Bristol Aztecs and Manchester Titans both in CEFL action on Saturday.

Photos c/o @roryonthewhistle

Two of the past three Britbowl winners will be in CEFL action in European quarter finals in one of the country’s most challenging continental weekends.

National champions Bristol Aztecs and 2023 Britbowl winners Manchester Titans are each on the road in the quarter finals of the Central European Football League (CEFL). 

The Titans enter the knockout competition at the second round stage and face the daunting prospect of a 20-hour coach trip to the banks of Lake Genève, where they'll take on the defending CEFL, and French champions, Thonon Black Panthers (6 pm BST). 

Bristol, who defeated Irish champions Belfast Trojans in the opening round, travel to the Polish capital to meet two-time national champions Warsaw Eagles, who also play their first game in this year’s competition on Saturday (2 pm BST). 

The Aztecs are undefeated in the BAFA National League Premiership South and also have a 56-0 home friendly victory over North outfit Nottingham Caesars. The

Aztecs have been without US quarterback Ethan Gretzinger (NCAA DIII Pomona-Pitzer) against the Caesars and during their return to competitive league action, a 52-20 victory at Wembley Stallions on Sunday and have played homegrown talent Louis Benzey in his absence. 

The Aztecs say a decision on who gets the start at QB in Poland will be made by gameday, while US running back Josh Breece (NCAA DIII Washington and Lee), who was withdrawn from the Stallions game after a rushing TD, as a “precaution”, is now “subject to treatment” and being managed “day to day”. The RB with GFL experience with Germany’s Paderborn Dolphins was the Aztecs' main threat in their 31-0 home victory over Belfast.

Benzey threw five touchdowns against Nottingham Caesars but was less consistent in an unexpected start against the Stallions, still led his offence on six touchdown drives, including three passing TDs with two to speedy slot receiver AJ Carr. 

Head Coach Pete Jones was critical of aspects of Benzey’s play following the victory over Wembley, in which a late third quarter pick six appeared to spark the premiership rookies into life, though most of their offensive points, which followed, came against the Aztecs' back-ups.

Jones told the Aztecs YouTube channel: "Louis Benzey has made some plays, he’s also made some bad plays, but guys need these opportunities. They make good plays, that’s great, they make bad plays, we look at them on film, we break them down, we work with them, we try and get them better.” 

Warsaw are led by US QB Vidal Woodruff who was the GFL 2 passing leader with the Rostock Griffins, in 2025, throwing for 30 TDs.

The veteran QB, who played NCAA DII with the Shaw Bears, also played in the Fan Controlled Football League before heading to Europe last year.

The Eagles are 6-0 in the Polish Football League and are promising a family picnic for children at the MOSiR stadium, but the signing of former NCAA DII Mars Hill University linebacker Dexter Fitzpatrick Jr suggests there will be no such welcome on the field.

The club announced the signing of Fitzpatrick JR, who spent last season with the Munich Ravens in the ELF, by describing him as a “true leader who will set the tone and wreak havoc in the ranks of offensive rivals in CEFL and PFL games.”

Warsaw haven’t suffered a domestic defeat since April 2024 and last year overcame German powerhouse Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in the CEFL, having also recorded a convincing opening round victory over Stockholm Mean Machines. They bowed out of the competition at the semifinal stage to eventual runners-up Calanda Broncos. 

Manchester last entered the CEFL in 2024 but were eliminated on their European debut in Sweden despite a spirited performance in a 14-42 defeat to Stockholm Mean Machines.

The Titans have undergone several on field personnel changes since entering the CEFL as two time British champs and have struggled to reach the standards they set in 2022 and 2023. Only 10 players in the 45 man travelling squad remain from that 2024 CEFL campaign, including captains defensive lineman Cade Makin and kicker Alex Lenkowski. 

Receivers Brad Temple and Charlie Escott were younger members of that CEFL squad who have stepped up in recent seasons, while the Titans' offence is led by Great Britain QB Josh Mills, who has recently played in Germany. 

Titans have started 2-0 in the BAFA National League Premiership North, having opened their season with a 46-0 road win at Merseyside Nighthawks and defeated Coventry Phoenix 27-14 in their most recent game, on May 2. 

Players have been tested on their French geography on the club’s socials in preparation for their long journey to Thonon on the banks of Lake Genève, close to the Swiss border, for the Saturday night game (kick off 6pm BST).

The Titans are due to depart Manchester on Thursday afternoon and travel through the night to arrive in Thonon on Friday morning.

Their hosts are welcoming the Titans on the back of their first loss of the campaign, a 13-9 defeat to Molosses Asnières but have already secured a home semifinal in the French D1 Elite league with a 9-1 regular season record. 

The Titans will find a familiar face under centre for the Black Panthers in Matteo Renteria, the experienced American QB who led the Mean Machines to victory in the Lancastrians’ only other CEFL game. 

Renteria was a four-year starter at NCAA DIII the College of Wooster and spent 2025 in the Austrian Football League with the Graz Giants, where he threw for 1,943 passing yards and 19 touchdowns.

Titans head of operations George Foster said: “He’s someone we know well and is slippery and very capable throwing off platform, so we will need to take good angles in our pass rush to help limit that threat.  

“They have excellent skill players on top of this who pose a variety of different challenges in both the run and passing game. However, our defence will be fired up and using the full extent of our playbook to slow them down and create positive match ups. The trenches on both sides of the ball are big and physical, where we will look to win with speed; so this should be an excellent battle to watch.”

Foster also said the Titans are unfazed by anyone dismissing their chances against one of Europe’s top teams: “Our goal is what it always is: play good football and compete at the highest level possible. Going up against some of the best in Europe is a fantastic opportunity for us and is exactly where we want to be. We really don't care what anyone else has to say about that.”

It'll be interesting to see if either team can progress into the next round and go further than any British team in recent history. Keep across our socials for updates, if/when we find live stream links, we'll bring them to you too.