[United New England]

The sun rises over Boston, casting a warm light on the gleaming skycrapers and illuminating the historic row-houses. The people of United New England are chatting in cafes as the day dawns.

“I can’t believe UNE is gonna be in the final game!” a college student remarks to her friend. “I thought we’d never make it.” Nearby, a man in a business suit is eagerly scanning a Boston Globe article for details about the Novanglian team.

All over New England, people are getting ready to watch the finals. Up in the forested mountains of Vermont, townspeople will be hosting an open-air viewing of the game on a large outdoor screen. In a New Hampshire city, residents plan to kick off the finals with an elaborate parade. A group of fishermen in Maine have arranged to meet at their favorite local pub to toast the team, while artists in Rhode Island are busily painting a vibrant championship-themed mural. Down in Connecticut, schoolchildren have gotten permission to watch the game during what would usually be English time - “as long as you write at least ten sentences about what’s happening,” their teacher concedes. “Remember to use lots of describing words!”

The best words to describe the Novanglian team are “excited” and “nervous”. Some of the players are native-born New Englanders, but many are immigrants from various countries around the globe. All are equally honored to play on what has become one of the most successful teams in North America, if not the entire planet.

Whether they can win a championship amongst the interstellar community of the International Democratic Union is more uncertain. United New England is relatively new to space-time wormhole travel and thus has not previously competed in the championship. The nation’s claim to a territory on the IDU’s planet qualified it to participate, and New Englanders overwhelmingly supported the idea in public opinion polls. One thing is certain: regardless of how the team plays, it will return home to proud and loyal fans.