You’re Invited to the 2015 Stockholm IFAF World Championships!

| 2015 IFAF World Championships - Stockholm | 06/10/2014

Twelve national teams from six continents will battle in IFAF’s signature event!

On the heels of the impressive and engaging 2014 Eat the Ball European Championships, we begin to prepare for Stockholm 2015! The organizing committee for the Stockholm World Championships released a video this past Saturday, welcoming the passionate American Football masses to come to Sweden and witness American Football as a worldwide spectacle!
STHLM 2015 Liggande m infoline
You are invited to visit the 2015 IFAF World Championship tournament which is being played July 4th – 18th 2015 in Stockholm, Sweden. For more information about the city of Stockholm and to plan your stay before, during and after the World Championships we encourage you to visitstockholm.com.

HISTORIC CHAMPIONSHIP

For the first time in International Federation of American Football history, the 2015 IFAF Senior World Championship will feature twelve national teams from six continents, including a team from Africa who will debut at this the IFAF signature event.

The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Senior World Championship is held every four years, and the fifth installment  will be the largest to date, increasing from eight to twelve teams from 2011.

All but four teams have been determined for the 2015 tournament. This past week the European qualifiers were confirmed as the European champions Germany, runners-up Austria, and third -place finishers France all head to Stockholm. Last month, both of the teams from IFAF Asia qualified when Japan defeated the Philippines and South Korea defeated Kuwait. IFAF Oceania will be represented by Australia. As defending champions the USA claim a spot as well as Sweden as the host country. USA will enter the competition as the back-to-back defending champions and will be looking to become the first country to become three-peat victors in IFAF Senior World Championship history.

For the remaining three spots, regional competitions in the 2014 will decide the three teams between North and South America, and one team from Africa. 

The Swedish American Football Federation (SAFF) will host the tournament at the new state of the art ‘Tele2 Arena’ in the capital city of Stockholm (https://www.tele2arena.se/uk/).

From IFAF President Tommy Wiking:

 “IFAF is honored to be among the first sporting events announced as playing its 2015 World Championship at the wonderful new Tele2 Arena. The showpiece tournament in the IFAF calendar will feature a record number of 12 countries from six continents and the best American football players in the world, so this new world-class state of the art facility is the perfect stage for the world to see the sport’s champion crowned.”

THE DETAILS

All 24 games of the IFAF tournament, including 12 group games, 6 second round game four placement games, the Bronze Medal Game and the grand finale – the Gold Medal Game – will be played in the 30,000-seat arena.

The 12 teams will be split into four groups of three for a round robin stage leading to the second round and then placement and medal games that will take place during 10 playing days with rest days in between. The first game will be played on July 4th, 2015 culminating with the Gold Medal game on July 18th , 2015.

To learn more about the event please visit www.stockholm2015.org.

John McKeon is a former professional and collegiate American Football player and coach now living and working in New York. His goal is to spread news, information, and opinion on the global growth of the sport he loves.