The entry list is set for the first of the Fireball Elite Series 2026 in Northern Ireland, Portrush on the 16th and 17th of May!
The event will be taking place along the Portrush east strand, with a total of 41 teams having entered into the event. There will be 20 teams in the women’s draw and 21 teams in the men’s draw competing on the weekend. The teams will compete against each other in a double elimination format over the two days to try and fight their way to the podium. Many national team representatives from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be competing ahead of the Bridlington NEVZA and BPT Futures in June, and the road to Bridlington starts here for many of those teams.
I caught up with Northern Ireland Volleyball president Jonathan McFadden about what it means to bring a UKBT Open to Northern Ireland for the first time.
“We are delighted to welcome the UK Beach Tour elite to Portrush this May. Hosting one of the premier beach volleyball events in the UK is a huge moment for beach volleyball in Northern Ireland and a fantastic opportunity to showcase our stunning coastline, our growing volleyball community, and the incredible sporting atmosphere that Portrush has become known for.
The 4-star series will bring some of the best beach volleyball athletes across the UK to Northern Ireland, and we hope it will inspire more young people to get involved in the sport while also creating a memorable experience for players, fans, and visitors alike. We look forward to an exciting weekend of top-class competition on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May.”
Many teams are travelling from far and wide to try and claim the title in Northern Ireland’s first open, with players flying in from across the U.K. to try to take home the first UKBT Open title of the season. The event is sure to bring the highest quality to offer, and many new partnerships will be competing for the first time, bringing an unpredictable draw that could bring about upsets throughout the tournament!
This event is a part of the wider Fireball Elite series, which is Fireball’s new format for this summer. In each event participants will claim their own points for the Fireball Elite series, which can only be obtained through either the Northern Ireland, Porthcawl, Cardiff or Croyde opens across the season. These points will allow entry and seeding for the Fireball Elite series Final, which takes place in Porthcawl on the 1st and 2nd of August.
Sam Dunbavin, Fireball CEO and tournament organiser for Northern Ireland has commented:
“I’m so excited to be working with Volleyball Northern Ireland to deliver the first ever UKBT Open there. We will be bringing the same high quality event setup as with all our Open events.
The Northern Ireland event is part of our commitment through our junior and adult Elite Series to delivering the best events in the UK. I can’t wait!”
If you want to hear more about the event and get an inside perspective from tournament organiser Sam Dunbavin, tune in to the Firepod this week for a breakdown of the entry list, where George and Sam will go over our thoughts, predictions, and other behind the scenes details for the event.
For any enquiries or questions please email Hello@fireballbeachvolleyball.com or for questions you want to hear discussed on the Firepod please email Firepod@fireballbeachvolleyball.com .
