IFAF Europe has announced the sites and stadiums for the 2016 Qualifying tournaments. Divided up into two tournaments of four teams each as announced in November 2015 the eight teams are battling for a chance to make it to the 2018 European Championships in Germany.
First they have to survive their own group as winners. Then these winners have to face either Sweden or Denmark in 2017. Finally, the winners advance to the ECs.
#1 Italy and #2 Great Britain enter as top-ranked teams based on their performances in the Euro 2013 Qualifying Round. These nations had the provisional hosting rights to organize the 2016 qualifying tournaments and elected to do so.
The Italian Federation of American Football accepted the invitation to host one of the qualifying tournaments, which will take place in the city of Lignano Sabbiadoro, in the northeastern part of the country. All the games will be played at the city’s natural grass stadium which seats 5,000 spectators.
Lignano Sabbiadoro stadium, Italy
The tournament kicks off on Friday, September 2, 2016 with Italy playing Israel and then Serbia and Switzerland will square off (game times to be announced). The first place and third place games take place Sunday, September 4, 2016.
The British American Football Association (BAFA) has agreed to host the second tournament scheduling it for the Allianz Park Stadium in London. The stadium has a capacity of 10,000 spectators.
Allianz Park Stadium, London
On Friday September 16, the host nation will take on Russia while the Czech Republic will face the Netherlands. The first and third place games are set for Sunday, September 18.
The winners of each of these tournaments will advance to play either Sweden or Denmark in 2017.
Link to IFAF Europe article.
Goran Nisavic, IFAF Europe Chairman:
“We would like to thank both FIDAF and BAFA not only for their willingness to be the hosts of such important football events, but also for their effort to find the good stadiums and cities which suit all the participating nations. We will work together with both national associations in order to make these memorable tournaments not only for participating teams, but also for the large number of fans that will be present. I would like to invite all the fans across Europe to book these two weekends on their calendars and to come to Lignano and London to support the teams, the hosts, and American football in Europe.”