USA FOOTBALL TO FIELD TACKLE NATIONAL TEAM FOR 2024 IFAF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
USA Football will field a U20 Tackle National Team for World Championship in Canada this coming summer
INDIANAPOLIS – USA Football, a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the sport’s governing body, will field a U20 U.S. Tackle National Team to compete in the International Federation of American Football’s (IFAF) World Junior Championship from June 20-30, 2024. The championship will be held in Edmonton, Alberta, marking the event’s first time being held in Canada.
Notable alumni of USA Football’s U.S. National Team include current or former NFL All-Pros and Pro Bowlers, such as Trevon Diggs, Shaquill Griffin, Tyrann Mathieu, Jordan Poyer, Jonathan Taylor, D’Andre Swift, Wyatt Teller and Chase Young. Fifteen former members of the U.S. National Team program have gone on to be first round picks in the NFL Draft, including Mac Jones and Kenny Pickett.
Additional U.S. National Team alumni who competed at the college level in 2023 include Georgia Bulldogs Kendall Milton and Nazir Stackhouse, quarterbacks Tyler Van Dyke, Spencer Sanders, Ken Seals and Preston Stone, running back Treshaun Ward, wide receivers J.Michael Sturdivant and Jordan Watkins, All-American offensive lineman Cooper Beebe, cornerback Shyheim Battle and All-SEC defensive back Jaylin Simpson.
This will be IFAF’s sixth edition of the World Junior Championship. The competition, which previously featured athletes under the age of 19 before adopting the new age limit, was first held in 2009. The U.S. National Team has made four of the five previous gold medal matches, defeating Canada in the finals in 2009 and 2014. Canada won the past two championships, including a thrilling game in front of an IFAF record crowd of over 35,000 at Mexico City’s Estadio Olimpico in 2018.
This year’s IFAF World Junior Championship will feature at least seven of the most competitive nations from around the world, including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Panama and the United States. There is still room for an eighth competitor.
“The U20 World Championship represents the pinnacle of global football,” said IFAF President Pierre Trochet. “With the Edmonton team’s meticulous two-year preparation, we expect to elevate the standard for IFAF events to new heights.”
To field a competitive roster capable of winning a gold medal, USA Football will connect with high school recruits and college underclassmen interested in representing their country on a global stage. USA Football’s staff and U.S. National Team personnel will evaluate athletes attending USA Football sanctioned camps and will host a free Digital Combine through GMTM. Top performers will be eligible to receive invitations to a training camp leading into competition.
“USA Football is excited for the return of IFAF’s World Junior Championship,” said USA Football Managing Director, High Performance and National Teams, Eric Mayes. “The 2024 U.S. National Team can become the first U.S. gold medal-winning World Junior Champions in a decade. We are looking for elite athletes who take pride in representing their country on the international stage. This is an opportunity to sharpen your skills while learning from a highly experienced coaching staff and competing against players from around the world.”
Playing for the U.S. National Team provides athletes a chance to travel abroad and experience international competition. Athletes selected for the U.S. National Team will learn from college coaches as they prepare for the championship. This is an opportunity for players to elevate their performances through training and film study alongside fellow elite athletes from across the country.
USA Football will release the official coaching staff and roster for the U.S. National Team in the coming months.
About USA Football
USA Football is the governing body of American football in the United States, the sole US member of the International Federation of American Football, and a recognized sports organization of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Its non-profit mission includes designing and delivering premier educational, development, and competitive programs for American football, including tackle and flag football. USA Football is the only organization that selects and organizes men’s and women’s US National Teams in federation-sanctioned international competition.
