The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2024 is 21 year old Escher Lefkoff from Longmont, Australia. Escher competed in 42 events during the 2024 season racking up an incredible 4260.25 WPPR points. Escher currently sits as the #2 ranked player in the world.

Escher was the IFPA Player of the Month in July, August and September, having won 16 of the 42 tournaments he played in during 2024, while finishing in the top 4 in 74% of them.

Escher’s highlights during 2024 included earning his 4th Major Championship at the 2024 European Pinball Championship. He also finished in 2nd place at the PAPA World Championships, 2nd place at the Pinburgh Match Play Championships, along with a 4th place finish at the IFPA19 World Pinball Championship.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Escher on all of his success throughout this 2024 season!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Rookie of the Year for the 2024 season is Jaden Rich from Louisville, OH. This award is given to the player that earns the most WPPR points in their first year of active play.

Jaden played in 88 events during the 2024 season earning a total of 640.68 WPPR points. Jaden participated in his first IFPA sanctioned tournament on January 5th at the Kidforce Friday Night Knockout. Since entering the World Pinball Player Rankings at that time, Jaden has seen his rank increase to 412th in the world.

Jaden’s greatest achievement of 2024 was finishing in 12th place at the Cleveland Pinball and Arcade Show Main Tournament (a Stern Pro Circuit event), netting himself 55.32 WPPR points from that finish. Overall, Jaden placed in the top 4 at 27% of the 2024 events he played in, a truly remarkable achievement.

Congratulations to Jaden, our 2024 IFPA Rookie of the Year!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2023 is Escher Lefkoff from Colorado. Escher enjoyed the fruits of the WPPR v5.8 rules and racked up an incredible 4,102.67 WPPR points during 2023.

This is where I typically list all of the achievements from the Player of the Year, however it’s the second time in IFPA history that the Player of the Year is also the player that won the World’s Greatest Pinball Player award. We’ll just leave that fact here and move on.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Escher on all of his success throughout 2023!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Rookie of the Year for the 2023 season is Casey Fowler from Glen Burnie, MD. This award is given to the player that earns the most WPPR points in their first year of active play.

Casey played in 76 events during the 2023 season earning a total of 260.79 WPPR points. Casey participated in his first IFPA sanctioned tournament on January 24th at the Crabtowne’s Tuesday!. Since entering the World Pinball Player Rankings at that time, Casey has seen his rank increase to 1166th in the world.

Casey’s greatest achievement of 2023 was winning 7 of those Crabtowne’s Tuesday! events throughout the year, netting himself 81.73 WPPR points from those victories. Overall, Casey placed in the top 4 at 43% of the 2023 events he played in, a truly remarkable achievement.

Congratulations to Casey, our 2023 IFPA Rookie of the Year!

The IFPA18 field is nearly set, with 77 out of the 80 players locked in. The IFPA European Pinball Championship, IFPA Women’s World Pinball Championship and IFPA North American Pinball Championship Satellite spots will all be up for grabs to fill the final 3 spots.

20 countries will be represented at IFPA18, along with 15 players in the field that have won a Major Championship at some point in their career (Keith Elwin, Daniele Celestino Acciari, Escher Lefkoff,
Raymond Davidson, Cayle George, Eric Stone, Arvid Flygare, Colin MacAlpine, Zach McCarthy, Johannes Ostermeier, Zach Sharpe, Robert Sutter, Andrei Massenkoff, Paul Jongma and Jim Belsito).

At rank #67, David Dahl-Hansson from Sweden became the last player above the cut line.

Check out the field HERE.

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2022 is 16 year old Viggo Löwgren from Furulund, Sweden. Viggo competed in 104 events during the 2022 season racking up an incredible 2293.68 WPPR points. Viggo currently sits as the #7 ranked player in the world having moved up from the #17 ranking at the start of the year.

Viggo was the IFPA Player of the Month in January, March and November, having won 28 of the 104 tournaments he played in during 2022, while finishing in the top 4 in 59% of them.

Viggo’s highlights during 2022 included victories at The Swedish Championships and Borås Pinball Open main tournaments, netting him 138.78 WPPR points for those two first place finishes.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Viggo on all of his success throughout this 2022 season!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Rookie of the Year for the 2022 season is Matthew Harjo from Seattle, WA. This award is given to the player that earns the most WPPR points in their first year of active play.

Matthew played in 72 events during the 2022 season earning a total of 217.68 WPPR points. Matthew participated in his first IFPA sanctioned tournament on January 21st at the Ice Box Friday Night Live. Since entering the World Pinball Player Rankings at that time, Matthew has seen his rank increase to 625th in the world.

Matthew’s greatest achievement of 2022 was his 23rd place finish in the NW Pinball Championships Classics tournament, out of 115 players, netting himself 12.97 WPPR points. Overall, Matthew placed in the top 4 at 14% of the 2022 events he played in, a truly remarkable achievement.

Congratulations to Matthew, our 2022 IFPA Rookie of the Year!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Year for 2021 is 13 year old Arvid Flygare from Lund, Sweden. In the shortened 2021 season, Arvid was still able to rack up an incredible 665.14 WPPR points during 2021. Arvid currently sits as the #6 ranked player in the world having moved up from the #155 ranking at the start of the year.

Arvid was the IFPA Player of the Month in November and likely December 2021 after all results are finalized, having won 14 of the 42 tournaments he played in during 2021, while finishing in the top 4 in 62% of them.

Arvid’s highlights during 2021 included a sweep in both the Main and Classics tournaments from the Matchstick Pinball Open along with a top 4 finish at all five events at the Borås Pinball Classic Open, four of which were 1st place finishes.

The IFPA wishes to congratulate Arvid on all of his success throughout this shortened 2021 season!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Rookie of the Year for the 2021 season is Mike Weyenberg from Manitowoc, WI. This award is given to the player that earns the most WPPR points in their first year of active play.

With the shortened 5 month season of 2021, Mike was still able to play in 30 events. Michael earned 167.32 WPPR points from these 30 events. Mike participated in his first IFPA sanctioned tournament on August 7th at the D82 Pinball Lucky 13 Tournament. Since entering the World Pinball Player Rankings at that time, Mike has seen his rank increase to 344th in the world.

Mike’s greatest achievement of 2021 was his 3rd place finish in the District 82 Pinball December 2021 League, out of 63 players. Overall, Mike placed in the top 4 at 20% of the 2021 events he played in, a truly remarkable achievement.

Congratulations to Mike, our 2021 IFPA Rookie of the Year!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Rookie of the Year for the 2020 season is Michael Bair from North, Canton, OH. This award is given to the player that earns the most WPPR points in their first year of active play.

With the shortened 3 month season of 2020, Michael was still able to play in 12 events. Michael earned 23.56 WPPR points from these 12 events. Michael participated in his first IFPA sanctioned tournament on January 10th at the Kidforce Friday Knockout. Since entering the World Pinball Player Rankings at that time, Michael has seen his rank increase to 3305th in the world.

Michael’s greatest achievement of 2020 was his 27th place finish in the Kidforce Collectibles Pinball League Winter Season, out of 165 players. Overall, Michael placed in the top 4 at 42% of his 2020 events, a truly remarkable achievement.

Congratulations to Michael, our 2020 IFPA Rookie of the Year!