nieves and Federico Grassi; right back George Vorris; fullback Samuele Scaranaro; and defender Giordano Piacentini. Chase Lattemore, Alvaro Diez and Stewart Wilson could see time in the back as well.
Owen Aquino, Carlos Del Rio Avila and Marten Muurisepp bring their experience to the midfield, as does Lattemore.
Antonio Evangelista mans the wing, while Pavlos Madentizidis and Miguel Palmero Fabra have experience at forward. Diez and Wilson also can play in attack.
Peter Sudimak and Antoni Brucki are vying for time at goalkeeper, while fellow newcomers Jesus Lukas and Micah Bell will see time at winger and forward, respectively.
Others joining the Spartans this spring are Miguel de la Cuesta, Dilan Demiri, Samuel Diez, Manuel Garcia de Quesada Trillo-Figueroa, Pablo Gomez Alcala, Igor Madej, Diego Martinez Hernando, Desmond Meekins, Santiago Paz Rios, Ignacio Paz Rios, Michail Pitsoulis, Isaac Tucker and Toma Vidovic.
The Jaguars have been promoted to Division II, but new coach Andy Reardon, who mentored the girls the previous six years, said he expects the boys to compete.
Sigonella has plenty of experienced hands to lead the way.
Adrian Hernandez made the Division III all-tournament team last year, and he’s one of five seniors – Bodhi McElree, William Thompson, Lasse Nestler and Gideon Tesfay – who are back.
Other returners are juniors Nathan Hermanson and Braeden Fleming and sophomores Nae Poole, Cristian Wilson and Ryder Kirsch.
Juniors Carter Steele and Jakub Pniewski are new, as are freshmen Cristian Hernandez, Josh Weldon and Jacob Wheeler.
The Cougars hit their stride at the right moment last season, going winless until the tournament and then shocking the top seed as part of a run to the semifinals.
Many of those players are back and are supplemented by a strong freshman class. Coach John Kohut said because of this, he hopes Vicenza will be better this year.
Returning are seniors Kyler Mukai, Keith Davis and Jack Cullpepper (defenders) and David Beane (defender/midfielder/striker); juniors Ben Morton (striker), Raul Carrillo and Luis Roa (midfielders/strikers), and Maddox Braxton (defender); and sophomores Grayson Morales (defender) and Eric Cortes (midfielder).
New to the team are sophomore goalkeeper Cristian Rodriguez, sophomore striker/midfielder Liam Dokos and freshmen Noah Torres (midfielder/striker), Tristian Macy and Daniel Lohr (defenders), Quinton Davis and William Freakley (midfielders) and John Abella and Landon Miguel (midfielders/strikers).
The Warriors took a step back in 2025, finishing in sixth place.
Coach Tariq Zangana’s squad is hoping to do better than that this season.
Wiesbaden can bank on the experience of 10 veterans, starting with Jaden Ruiz. The senior made the all-tournament team and first-team All-Europe.
Gabriel Dawson, Zachary Wigglesworth, Robert Milan, Ty Waldron, Xander Husher, Josh Hollin, Liam Ho, Jonahan Idowu and Elias Priest round out the returning players.
Seniors Joseph Valencia and Finnian Syphus, sophomore Ryan Flores and freshmen Benjamin Kapla and Javen Balon are new to the squad.
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