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2026 Celtic Challenge
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| The 2026 Celtic Challenge Qualifier will be held at the Vale Petanque Club over the weekend of 18th & 19th October 2025. | ||
| Enter Your Celtic Challenge Team. | ||
| Further details will be published in the WPA Calendar. Click here for further information. | ||
Congratulations to the Irish Petanque Association for winning the 2025 Celtic Challenge for the third successive year. |
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| A summary of the results can be viewed by clicking the button below. | |||
| Celtic Challenge: Summary Results |
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| The full results can be viewed by clicking the button below. | |||
| Celtic Challenge Full Results |
History of The Celtic Challenge
In 1989, the Scottish Pétanque Association accepted an invitation to play Wales in Cardiff, where Scotland won. The return match was held in Stirling in 1990, and following a request from Northern Ireland to be included, the Celtic Challenge was formed.
During 1991, the Irish Pétanque Association was formed, and the third Celtic Challenge was held at Clandboyne, Northern Ireland.
The Celtic Challenge is played over two days. Each nation supplies four teams of three or four players, with the host nation supplying an additional ‘B’ squad. The winner is the squad that achieves the most wins after twelve rounds (when each team has played against all the opposing teams). The host nation’s ‘A’ and ‘B’ squads play each other in the first four rounds.
Intense competition and a social and friendly atmosphere combine to make the Celtic Challenge one of the highlights of the pétanque calendar.
Going into the 2026 competition, the standings are as follows: Wales has won 14 times, Scotland 13 times, and Ireland 8 times.
Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 Celtic Challenges were not contested.
Year Venue Winners (Wins)
2025 (35th) Scotland - Macduff Ireland (8)
2024 Wales - Caerleon Ireland (7)
2023 Ireland - Bangor Ireland (6)
2022 Scotland - Glasgow Wales (14)
2019 Wales - Pontyclun Scotland (13)
2018 (30th) Ireland - Dublin Scotland (12)
2017 Scotland - Galashiels Scotland (11)
2016 Wales - Caerleon Scotland (10)
2015 Ireland - Fairfield Cork Scotland (9)
2014 Scotland - Fochabers Scotland (8)
2013 (25th) Wales - Llanhennock Wales (13)
2012 Ireland - Bangor Scotland (7)
2011 Scotland - Troon Scotland (6)
2010 Wales - Wenvoe Wales (12)
2009 Ireland - Cork Wales (11)
2008 (20th) Scotland - Fochabers Wales (10)
2007 Wales - Abergavenny Wales (9)
2006 Ireland - Dublin Ireland (5)
2005 Scotland - Inverness Scotland (5)
2004 Wales - Brecon Ireland (4)
2003 (15th) Ireland - Bangor Scotland (4)
2002 Scotland - Stirling Wales (8)
2001 Wales - Pontypool Wales (7)
2000 Ireland - Cahir Ireland (3)
1999 Scotland - Drymen Wales (6)
1998 (10th) Wales - Brecon Scotland (3)
1997 Ireland - Castlewellan Wales (5)
1996 Scotland - Perth Wales (4)
1995 Wales - Cardiff Wales (3)
1994 Ireland - Cork Ireland (2)
1993 (5th) Scotland - Troon Wales (2)
1992 Wales - Brecon Wales (1)
1991 Ireland - Clandeboyne Ireland (1)
1990 Scotland - Stirling Scotland (2)
1989 (1st) Wales - Cardiff Scotland (1)
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