A top-tier European Cup (its official name) kicks off in Rouen this Wednesday, June 4, 2025, featuring four national league leaders (Tenerife, Hoboken, Montpellier, Wiener-Neustadt), the host club that won this very competition three years ago (Rouen), and two hungry underdogs (Deurne, Vienne). Three matches per day, plenty of action, suspense, and a level of play that breaks the championship routine—what more could you ask for?
Europe gives us a chance to gauge the quality of French baseball. And we have to admit, it’s not very exciting. Over the past five seasons, our representatives have a record of 19 wins and 28 losses. It’s not exactly top-tier. In 2024, in Valence, Montpellier (4th) and Montigny (7th) didn’t really perform. Let’s hope the 2025 edition allows the Huskies and Barracudas to raise the bar.
Let’s remember that this European Cup isn’t the highest level. Above it is the Champions Cup, featuring six teams: two German, two Czech, one Spanish, one Croatian, and missing for the past two seasons are the Italian and Dutch clubs, which withdrew from European competitions. All of this to say that any potential French victory would certainly be extremely satisfying but should be viewed with the necessary perspective.
The competition is practically a carbon copy of 2022, where, in Rouen, six of the seven teams that will compete for the trophy this year were present. Only Karlovac is gone, replaced by the Belgians from Deurne. For the record, Rouen beat Hoboken in the final, thanks to a walk-off BB by Gleeson, after barely edging past the Barracudas in the semifinals (7-6, with a five-run rally by Montpellier in the final inning).
This season, the Huskies have a slight advantage. The withdrawal of Split (for financial reasons) allows them to play in a pool of three, meaning a victory on the first day against the Austrian Vienna Metrostars would practically secure them a spot in the semifinals before facing Deurne on Thursday. We dare to hope that Rouen, which has never lost to an Austrian club in the European Cup (5 wins in as many matches), will be able to handle business against a team struggling in its own league (9 wins / 7 losses, with a shaky pitching staff and a collective ERA over 6).
The Huskies have shown some concerning signs during their first objective of the season, the France Challenge. They more or less cracked under pressure, and it will be intense, facing their home crowd with a clear goal of winning the event. Rouen has written some of its greatest stories in European showdowns—will the new generation rise to the occasion?
It will be tougher for Montpellier, engaged in a four-team battle that looks perilous. The Austrians also seem a bit below par, but the Diving Ducks should not be taken lightly—they appear to have some strong offensive weapons. However, it will be tough against Hoboken, which is well-armed on the mound with Desmedt and Van Nuffel, powerful at the plate, and dominates in the Belgian league. The Thursday clash between the two teams could very well be decisive. The clear favorite, though, is Tenerife, which is crushing it in the Spanish league. The Marlins are a formidable machine, led by very experienced players, several of whom participated in the European title and Spain’s impressive run in the World Baseball Classic. Tenerife hits hard and throws fast, and they will clearly be the team to beat in this European Cup, which the Marlins already won last season, not without hammering the French clubs, 23-2 against Montigny and 17-1 against Montpellier.
The Barracudas, who won’t be at full strength at the start of the competition, will also have to make choices in their foreign contingent, as only three players are allowed. Vera and Quinonez are likely to be part of it, as pitching is so crucial with five matches to play, but they’ll have to choose just one between Flores, Rodriguez, and Walters, which will somewhat weaken the firepower of the league leaders.
The goal isn’t just to win the competition but also to earn the right, in 2026, to join the Champions League. A beautiful final between the Huskies and Barracudas would allow France to exist a bit more at the European level.
Results to follow here
F.C.
