IFAF Americas Flag Football Championships Kickoff Preview
The waiting is over, the time is here.
The IFAF Americas Flag Football Championships kicks off at 9am on Wednesday, July 5, and by Friday evening the first continental champions of 2023 will be crowned in both the men’s and women’s categories.
The matchups are mouthwatering. The women’s competition gets underway at 9am at the United States Performance Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, when the reigning world champions the United States take on Panama, third place finishers at The World Games 12 months ago.
That action is sure to illuminate the Championship Field, while World Games winners Mexico face Canada on Field 1 and there’s an all-South American clash between Brazil and Chile on Field 2.
The global feed from the Championship Field will be live internationally on The Olympic Channel and the newly launched IFAF.TV platform, while for viewers in the United States those games are on USAFootball.com/watch. All games on Field 1 and Field 2 will be shown on USAFootball.com/watch.
The men’s competition kicks off with three games at 10.30am. Mexico and Panama, who finished second and third respectively at the 2021 IFAF World Championships meet on the Championship Field, while Brazil takes on USA and Canada faces Argentina.
The full schedule of games and results can be found at the IFAF Americas Game Center.
The most competitive continental flag football championship in history features 13 teams from 7 countries and includes some of the sport’s most recognizable athletes:
- Mexico quarterback Diana Flores – IFAF NFL Global Flag Football Ambassador and star of the NFL’s ‘Run With It’ Super Bowl commercial
- USA quarterback Vanita Krouch – IFAF NFL Global Flag Football Ambassador and the most decorated women’s flag football athlete of all time, widely recognized as the sport’s answer to Tom Brady
- USA quarterback Darrell ‘Housh’ Doucette – IFAF NFL Global Flag Football Ambassador
Among the opening day highlights, the United States and Mexico close out the men’s action at 5.30pm in a rematch of the 2011 championship game, which the Americans won by a narrow three points in a 44-41 thriller.
The two powerhouses of the women’s game clash on Day Two at 10.30am on Thursday, July 6, when the United States, winners of the 2021 championship, face Mexico, gold medalists at The World Games in 2022. When the traditional rivals met in Israel two years ago for the IFAF crown the Americans triumphed by 10 points then last year Mexico came out on top in Birmingham, Alabama, winning 39-6.
Friday, July 7, sees the conclusion of group games, followed by placement games and ultimately the battle for the Women’s Gold Medal at 6pm and the Men’s title at 7.30pm.
