A Full Field, Clear Winners: The KEEPERbattle in St. Pölten
On Saturday, June 20, 2026, the KEEPERbattle took place in St. Pölten. Thirty-eight young goalkeepers from Austria and beyond, divided among three courts and three age groups, ranging from those born in 2009 to 2018. Organizers: KEEPER Academy, in collaboration with KEEPERsport. Kickoff was right on time at 10:00 a.m. The event ended shortly before 4:00 p.m. In between: 135 games, no teams, no excuses.
Goalie versus goalie. 1-on-1. Until 5 goals or the final whistle. That’s how simple the concept is. That’s how clear the dynamics are on the field.
The final, which looked close on paper
Court 2 hosted the closest final of the day. Sebastian Stadler and Anes Busatlic, both of whom had advanced through their preliminary-round groups, faced off in the Rising Stars (2013–2015) final. Stadler prevailed, 5–4. Behind them, Jason-John Longhino took bronze with a 4–2 victory over Petrosyan Hamlet.
On Court 3, Fabian Hartl dominated the preliminary round like no other: six matches, six wins, 30 goals. In the Future Stars (2009–2011) final, he faced Joshua Kern. Kern turned the match around: 5–3. Third place went to Emil Özelt, who defeated Simon Samer 5–2 in the third-place match.
Court 1, the Young Stars (2016–2018): Gabriel Novak and Theodor Kolb advanced to the final round tied on points. In their head-to-head matchup, Kolb came out on top: 5–4. Tristan Zeiner secured third place against Jakob Traxler.
An Overview of the Winners
Court 1 · Young Stars (Born 2016–2018)
1st Place: Theodor Kolb
2nd Place: Gabriel Novak
3rd Place: Tristan Zeiner
Court 2 · Rising Stars (born 2013–2015)
1st Place: Sebastian Stadler
2nd Place: Anes Busatlic
3rd Place: Jason-John Longhino
Court 3 · Future Stars (born 2009–2011)
1st Place: Joshua Kern
2nd Place: Fabian Hartl
3rd Place: Emil Özelt
Photos by Markus Klingenbrunner. Instagram: soccerpicture.
Thanks to our partners
A big THANK YOU to everyone who made the KEEPERbattle St. Pölten 2026 possible.
We’d like to extend our special thanks to the KEEPER Academy for their outstanding cooperation as the local organizer. Hats off to all 38 goalkeepers who gave it their all, showed nerves of steel, and played with sportsmanship. And last but not least: Thank you to all the parents whose travel and patience on the sidelines made this day possible.
Now it's the big ones' turn
The next chapter is coming right up: KEEPERbattle Adults on June 27 at KEEPERbase Kottingbrunn. Same venue, same format, same spirit—just a different generation on the court.