The Paraguay Gaelic Football team arrived in Santiago, Chile for the inaugural Lynch Cup. The tournament will take place on Saturday, 9 May 2026, with teams competing from Chile, Paraguay, Argentina, and Peru. This will be the first international competition for Paraguay’s Las Arpas (The Harps) since both the men’s and women’s teams finished in third place in their respective divisions at the Almirante Brown Cup in Buenos Aires in November, 2025.
Chile is the first of four major tournaments for Paraguay in 2026. Paraguay GAA will host the Labrador Cup in Paraguay in September and return to Argentina in November for the Almirante Brown Cup, but the primary focus for 2026 is the World Games in Waterford, Ireland in July.
Paraguay’s Las Arpas World Games debut
The World Games for Gaelic football is like the World Cup for football. It is played once every four years and hosts teams from all continents for a week-long tournament.
“Chile is a true test of where we stand leading up to the world cup,” says current team captain, Patrick Mc Enroy. “We are going there to win.”
What is Gaelic football?
Gaelic football originated in Ireland and is a unique sport combining elements of rugby and football where players can carry the ball with their hands but points are primarily scored with their feet by either beating the goalkeeper for three points, or kicking it through the uprights for one point.
Paraguay is sending one men’s and one women’s team to the Chile tournament this weekend. The third place finish in at the Almirante Brown Cup in Buenos Aires in 2025 was only just the beginning.
“We know there are good teams across South America, but we also know we are one of the best,” says last season’s MVP, Andrew Kaminsky. “The feeling amongst the players is that we can win this thing.”
Women’s full international debut
This weekend in Chile will also mark the first time that the Paraguayan women’s team will field a complete side in international competition. They competed in Argentina in November, but combined forces with the Chilean women to form a united team.
“It is really hard to believe how much our women’s team has grown in such a short time,” says team captain Aurelie Riant. “We will be the underdogs in Chile, but I think we will surprise some people.”
A first international Gaelic football tournament for Chile
The sport has seen impressive growth in the past year in South America. This is the first international Gaelic football tournament hosted in Chile, and represents the first time that Peru will compete on the international stage. The men’s side features 6 teams: two from Chile, two from Argentina, one from Paraguay, and one from Peru. The women’s side has three teams. One from each of Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay.
“This is only our second time competing abroad, but it is a historic trip for the club as we bring our first full women’s team to the international stage,” says Las Arpas club president, Giovani Teixeira.
Join Paraguay’s growing Gaelic football force!
If you are interested in competing internationally with Paraguay’s Las Arpas, or simply joining to make friends through sport, the club is accepting new members, from complete beginners to seasoned veterans. You can follow the club’s progress online, and get in touch with Paraguay GAA on Instagram.
