HARTING Trainee Cup 2026: A football festival celebrating team spirit and talent

The HARTING Technology Group has once again set a sporting highlight for the region with the HARTING Trainee Cup. Twelve junior teams from well-known companies in the Mühlenkreis district competed in exciting matches for the coveted trophy.

This year's anniversary edition of the traditional tournament once again brought numerous talented players onto the pitch. The HARTING Trainee Cup, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, brought together teams from Kolbus, Hettich, Häcker, Volksbank PLUS, Sparkasse Minden-Lübbecke, ZF Group, IMA Schelling Group, Wortmann, Polipol, Nolte Küchen, the Merkur Group and the host, HARTING. The preliminary round on Friday in the Espelkamp sports hall provided thrills right up to the last minute.

In the grand final on Saturday, which is traditionally held as part of the FreewayCup in the Lübbecke district sports hall, the team from Merkur Group finally prevailed in an exciting match against Hettich and secured the "pot". Third place went to Häcker. The Fair Play Cup, which is awarded for particularly sporting behaviour, also went to Häcker this year. Max Klipke from Hettich was named top scorer.

Andre Ahrens, coach of the HARTING trainee team, emphasised the impressive unity and passion of his team after the tournament: "Our players showed great commitment and genuine enthusiasm. Despite setbacks, they never gave up and gave their all until the very last minute. Even though we didn't win the cup in the end, we can be proud of our performance and our team spirit. I would like to express my special thanks to all the helpers whose commitment made the tournament possible."

The tournament showed once again how much the HARTING Trainee Cup connects the regional economy and the sporting ambitions of the companies. The exciting matches, the fair competition and the exuberant atmosphere in the hall made the event a highlight for everyone involved.