LIVESTREAM IFAF U19 Euros PPV: Italy @ Sweden, Sept. 19, 14:00 CET (2 pm, 8 am ET)

AFI | 2026/27 IFAF European Junior Football Championships | 09/19/2026

Sweden (0-1) hosts Italy (1-0) Saturday at Bergshamra IP in Solna with the 2026/27 IFAF U19 European Tackle Football Championships Group B race still very much alive.

The stakes are straightforward for Italy. Win and the Italians take the group and advance to the 2027 medal round. A Sweden victory would leave the two teams and Israel (1-1) tied at 1-1 and send the group to the tiebreakers.

Sweden finally gets on the field

The standings say Sweden is 0-1, but Saturday will actually be its first game of the competition. Its scheduled April 4 matchup with Israel went into the books as a 1-0 forfeit loss.

Watch live PPV. Italy @ Sweden, Sept. 19, 14:00 CET (2 pm, 8 am ET)

That leaves head coach Andreas Ehrenreich with a young team heading straight into a game carrying major consequences. Ehrenreich described his roster as relatively young with plenty of players who could have a future with the national program.

For Sweden, the formula starts with playing the physical, disciplined football Ehrenreich wants and making Italy work for everything in front of the home crowd.

Italy survived its first test

Italy already knows how quickly one of these games can turn uncomfortable.

When the Italians hosted Israel in Firenze in May, they went into halftime trailing 21-14. Italy had to chase the game deep into the second half before finally pushing across the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter and escaping with a 32-28 victory.

That comeback put Italy in position to finish the job Saturday, but head coach Giorgio Longhi will bring a significantly different roster to Sweden. Several leading players from the Israel game have since moved to the United States to continue their careers, opening opportunities for younger players who could remain with the Italian program for another two seasons.

One game can scramble the group

Longhi has pointed to Sweden as the top seed in Group B and expects a difficult road test despite the difference in the standings.

For the hosts, the situation creates both pressure and opportunity. Sweden has yet to play a snap in the tournament, but one victory would suddenly throw the entire group back open.

For Italy, there is no need to worry about what happens elsewhere. Beat Sweden in Solna and the Italians are through.