On October 22, 2023, the highly anticipated HADO WORLD CUP 2023 came to a successful conclusion. In the end, the HIBANA team from Japan secured the championship, with HADO England, the champions of the 2022 European Cup, claiming the runner-up position, and China’s JNS ZaoNiao team proudly earning third place. Furthermore, the Best Performance award was granted to the South Korea team, and the Golden Energy award was bestowed upon the HADO England player – Mr. Paris Lee.

The competition commenced with the round-robin stage, featuring teams from nine countries and two regions. The tournament began with an exhilarating match between the traditional powerhouse, Japan, and China, which ended with Japan narrowly defeating China in the final seconds, captivating the onlookers and fellow competitors.

In the initial stages of the round-robin, Japan and Turkey consistently led the way, but as the competition progressed, the strengths and rankings of each nation became increasingly evident. The top five teams, including South Korea, Japan, China, England, and Turkey, contended for top honors, drawing significant attention to their matchups as any loss to these teams would directly impact their standings, creating a competitive and tense atmosphere both on and off the field.

The second tier featured France, New Zealand, and Greece, competing for positions from 6th to 8th. Notably, Greece, despite being a relatively new team, showcased immense potential. During the round robin, they narrowly lost to the traditional powerhouse Japan by just 2 points and similarly fell short against England, China, and South Korea by a mere 1 point, indicating their promising capabilities.

The final eight teams that advanced were:

Standings:

1. Japan
2. England
3. China
4. Turkey
5. South Korea
6. Greece
7. France
8. New Zealand

The most highly anticipated match in the quarter-finals was the showdown between Turkey and South Korea. Surprisingly,  Turkey suffered two consecutive defeats with scores of 2-9 and 4-5, allowing South Korea to advance to the semi-finals.

Another highly anticipated match featured the England against the French team, as these two European powerhouses went head-to-head, representing the battle for European champion. After intense competition, the England team achieved a dominant victory, defeating the French team 9-3 and 10-3.

Teams that reached the semi-finals included South Korea, Japan, China, and England.

The most riveting moment of the entire competition was the battle for third place between South Korea and China. These two neighboring Asian teams engaged in a fierce competition, with the first-round ending 2-4, the second 5-3, and the third a thrilling 4-3 victory for China. Especially in the third-round overtime, the audience and support teams cheered to their heart’s content, and the tension in the arena reached its peak.

The final match was between the Japan team and the England team. The traditionally strong Japanese team not only had great strength but also enjoyed the home advantage. They triumphed with scores of 6-1 and 7-3, securing the championship honors of the HADO WORLD CUP 2023.

HADO WORLD CUP 2023 came to a close, filled with emotions, passion, hope, and the regret. Compared to the previous event, the skill level of athletes from various countries has significantly improved, and the entire competition showcased the high-level training, sportsmanship, teamwork, perseverance, and determination of each teams. The competition’s intensity surpassed any previous edition, raising hopes for the future growth and success of the HADO WORLD CUP. Let’s look forward together to the arrival of the next HADO WORLD CUP!