Arlanc wins the 2026 French Petanque Cup after a crazy weekend at the Boulodrome du Douaisis. The 2025 French club champions from Auvergne achieved a double victory in this flagship competition on the FFPJP calendar. Led by legends such as Philippe Suchaud and Christian Fazzino, Pétanque Arlancoise dominated the competition from start to finish, confirming its status as the benchmark in the club championship.
2026 French Petanque Cup: A historic victory for the Arlanc club
In this 2026 French Petanque Cup final, Arlanc hits hard right from the start. Let’s recall the format of this flagship tournament of the French federation :
6 singles (2 points each),
3 doubles (3 points each), then
2 triples (5 points each).
The first team to reach 16 points is crowned the winner. This secures their qualification for the next stage of the competition.
Facing Saint-Tropez, the Arlanc pétanque players unleashed a veritable hurricane: six victories to nil in the individual duels. Philippe Suchaud (13-7 against Gasparini) and Christian Fazzino (13-5 against Lacroix) imposed their shooting and scoring skills. The 2025 French individual champion Cyril Bégon, Antoine ‘Tchato’ Cano and Benoît Monros also demonstrated their precision on the pétanque court.
In the women’s competition, the duel between Angélique Colombet and Sandrine Poinsot lived up to all expectations. Colombet won 13-11 in a strategic game of boules, demonstrating her technical mastery in a high-pressure match.
With this perfect start, Arlanc put enormous pressure on US La Boule Tropézienne even before the doubles.
A controlled performance throughout the 2026 Coupe de France
Arlanc’s victory was no fluke. In the quarter-finals, the Puy-de-Dôme club faced Bourbon-Lancy, led by Emmanuel Lucien. Icons Philippe Suchaud and Christian Fazzino lost their head-to-head matches against Nicolas Brancato (13-4) and Mederic Verzeaux (13-8). But the Arlanc team reacted immediately.
The tide turned thanks to Antoine Cano’s victory (13-12). In the doubles, Arlanc rolled on: three victories in three games, including a Fanny inflicted by the Fazzino-Colombet duo (13-0). Final score: 17-4. The triples became unnecessary.
In the semi-final against Mussidan, it was the same story. Only one defeat in nine games, and a 16-2 victory before the triples. Cyril Bégon, Angélique Colombet and Christian Fazzino were imperious on the court. The team’s strategy, management of the leads and the complementary nature of the team members made all the difference.
Arlanc reaches the final with a flawless record: no triplet matches played throughout the entire Grand 8 of the 2026 French Cup. This is an extremely rare achievement in this national pétanque competition.
An intense final combining precision, strategy and boules
After the 6-0 head-to-head, the doubles could still revive the suspense. Saint-Tropez had to win two out of three games to lift the trophy. But the Pétanque Arlancoise players were determined not to give their opponents any chance.
First, the Monros-Bégon duo crushed Dubois-Mallet (13-1), demonstrating their clear tactical superiority. Peyrot-Gbetable kept their hopes alive by beating Suchaud-Dauphant (13-7). Everything then came down to the decisive mixed doubles match: Colombet-Fazzino VS Poinsot-Gasparini.
The Arlanc pétanque players Colombet-Fazzino dominated Poinsot-Gasparini thanks to perfect point management and surgical shooting. With this victory, Arlanc reached the necessary total and won the 2026 French Pétanque Cup without even competing in the triples. It was a demonstration of strength, where mastery of the boules, reading the game and experience of major events were decisive factors.
Philippe Suchaud further cemented his legendary status
Did you know?
Beyond Arlanc’s collective victory, the 2026 edition marked a milestone in Philippe Suchaud‘s individual history. By lifting the trophy, the French pétanque champion set a monumental record: 10 victories in 26 editions. A staggering statistic that confirms his legendary status.
This record further strengthens Suchaud’s aura in the history of French pétanque.
Arlanc, the new giant of French petanque?
At the Boulodrome du Douaisis, the Auvergnats dominated the French pétanque federation competition. Quarter-finals (17-4), semi-finals (16-2), controlled final: the Arlanc pétanque club displayed impressive collective superiority.
Beyond individual performances, it is the team’s harmony that stands out. Philippe Suchaud, Christian Fazzino, Angélique Colombet, Cyril Bégon, Benoît Monros, Antoine Cano, Romain Billaud and William Dauphant form a balanced team, capable of shooting and pointing with formidable efficiency.
This second consecutive French Cup victory confirms Arlanc as a benchmark in the world of boules. It has thus become a model of stability in high-level pétanque competition. In a very busy 2026 season, the club is establishing itself as a natural contender for the next major national events.
With this historic double victory, Arlanc is not content with just winning: it is making a lasting mark on the history of French petanque.