LIVESTREAM CEFL: Warsaw Eagles @ Stockholm Mean Machines, April 26, 15:00 CET (3 pm, 9 am ET)

AFI | American Football | 04/26/2025

Graphic: Dante Bustos

The Stockholm Mean Machines welcome Poland’s Warsaw Eagles to their Zinkensdamms IP venue on Saturday, April 26, in a CEFL Championship tournament opener pitting seasoned contenders against ambitious newcomers.

Stockholm’s quest for redemption
Returning for their third straight CEFL campaign, the Mean Machines aim to exorcise past heartbreaks: back-to-back key losses by 2 points (2023 vs Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns) and 1 point (2024 vs La Courneuve Flash). Domestically dominant at 3-0 this season, their high-octane offense—led by American QB Dawson Herl and veteran WR Matthew Retzlaff—seeks to translate national success onto the continental stage.

Warsaw’s historic debut
The Eagles break Poland’s CEFL drought as 2024 national champions, riding a 3-0 start with a staggering 164-0 point differential. QB Jacob Schimenz orchestrates an offense yet to be tested internationally, while lockdown DBs Kevin Sherman and Darius Lewis anchor a defense that hasn’t allowed a score all year.

Key matchup: Experience vs. momentum
Stockholm’s playoff-tested roster must counter Warsaw’s suffocating defense, which thrives on turnovers. Herl’s chemistry with Retzlaff could exploit gaps in the Eagles’ secondary, but Schimenz’s precision under pressure will test the Mean Machines’ seasoned linebackers.

Stakes in Stockholm
For the Mean Machines, this is a chance to prove their previous narrow losses forged championship grit. For the Eagles, it’s an opportunity to announce Poland’s arrival as a CEFL force. With both teams unbeaten domestically, this clash could preview deeper playoff drama—or expose vulnerabilities under the continental spotlight.