LIVESTREAM Women’s EC: Germany @ Finland, Aug. 22, 17:00 CET (5 pm, 11 am ET)
Unbeaten Finland (3-0) gets the chance to reclaim the IFAF Women’s European Championship on home soil Saturday when it faces Germany (2-1) in the gold medal game at Myyrmäen Jalkapallostadion in Vantaa.
The matchup brings the championship full circle. Finland opened the competition by beating Germany 21-7 at the same stadium in May 2025. Now the two teams return more than a year later with the European title on the line.
Finland chasing another European crown
Finland has already navigated three very different games on its way to the final.
After opening with the win over Germany, the Finns had to grind out a 6-3 overtime victory on the road against Great Britain. They then went into Spain in May and came away with a 31-13 win to finish group play unbeaten.
A victory Saturday would give Finland its third European championship after winning the title in 2015 and 2019.
Head coach Samu Juppo expects a much different challenge from the one his team faced in the opener.
“We managed to beat Germany in the opening game, but a lot has changed from a football standpoint since then,” Juppo said.
Watch live. Germany @ Finland, Aug. 22, 17:00 CET (5 pm, 11 am ET)
Germany gets its second shot
Germany responded well after that opening loss.
The Germans bounced back by beating Spain 22-7 and then closed group play with a 26-6 road victory over Great Britain. In those two wins, the defense allowed only one touchdown in each game.
That sets up a rematch with a Finnish offense that struck quickly when the teams last met.
Oona Saarinen broke open that first game by picking off Julia Schlatow and racing 48 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Lea Kaszas then went to work through the air, finding Aino Joro for a five-yard score before connecting with Suvi Partanen from 23 yards out on the final play of the first half.
Suddenly, Finland had built a 21-0 lead.
Germany eventually answered when Deborah Joachim found Stella Martin on a 17-yard touchdown, but the Finns had already done the damage.
Gold on the line in Vantaa
Saturday gives Germany an opportunity to turn the tables, while Finland gets to chase another championship in front of its home crowd.
There will be no bronze medal game. Great Britain has withdrawn because of player injuries and retirements, leaving it unable to safely field a roster. Spain will therefore be awarded third place.
That leaves one game to settle everything.
Watch live. Germany @ Finland, Aug. 22, 17:00 CET (5 pm, 11 am ET)
