The World Cup has gone through many incarnations
and rebirths over the years. From its modest beginnings in
New York in the early 1990s, to the five locations the event
has been played in around central Florida, the World Cup
is a staple in tournament paintball. This year’s World Cup
(also referred to as the NXL World Championships) was
the first Cup event since the PSP quit on the season after
its opening event in 2015 in Dallas. The National X-Ball
League, also in a rebirth, has picked up where the PSP left
off--minus the mud, with three 2015 events including this
season-ending World Cup.
After successful events in Cleveland, Ohio and Virginia
Beach, Virginia, the NXL’s 2015 finale, the World Cup,
was the largest event of the year in team attendance and
vendor participation. The chosen site of the NXL World
Cup was the Gaylord Hotel, situated just 50 yards off I-4
in Kissimmee, Florida between Disney and Old Town
Kissimmee. The move from Fantasy of Flight back to
Kissimmee was a welcome sight. Hotels, house rentals, the
Orlando Airport, restaurants and all types of commerce
are much closer to the new location than Fantasy of Flight
and players were excited to be back.
The 2015 World Cup site was just about perfect for an
event of this magnitude. All of the fields were set up on
flat grounds with green grass--and there was ample space
for all divisional fields, the pro field, the ten-man field
and the trade show area. Parking was tight but adequate.
Perhaps taking its cue from the Millennium series, the NXL
World Cup incorporated some additional fun things like
the “human foosball” court, elephant rides (really), a drum
line and other non-paintball activities--all of which added
to the event’s vibe.
Photo by Alicia Bane
www.paintball.media
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