As the sun set behind the hills of Huancavelica in the heart of the Peruvian Andes, the final match ended in a draw. The outcome was decided by a penalty shootout. Cusco took the first kick, and everything came down to the fifth attempt. The Huancavelica goalkeeper managed to block Cuscoʼs final penalty kick, leaving the outcome in the hands — or rather, at the feet — of Father Santiago Salazar of the Huancavelica home team.

The priest took his run-up, waited for the whistle, and placed the ball right next to the goalpost. With that match-winning goal, the crowd broke out in euphoria: Dozens of seminarians rushed onto the field as priests from seven dioceses in southern Peru celebrated Huancavelica’s title win in the 2026 Clergy Champions playoffs.

On July 2, more than 150 priests from the dioceses of Puno, Cusco, Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Huancayo, and Tarma participated in the soccer tournament. For a decade, the event has strengthened priestly fraternity, promoted vocations, and served as a reminder that sports can be a means of evangelization.

In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Father José Raúl Ayuque Tornero, a priest of the Diocese of Huancavelica and one of the eventʼs organizers, explained that the initiative grew out of the friendship among priests who attended the major seminary in Abancay. 

Its origins are deeply rooted in “fraternity and friendship among the priests,” Father Ayuque said. “At first, it was simply a get-together of friends.”

The event has since become a tradition for the dioceses in the southern part of the country.

A Cliff-Hanger Final Decided by Penalty Kicks

Father Ayuque excitedly recalled the final match, which was attended by families, priests, and seminarians.

“The atmosphere was extraordinary. Our minor seminarians kept spirits high throughout the day. We had marching bands performing from St. John Vianney Minor Seminary and the Teresa de la Cruz educational institution run by the Canoness Sisters,” he told ACI Prensa.

The bands provided musical accompaniment and cheered equally for both Huancavelica and Cusco as the teams faced off in the final match, which began around 5 p.m.

In Huancavelica, the sun sets early due to the areaʼs geography, making the match even more exciting. Fans followed each play closely, waiting for a goal.

The end of the match could not have been more suspenseful: Cusco failed to get a penalty kick past the Huancavelica goalie, and all eyes were then on Father Salazar, who skillfully placed his shot out of reach of the Cusco goalkeeper and won the championship.

A celebration immediately began on the field. The priests sang the St. John Mary Vianney hymn composed by the late bishop emeritus of Huancavelica, William Molloy.

“In Huancavelica, we have a very young clergy, with an average age close to 35, and that is also reflected in the enthusiasm with which we experience these gatherings,” Father Ayuque said.

The awards ceremony followed. Abancay took fourth place, Ayacucho third, and Cusco second, while Huancavelica received the cup. 

The Archdiocese of Huancayo was announced as the venue for the next championship matches.

“Beyond the competition, I saw joy in everyone — the joy of sharing the mission God gives us as priests,” Father Ayuque commented.

For his part, referee Daniel Jorge Cruz Olarte remarked that the most gratifying aspect of being part of this tournament was “seeing how they respect one another.” 

“They are wholesome people; they respect the referee, they respect their teammates and opponents, and they experience the sport with a spirit of fraternity.”

A Championship Born of Friendship

Although it now brings together priests from seven jurisdictions and even the regionʼs bishops, the Clergy Champions League began quite simply.

“It started about 10 years ago. At first, only Abancay, Ayacucho, and Huancavelica — the closest ones — participated. Gradually, it took shape and we can now say that this gathering has become an established tradition in the Peruvian Andes,” Father Ayuque explained.

He said in the future, the league would also like to include the dioceses of Ica, Arequipa, and Tacna “so that it truly represents all of southern Peru.”

Much More than Soccer

For the priest, the Clergy Champions was never just a sports tournament.

“These gatherings strengthen our own sanctification as priests. We meet older, younger, and newly ordained priests from different backgrounds, and we see how the Lord continues to call each one amid varying circumstances,” he said.

Father Ayuque said the sport can become an authentic tool to awaken vocations. “It helps us learn to live as a team, to understand that life must be built seeking communion, knowing how to share, show solidarity, and always feel the presence of our brother,” he said.

Father Doroteo Borda López, one of the participants, highlighted to ACI Prensa that the league is an experience of communion.

“It’s a way for us to participate as priests of a local Church and to come together. Getting together with nearly 150 priests and seeing that sport unites, heals, and is also part of spirituality is something very valuable,” he said.

For Father Borda, the Clergy Champions shows young people that the Church remains alive and “that we are just as normal people as anyone else.” 

“On the field, we get angry, we play, we run, and we have our differences, but afterward, we continue sharing our lives.”

Father Ayuque said he believes the league’s greatest lesson for young people is “to show them that the priest’s mission is not limited solely to piety or prayer.”

“All the realities of life can and must be offered to God. The priest is called to bring God’s grace to all people and to all human endeavors. That’s why more laborers are needed for the harvest, more young people who will dedicate their lives,” he stated.

‘Sport Is Absolutely Essential’

The priest also advocated for sports as a necessary part of holistic formation. “In our seminaries, we strive to dedicate at least one hour a day to sports, since the human person is both body and soul,” he said.

“Sport disciplines the body, makes it more agile, and helps eliminate the bodyʼs toxins. When our physical condition is well cared for, it also becomes easier to engage attentively in prayer and the encounter with God,” he said.

“A neglected body ends up influencing one’s spiritual life as well … Pope Francis frequently spoke of acedia, that kind of spiritual sloth that often stems from a body that is overly comfortable,” he added.

“Sport prepares our nature for a personal encounter with the Lord and helps us view the world with greater joy and optimism,” he concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.