17 IFAF member countries from four continents will be represented in the City of Gothenburg as 16 male and 12 female teams compete from August 16 to 19
The sixth IFAF Flag Football World Championship will kick off in the Swedish city of Gothenburg on Thursday, August 16, as 17 countries from four continents compete in men’s and women’s competitions during the four-day tournament.
IFAF member federations Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States will all be represented.
USA and Canada will defend the men’s and women’s titles won in Ottawa in 2010, while the newest entry to international competition is Kuwait, which was granted IFAF membership less than a month ago on July 5.
The IFAF Flag Football World Championship has been held since 2002 and is the showpiece event for senior national teams competing in 5-on-5 flag football and has separate competitions for men and women.
The host has recent experience of hosting an IFAF event having been the venue for the first-ever IFAF Women’s World Championship in summer of 2010. Sweden will also welcome the 2015 IFAF Senior World Championship showpiece tournament.
“The women’s championship was popular with fans and competitors and the American football community here in Sweden, so we are pleased to be welcoming the best flag football players in the world,” said SAFF Director of Events MIKAEL ROOS. “We will see very competitive and exciting games and the renewal of some great rivalries that have been established over the years.”
IFAF President TOMMY WIKING added: “Flag football is not only one of the game’s key grassroots initiatives that introduces young players to the game, but also provides an exciting challenge for top athletes participating in the non-contact version of American football.”
The 2012 Men’s tournament features 16 total teams split into two groups of 8 teams, based on seeding from previous events and newcomers added to each group from a random draw. 2010 champion USA heads a tough Group A also containing the nation that finished fourth last time around, Canada, and host nation Sweden. Group B features silver and bronze medalists from 2010 Denmark and Italy.
Teams will play a round-robin tournament on August 16 and 17 before the top two teams in each group contest the semi finals and then either the Gold or Bronze Medal games on August 19. Teams finishing lower in the group standings will play off for places 5-8, 9-12 and 13-16 on August 18. In observance of the Sabbath, Israel will play their games a day later if necessary.
The Women’s tournament will crown a new champion since Canada will not defend its title. With the 12 nations split into two groups of six, silver medalist from 2010 USA heads Group A, while bronze medal winner Austria leads Group B. Brazil and Panama are both first time flag football entrants.
Teams will play a round-robin tournament on August 16 and 17 before the top two teams in each group contest the semi finals and then either the Gold or Bronze Medal games on August 19. Teams finishing lower in the group standings will play off for places 5-8 and 9-12 and on August 18. In observance of the Sabbath, Israel will play their games a day later if necessary.
The full schedule for both tournaments is available here at the event website.
2012 IFAF Flag Football World Championship Groups
The inaugural 2002 IFAF Flag Football World Championship was held in Vienna and the host won the men’s championship by defeating Germany, while the women’s champion Sweden beat France in the final. Two years later the championship was held in Thonon-les-Bains, France where the hosts became the men’s champion and Mexico won the women’s category.
France claimed a unique double at the third event in Daegu, Korea in 2006 as their men beat Denmark 49-20 and became the only team to defend an IFAF flag football title, while the France women narrowly defeated Japan 51-49. In 2008 in St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec, a host team again claimed gold as Canada took the men’s title, outlasting Denmark 12-6, while Mexico spoiled any hopes of a Canadian clean sweep, winning 27-18 over Canada’s women.
In 2010 the United States became the fourth country to win the men’s event with a 35-19 win over Denmark and Canada’s women sent the home crowd in Ottawa home happy with a 31-18 victory to deny USA a double celebration. Future IFAF Flag Football World Championships will be held in Israel in 2014 and in the Bahamas in 2016.
IFAF Flag Football World Championship Previous Winners
Year Venue Champion (M) Champion (W)
2002 Austria Austria Sweden
2004 France France Mexico
2006 Korea France France
2008 Canada Canada Mexico
2010 Canada USA Canada
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