Day 4: Hungary Triumphs in Sectorball as Vinicius, José Rodríguez and Károly Szathmáry Claim Individual World Titles
The X. ITFC World Table Football Championship concluded in Budapest with a spectacular final day of competition, featuring dramatic finishes, outstanding performances and emotional celebrations. Four days of international table football came to an end at the Ludovika Arena, where the world’s best players battled for the ultimate prize across three disciplines.
The final day crowned individual world champions in 12 Touch, Chapas and Sectorball, while Hungary celebrated another major team success by retaining the Sectorball Team World Championship title.
Hungary Retain the Sectorball Team World Championship
The morning began with the conclusion of the Sectorball Team competition. Following Romania’s victory over Serbia, Hungary and Serbia advanced to the final, setting up a decisive battle for the world title.
The Hungarian team delivered a commanding performance, defeating Serbia 3–1 to become world champions once again.
Romania claimed third place after defeating Serbia in the preceding match.
The victory was another outstanding achievement for Hungarian Sectorball and a fitting highlight for the host nation at the Budapest championship.
Vinicius Wins His First 12 Touch Individual World Title
The 12 Touch Individual finals brought together the best eight players, all determined to take home the world championship trophy.
After a series of intense encounters, the final saw Brazilian star Marcus Vinicius Constantino face his compatriot Nandu. Vinicius held his nerve in the decisive match and emerged victorious, securing his first-ever 12 Touch Individual World Championship title.
Brazil once again demonstrated its strength in the discipline, with Brazilian players occupying all three podium places.
Final standings – 12 Touch Individual
- Marcus Vinicius Constantino 🇧🇷
- Fernando Ferreira 🇧🇷
- Jefferson do Amaral Genta 🇧🇷
Congratulations to Vinicius on a fantastic achievement and to all three medal winners!
José Rodríguez Wins a Thrilling Chapas Final
The Chapas Individual competition provided another dramatic final, with two Spanish players competing for the world title.
José Rodríguez and Ángelito Ruiz produced a close contest, with neither player willing to give ground. In the end, José secured a narrow 3–2 victory to become Chapas Individual World Champion.
Portugal’s André Gomes completed the podium in third place.
Final standings – Chapas Individual
- José Rodríguez 🇪🇸
- Ángelito Ruiz 🇪🇸
- André Gomes 🇵🇹
José’s victory marked a memorable personal milestone, while Spain added another individual world title to its successful Chapas campaign.
Károly Szathmáry Conquers the Sectorball World
The final individual title of the championship was decided in Sectorball, where the last eight players competed in a series of fiercely contested matches.
The final brought together two of Hungary’s finest players: Károly Szathmáry, the current Hungarian ranking leader, and Zoltán Bottyán.
The match finished 1–1, meaning the world champion had to be decided by a shootout. The pressure was immense, and every kick mattered. After a remarkable shootout lasting 11 kicks, Szathmáry prevailed 3–2, claiming his first-ever Sectorball Individual World Championship title.
It was a fitting conclusion to a competition in which precision, concentration and composure proved decisive at every stage.
Sectorball may be played on a table, but the smallest movement can determine the outcome. Every millimetre matters, and when pressure builds, mental strength becomes just as important as technical skill. Szathmáry demonstrated both to secure his place among the world champions.
Final standings – Sectorball Individual
- Károly Szathmáry 🇭🇺
- Zoltán Bottyán 🇭🇺
- János Koczor 🇭🇺
Hungary swept the podium, completing a memorable day for the host nation.
Hungarian Culture Adds a Special Touch to the Closing Ceremony
Before the awards ceremony, participants were treated to a special cultural performance by the Mákvirág folk dance group from Dunaharaszti. Their beautiful traditional Hungarian bottle dance (üveges tánc) provided a wonderful moment of cultural exchange and was warmly received by the international audience.
The organisers would like to express their sincere thanks to Dr Eszter Csobolyó Nagyné, a colleague of the Pest County Civil Service Centre, for her valuable assistance and for helping arrange the dancers’ participation.
The Pest County Civil Service Centre, together with the Budapest Civil Service Centre, also attended the event and offered additional activities and surprises for participants and visitors.
The performance was a fitting reminder that the World Championship was about more than sport: it was also an opportunity to share cultures, build friendships and bring people together through a common passion.
A Memorable Awards Ceremony
Following four days of competition, the championship concluded with the presentation of medals and trophies to the new world champions and medal winners.
The ceremony was filled with smiles, excitement and well-deserved celebrations. Players, officials, volunteers and supporters gathered to recognise the achievements of competitors from across the international table football community.
Thanks to the support of Gyermelyi, each European champion also received €300 in prize money, adding another special element to the celebrations.
The organisers extend their gratitude to all participating nations, players, team officials, referees, volunteers, sponsors, partners and visitors who helped make the event a success.
Budapest Says Goodbye Until the Next World Championship
The X. ITFC World Table Football Championship brought together competitors from around the world for four days of intense competition across Sectorball, 12 Touch and Chapas.
Hungary celebrated the Sectorball Team title and swept the podium in the Sectorball Individual event. Brazil dominated the 12 Touch Individual podium, while Spain enjoyed further success in Chapas.
Beyond the results, the championship showcased the passion, skill and sportsmanship that unite the international table football community.
As the celebrations in Budapest came to an end, one message remained clear: table football is a sport of precision, strategy, concentration and emotion — where every move can make history.
Congratulations to all the world champions and medal winners, and thank you to everyone who made the X. ITFC World Table Football Championship unforgettable.
See you in three years at the next World Championship!