Welcome to Lisbon for the 10th edition of the Lisbon Tournament - 5-a-side football at its very best under the Portuguese sun on a glorious day in the capital. With 20 teams assembled (10 in Open Age, 10 in Veterans) we had Brazil, Canada, England, France, Moldova and Portugal all represented.

First up in Group A for the Open Age tournament was Cenoura Cars (Por) versus Sloane FC (Eng). The former were on debut in our events so we would get our first glimpse of them in action shortly. The latter had appeared here at the Lisbon Tournament last year – we will preview them in more detail later.

It was Cenoura Cars who made a perfect start to their 2026 Lisbon Fives campaign with a controlled and confident 3–0 victory over their opponents on debut in Group A. The Portuguese side settled quickly into the rhythm of the tournament and looked organised from the opening whistle, gradually taking control of possession and territory as the first half developed. Their breakthrough came through Fabio Monteiro, who gave Cenoura Cars a 1–0 lead at halftime after a composed finish. The second half saw them extend their dominance, with Gonzalo Moutinho adding a second before Monteiro struck again to complete his brace and seal a comfortable 3–0 win.

It was an ideal opening statement from Cenoura Cars, who will take real confidence from a disciplined and efficient performance. For Sloane, meanwhile, there is still plenty of time to regroup and recover, with the group stage offering further opportunities to get their tournament back on track.

Bonde Sem Freio (Bra) were returning to the Lisbon Tournament to defend the title they won just under 12 months ago. In June 2025 they were making their eurofootballfives.com debut and what a debut it was! They fought through a tough opening fixture against Foot 130B of France but won 2-1. They then demolished Dumpling CF 7-0 before another strong win against Bendeeca, 3-0. Another 3-0 win over RAF1 secured a 100% group phase record. In the Cup Quarter-Finals they saw off Brixton Gas (4-0) before Sweden's Shush IF were accounted for 3-1. They met the defending champions PFC in the Cup Final in one of the highest quality games we've seen on tour. The match ended 1-1 in normal time but Bonde Sem Freio won it 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out.

Bonde Sem Freio opened their Lisbon Fives title defence against a confident Cenoura Cars side who had already made a strong start to the tournament with a 3–0 win in their first group match. The first half proved to be a tightly contested and tactical affair, with neither side able to break the deadlock. Bonde Sem Freio showed their usual composure and structure in possession, while Cenoura Cars matched them with disciplined defending and organised shape, ensuring that clear chances were kept to a minimum. As a result, the teams went into half-time locked at 0–0, with everything still to play for.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the second half when João Ferreira gave Cenoura Cars the lead, rewarding their persistence and growing influence in the game. João Palma then added a second to secure a 2–0 victory, sealing a second consecutive clean-sheet win for the Portuguese side. It was a statement result for Cenoura Cars, who moved to two wins from two, while the defending champions Bonde Sem Freio were left to regroup after a disappointing start to their title defence.

Sloane FC (Eng) made their debut here in Lisbon just under 12 months ago. It was a fine debut and they opened up with a solid 1-1 draw against RAF2. They then got their first win on the board against AC Motxto International from Madrid, 2-0. It was another 2-0 win against Brixton Gas to set-up a thrilling climax to Group A. They were up against league leaders and defending champions PFC. In a match that will live long in the memory, Sloane FC won it 2-1 to win the group and power into the Quarter-Finals. In the Cup QF they met Sweden's Shush IF who were also making an impressive debut in our events. The two teams played out a 2-2 draw which meant penalties would be required to settle the match. Shush IF triumphed 3-2 on spot kicks and Sloane FC were out despite being unbeaten in normal time.

Sloane FC and L'Albiceleste met in a Group A clash that already carried significance after contrasting starts to their Lisbon Fives campaigns. Sloane FC, unbeaten across last year's tournament but already beaten earlier in the day by league leaders Cenoura Cars, were looking to respond quickly, while L'Albiceleste arrived with momentum after an opening-day victory and their usual reputation as one of the circuit's most established sides. Sloane FC made the stronger start and produced a disciplined and clinical first-half performance to take control of the match. Matthew Monk opened the scoring to give the English side a 1–0 lead, and they continued to build on that advantage with a composed display, limiting L'Albiceleste's attacking opportunities and managing the game effectively.

After the break, Sloane FC extended their lead when Joe MacDonald made it 2–0, further strengthening their grip on the contest. Monk then added his second goal of the match to complete a 3–0 victory, sealing an impressive response to their earlier defeat and handing L'Albiceleste their first setback of the tournament. It meant both teams would sit in a congested mid-table going into the second half of Group A.

Clapham Southgate came into their second Group A fixture searching for a response after an opening defeat, but they were immediately faced with one of the toughest assignments in the group against defending champions Bonde Sem Freio. The Brazilians, themselves looking to recover from a surprise opening setback, started on the front foot and quickly established control of possession, pushing Clapham Southgate deep into their own half for sustained spells of pressure.

Pedro Djuf was the standout figure in those opening exchanges, striking twice with clinical finishing to give Bonde Sem Freio a 2–0 advantage and underlining their attacking threat in the final third. Clapham Southgate, though under pressure for much of the opening period, showed character before the break and found a route back into the match through Kieran Harris, who continued his strong individual form by scoring his second goal in as many games to reduce the deficit to 2–1 at half-time. The second half, however, belonged entirely to the defending champions as Bonde Sem Freio stepped up the intensity and overwhelmed their opponents with sustained attacking waves. Jose Viegas extended the lead to 3–1 before Talisca added two more goals in quick succession to make it 5–1, with Clapham Southgate unable to stem the tide or build any meaningful possession in advanced areas.

As the game opened up further, Fabricio Simoes added a sixth before Djuf completed his hat-trick to further underline his excellent performance. Jose Viegas then added his second of the match late on to complete an emphatic 8–1 victory, a dominant response from Bonde Sem Freio that reasserted their status as defending champions and left Clapham Southgate with plenty to reflect on after a difficult outing.