Europe’s Elite clash in Krefeld for IFAF tackle title
The top men’s national tackle teams in Europe will battle for continental glory from October 25-28 when Germany hosts a final four tournament to decide who will win the 2024-25 IFAF Men’s European Championships.
Reigning champion Austria, five-time champion Finland, triple gold medal winner Italy and three-time champion Germany battled through qualifying games last year to secure their place in the Final Four at the Grotenburg Stadion in Krefeld.
Finland and Italy will kick off the action at 3pm on Saturday, October 25 in a repeat of the inaugural final played in 1983. The long-awaited clash between Germany and traditional rival Austria will be played at 7pm on the opening day. The last time these two nations met Germany claimed gold with a three-point win in Vienna in 2014.
The gold and bronze medal games will crown the continental champion on Tuesday, October 28 at the Grotenburg Stadion.
Game Schedule
Saturday, October 25: Finland vs Italy, 3pm
Saturday, October 25: Austria vs Germany, 7pm
Tuesday October 28: Bronze Medal Game
Tuesday, October 28: Gold medal Game
Led by head coach Max Sommer, Austria topped Group A in the group stages, which featured 12 nations playing home and away games over three weekends last October. Austria defeated Hungary 58-3 and Serbia in a 78-point shutout. The Austrians finally brought home the gold medal in 2023 having finished as runners up in 2014 and 2018.
“The mood in the team makes me confident that we will arrive in Krefeld on Saturday with knives between our teeth and make Germany work for everything,” said Sommer after his team held a camp in Lindabrunn. “The clear goal is to beat Germany for the first time and defend our title.”
Finland medaled in the first eleven European championships, winning in 1985 having been silver medalists in the first-ever tournament then dominated with four consecutive titles from 1993 to 2000. Runners up in 2023 under head coach Mikko Koikkalainen, the Finns beat Czechia 28-6 and France by a single point to top Group B.
“We are eagerly looking forward to the upcoming European Championship tournament,” said coach Koikkalainen. “It’s a great opportunity to test ourselves against the very best teams in Europe and see how far our hard work has taken us.
“Our team has prepared with full commitment and focus — we are ready to put all our skill and heart on the field. We know the competition will be tough, but that only makes the challenge more rewarding. We want to represent Finland with pride and show the kind of football we believe in.”
Group C was a close affair as Italy edged Denmark 28-27 having blanked Switzerland 45-0 under head coach Brian Michitti. The first hosts and winners of the Euros 32 years ago, the Italians won again four years later in 1987 and were gold medal winners in 2021.
“We’re stepping into a European Championship with some of the best-coached and most talented teams in Europe,” said coach Michitti. “That’s exactly the kind of competition we embrace. Our goal is to earn our place among the elite by playing disciplined, fearless football.”
Germany returned to international competition with a triumphant performance with a 49-11 win away to Great Britain and sealed Group D with a 42-6 win over Sweden at the Krefeld venue where they will host Austria in October with Christian Rothe now at the helm. Three-time European champions Germany won the continental crown on home soil in 2001 and 2010 then repeated as champions in 2014. They have won three silver and four bronze medals.
