Bern Grizzlies dethrone Calanda Broncos to capture Swiss Bowl XL title

The Bern Grizzlies completed an unbeaten season in style Saturday, defeating the defending champion Calanda Broncos 14-3 in Swiss Bowl XL at Basel’s Rankhof Stadium to capture the club’s seventh Swiss championship and end Calanda’s run of three straight national titles.

Playing without injured starting quarterback Robin Sennrich, the Broncos battled throughout a physical defensive struggle, but the Grizzlies made the decisive plays in the fourth quarter to claim their second victory over Calanda this season and establish themselves as the new champions of Switzerland.

Defenses dominate

The opening three quarters belonged almost entirely to the defenses as both teams struggled to generate sustained offense in sweltering conditions.

The Broncos, using Ismael Schmid at quarterback in place of Sennrich, managed the only points of the first half when Noah Bachofen drilled a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter for a 3-0 lead.

The Grizzlies repeatedly came up with key stops of their own, keeping the deficit at a single field goal while Aaron Ellis searched for openings against one of Europe’s top defenses.

With both defensive units flying to the football, every first down was hard-earned and scoring opportunities were at a premium.

Grizzlies seize momentum

The turning point came early in the fourth quarter.

Facing a critical fourth down, the Grizzlies kept the drive alive before Ellis found tight end Theo Stirnimann for the game’s first touchdown, giving Bern its first lead at 7-3.

The Broncos responded with their best drive of the afternoon, moving deep into Bern territory with a chance to regain the lead. However, a series of costly penalties pushed them backward before the drive ended with an interception.

That defensive stand completely shifted the momentum.

Championship secured

The Grizzlies immediately capitalized.

After struggling to establish the running game for much of the afternoon, Bern finally found room on the ground. Running back Ibony Mbungu finished the decisive drive with a touchdown run that extended the lead to 14-3 with only minutes remaining.

The Broncos mounted one final push, but another untimely penalty stalled the drive before it reached the end zone.

For the Grizzlies, it was the perfect finish to a remarkable season. Ellis guided the offense when it mattered most, Stirnimann and Mbungu delivered the championship touchdowns, and a dominant defense limited the defending champions to just three points.

After falling short in recent seasons, the Bern Grizzlies now stand alone atop Swiss football as the 2026 Swiss Bowl champions.