The Winckelmann Cup
In a wonderful, adventurous year of Society firsts, 2024 sees the Kent Archaeology Society qualifying for archaeology’s answer to the UEFA Champions League.
The Winckelmann Cup is a Europe-wide football tournament for archaeologists, hosted annually in an alternating town or city. This year the tournament is being hosted by Oxford Archaeology at the fantastic Rugby Football Club in Oxford.
Over the last few years it has graced the football fields of Munich in Germany, Neufchateau in Belgium, Sait-Dizier in France and many more.
The cup was founded in 1991 and is named after German archaeologist, Johan Joachim Winckelmann (1717–1768).
The cup originated from an historic rivalry between the University of Cologne and the University of Bonn. They met to compete on St Nicholas’ day over a number of years in the 1980s. In 1990 the first Cologne archaeological tournament was organised. Bonn and Cologne participated alongside various other institutions.
The cup is not just a football tournament, it is a chance for participants to discover the culture, the heritage and the traditions of the host city and country, and a European event for archaeologists to meet new and old friends.
This year 56 teams from all over Europe will compete over two days for football glory. The tournament is 7-a-side, each team fielding a mix of men and women, with 20 minute games in a format very similar to the Champions League (League then knockout). Just as important, a lively program of entertainment will also run alongside the tournament, with music, games, social opportunities, and of course live streaming of the 2024 Euro’s!
Our Kent Archaeological Society team is made up of staff, colleagues, friends of the Society and Kent based archaeologists, but there is still space for a few additional players, should any of our members be interested in a weekend of fun and football in sunny Oxford. The price per player is £20 and this includes registration into the tournament, full weekend camping, access to the entertainment and bar/social spaces, and a whole range of games and enjoyment.
If you think it sounds like your kind of fun, do email me at craig.campbell@kentarchaeology.org.uk to express your interest. Places are limited so I will work on a first come, first served policy. You don’t have to play, if you would simply like to come along for the experience, just let me know.
Wish us luck, as just like Manchester City and West Ham last year, we aim to bring back European football glory to our shores by winning the Winckelmann Cup!
