2026-09-16, 05:08 AM - Word count:
I won't be drilling into specific players for this, just looking at top-level results. It's still a pretty small sample size as we're not even halfway through the season, but on the other hand... we're almost halfway through the season! That's enough to make sweeping generalizations!
MAJORS DIVISION 1
1st surprise: Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan is sitting in the relegation zone at 6th place, with only 1 win and 2 losses so far. Admittedly, about half the teams have 5 matches in hand at this point and Tenochtitlan only has 4 so they're at an inherent deficit in points. With that in mind, they're at 4 points and a win would just move them up to 7 and 4th place. I believe I saw that they were the highest average TPE team ever (but I could be wrong!) and to have this level of results this early is both surprising and horrifying, if you're on the squad. They managed to beat up on AC Romana in their most recent game, 4 to 1, to end up with a positive goal differential. Their two losses are both by 1 goal to Sao Paulo and Shanghai - two very strong teams. Still, even with the context of schedule, it's surprising to see them so far down the list.
2nd surprise: Liffeyside
Another surprise in a bad way, Liffeyside currently has zero points and a whopping -11 goal different, which is 7 worse than the next place team (A.C. Romana), and one of only two teams in the negatives. They've scored only 3 goals, while four of the seven division 1 teams are already in double digits. 14 goals allowed is, as you might expect from the previous sentences, the worst in the league (by far). It's been pretty dire for Liffey so far this season. They've yet to score more than one goal in a match, and have given up 4 goals in 4 of 4 contests. Much like Tenochtitlan, some of this is schedule based as they've also played/lost to Sao Paulo and Shanghai. Luckily (?) for them, they play Tenochtitlan in their next match - winner will claw back some, but a loss would be devastating for either side.
bonus surprise: A.C. Romana
Rome entered the season with a pretty convincing deficit in TPE, sneaking up to the majors via promotion. Despite this, they've managed to get themselves into the top 4 thanks to their 2 wins. They started out hot at 2 - 0 - 1 but have fallen off since; their wins are over Hollywood (5th) and Sao Paulo (3rd).
MAJORS DIVISION 2
1st surprise: I.R. Casablanca
The surprise here is that in only four games, Casablanca has recorded both a win and a draw. They've even managed a respectable 0 goal differential! Coming into the season at such a talent deficit to every other team, this counts as a blazing start. If they can get one or two more wins this season it would be an unbridled success for the squad.
2nd surprise: Tokyo S.C.
Tokyo has only managed one point, thanks to a draw with Buenos Aires. That one point is also equal to how many goals they have, unfortunately. Tokyo was an underdog among the promotion contenders coming into the season so that draw isn't too surprising, but the following skid after is: losses to Casablanca, Black Forest, and Catalunya. Two of those teams are relatively strong but you'd still expect (and want) at least some points out of that stretch. They're sitting at a -7 goal differential which, somehow, isn't even the worst in the division.
MINORS DIVISION 1
1st surprise: CS Rova Mpanjaka
It's been a rough season in the Liffeyside org, as both of their teams are currently sitting at the bottom of the table. The team is middle of the pack in TPE, but have managed only two points through the first four games. That's probably due to a complete lack of offense despite their 1100 TPE forward, with only three goals to the team's name. The defense has been pretty strong, though, so if they can start scoring more there's a route back.
2nd surprise: Montreal United
Montreal is the second team to hit double digit points in minors div 1, behind Paris, and they're doing it with about the fourth best TPE. You could also look at this surprise as "Magyar and Krung Thep underperforming", but it's a little bit of both. Magyar/Thep have only won one match each, with Magyar's only win coming at Krung Thep's expense. With both squads well below where you'd expect, that leaves room for Montreal to take advantage and claim second place. So far their only loss of the season is a 5-3 loss to AS Paris.
MINORS DIVISION 2
1st surprise: SD Guayaquil
The expansion teams were, frankly, expected to be dog water going into this season. The two expansion teams had the lowest talent by a fair main, and to see Guayaquil start the season 1 - 3 - 0 is, I think, highly unexpected. Yes they only have one win, but it's really the 0 losses that is the biggest shocker! They're now one point behind Cairo (who just finished thrashing the other expansion team), sitting in third place. That's a big difference from the easily-last place I expected. The biggest surprise is the strength of the defense for Guayaquil - they've allowed only two goals, the fewest of any minors team.
2nd surprise: Seoul MFC
With neither expansion team sitting at the bottom of the table, it has to be somebody else... and that somebody else is Seoul. They have competitive TPE levels with the top teams (within a stones throw of highest average TPE) but are winless so far on the season. A 0-0 draw with Athens got them another point in their most recent match. They're last in goals scored, but also very strong in goals against with only 5. If the offense can start putting the ball in net they can climb back out of the deficit.
Bonus surprise: CD Alfama
Even with the big loss to Cairo, Alfama is sitting at 4 points on the season already. That's about how many I would've guessed they got all season long, to be honest. It's not quite as good as their expansion buddies, but still, very good! Hopefully they can keep it up.
MAJORS DIVISION 1
1st surprise: Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan is sitting in the relegation zone at 6th place, with only 1 win and 2 losses so far. Admittedly, about half the teams have 5 matches in hand at this point and Tenochtitlan only has 4 so they're at an inherent deficit in points. With that in mind, they're at 4 points and a win would just move them up to 7 and 4th place. I believe I saw that they were the highest average TPE team ever (but I could be wrong!) and to have this level of results this early is both surprising and horrifying, if you're on the squad. They managed to beat up on AC Romana in their most recent game, 4 to 1, to end up with a positive goal differential. Their two losses are both by 1 goal to Sao Paulo and Shanghai - two very strong teams. Still, even with the context of schedule, it's surprising to see them so far down the list.
2nd surprise: Liffeyside
Another surprise in a bad way, Liffeyside currently has zero points and a whopping -11 goal different, which is 7 worse than the next place team (A.C. Romana), and one of only two teams in the negatives. They've scored only 3 goals, while four of the seven division 1 teams are already in double digits. 14 goals allowed is, as you might expect from the previous sentences, the worst in the league (by far). It's been pretty dire for Liffey so far this season. They've yet to score more than one goal in a match, and have given up 4 goals in 4 of 4 contests. Much like Tenochtitlan, some of this is schedule based as they've also played/lost to Sao Paulo and Shanghai. Luckily (?) for them, they play Tenochtitlan in their next match - winner will claw back some, but a loss would be devastating for either side.
bonus surprise: A.C. Romana
Rome entered the season with a pretty convincing deficit in TPE, sneaking up to the majors via promotion. Despite this, they've managed to get themselves into the top 4 thanks to their 2 wins. They started out hot at 2 - 0 - 1 but have fallen off since; their wins are over Hollywood (5th) and Sao Paulo (3rd).
MAJORS DIVISION 2
1st surprise: I.R. Casablanca
The surprise here is that in only four games, Casablanca has recorded both a win and a draw. They've even managed a respectable 0 goal differential! Coming into the season at such a talent deficit to every other team, this counts as a blazing start. If they can get one or two more wins this season it would be an unbridled success for the squad.
2nd surprise: Tokyo S.C.
Tokyo has only managed one point, thanks to a draw with Buenos Aires. That one point is also equal to how many goals they have, unfortunately. Tokyo was an underdog among the promotion contenders coming into the season so that draw isn't too surprising, but the following skid after is: losses to Casablanca, Black Forest, and Catalunya. Two of those teams are relatively strong but you'd still expect (and want) at least some points out of that stretch. They're sitting at a -7 goal differential which, somehow, isn't even the worst in the division.
MINORS DIVISION 1
1st surprise: CS Rova Mpanjaka
It's been a rough season in the Liffeyside org, as both of their teams are currently sitting at the bottom of the table. The team is middle of the pack in TPE, but have managed only two points through the first four games. That's probably due to a complete lack of offense despite their 1100 TPE forward, with only three goals to the team's name. The defense has been pretty strong, though, so if they can start scoring more there's a route back.
2nd surprise: Montreal United
Montreal is the second team to hit double digit points in minors div 1, behind Paris, and they're doing it with about the fourth best TPE. You could also look at this surprise as "Magyar and Krung Thep underperforming", but it's a little bit of both. Magyar/Thep have only won one match each, with Magyar's only win coming at Krung Thep's expense. With both squads well below where you'd expect, that leaves room for Montreal to take advantage and claim second place. So far their only loss of the season is a 5-3 loss to AS Paris.
MINORS DIVISION 2
1st surprise: SD Guayaquil
The expansion teams were, frankly, expected to be dog water going into this season. The two expansion teams had the lowest talent by a fair main, and to see Guayaquil start the season 1 - 3 - 0 is, I think, highly unexpected. Yes they only have one win, but it's really the 0 losses that is the biggest shocker! They're now one point behind Cairo (who just finished thrashing the other expansion team), sitting in third place. That's a big difference from the easily-last place I expected. The biggest surprise is the strength of the defense for Guayaquil - they've allowed only two goals, the fewest of any minors team.
2nd surprise: Seoul MFC
With neither expansion team sitting at the bottom of the table, it has to be somebody else... and that somebody else is Seoul. They have competitive TPE levels with the top teams (within a stones throw of highest average TPE) but are winless so far on the season. A 0-0 draw with Athens got them another point in their most recent match. They're last in goals scored, but also very strong in goals against with only 5. If the offense can start putting the ball in net they can climb back out of the deficit.
Bonus surprise: CD Alfama
Even with the big loss to Cairo, Alfama is sitting at 4 points on the season already. That's about how many I would've guessed they got all season long, to be honest. It's not quite as good as their expansion buddies, but still, very good! Hopefully they can keep it up.
