The German Small Side Cup is a self-initiated RHYSE format — born from a real gap in sport. Germany's small-sided football scene is full of talent, hunger and personality, but there is no off-season stage that takes performance seriously and enables development. From that, we built a platform: a high-quality off-season small-sided tournament that brings together ambitious players from all relevant formats — especially club-less players who want to prove themselves in a clear, competitive environment. On 16.02.2026 at the DFB Campus, this concept became reality. A central part of the idea is team structure: every team is led by active pros, former pros, or formative personalities from the scene. This creates not only sporting quality but also credibility, direction, and true role-model impact. At the same time, the Cup is more than a tournament — it's designed as a platform for networking, visibility and development, both athletically and personally. The German Small Side Cup also carries a clear stance. In partnership with Aktion Deutschland Hilft, the tournament is set up as a charity project. Reach is used here to make responsibility visible, strengthen solidarity, and actively mobilise donations. In the end, Gerzegiher and Amara Condé with Team Vanté Sports won the inaugural edition. Exactly these kinds of self-initiated formats stand for RHYSE: we combine performance, culture and community into moments with meaning — and build lasting structures from them.
