7 Nation Tourney Schedule Announced For 2015 IFAF World Championship

U.S. Men’s National Team opens seven-nation tournament Thursday, July 9, against Mexico

The schedule for the seven-nation 2015 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Championship on July 9-18 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, includes four days of competition with three games each day.

Kickoffs are noon, 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on July 9, 12, 15 and 18 to determine gold, silver and bronze medal winners.

As the two-time defending champions, the U.S. Men’s National Team has received the No. 1 seed and leads an “upper bracket” that includes No. 3 seed Japan and No. 4 seed Mexico. Canada, originally the No. 2 seed, withdrew from the event earlier this month. Teams that would have been scheduled to play Canada within the tournament format will receive byes. The “bottom bracket” includes No. 5 France, No. 6 Australia, No. 7 South Korea and No. 8 Brazil.

The first two days of competition includes teams playing within their brackets before the sides cross over to determine the medal round.

2015 IFAF World Championship schedule

All games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. All times ET.

Thursday, July 9

Game 1: Australia vs. South Korea, noon
Game 2: France vs. Brazil, 3:30 p.m.
Game 3: United States vs. Mexico, 7 p.m.
Bye: Japan

*- The Parade of Countries and Opening Ceremonies will be held prior to United States vs. Mexico.

Sunday, July 12

Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, noon
Game 5: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Japan, 7 p.m.
Bye: Loser Game 3

Wednesday, July 15

Game 7: Loser Game 5 vs. Winner Game 4, noon
Game 8: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 6, 3:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 7 p.m.
Bye: Loser Game 4

Saturday, July 18

7^th place and bye: Loser Game 7
5^th place: Loser Game 4 vs. Winner Game 7, noon
Bronze medal game: Loser Game 8 vs. Loser Game 9, 3:30 p.m.
Gold medal game: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9, 7 p.m.

*-Closing ceremonies and all-tournament team announced following gold medal game

Tickets are available at www.IFAFWorldChampionship.org. Single-day tickets – $10 for adults, $5 for students, seniors and military – include admission to all three games that day. All-event passes are $35. All seating is general admission.

The IFAF World Championship has been held every four years since 1999. The United States defeated Canada, 50-7, in Vienna, Austria, for the 2011 gold medal. The U.S. beat Japan, 23-20, in double overtime in Kawasaki, Japan, to win the 2007 tournament, the first that included the United States. Prior to the United States’ participation, Japan earned gold medals at the first two IFAF World Championships played in Palermo, Italy (1999), and Frankfurt, Germany (2003).

The U.S. Men’s National Team, composed of 45 athletes 20 and older, is led by former Boise State and Colorado head football coach Dan Hawkins. Hawkins was 53-11 at Boise State from 2001-05, winning four consecutive Western Athletic Conference titles. His teams compiled a 31-game WAC winning streak, the longest in conference history. His five seasons at Colorado (2006-10) included a win over No. 3 Oklahoma in 2007, the same year he led the Buffaloes to the Independence Bowl.

Prior to Boise State, Hawkins coached Willamette University in Salem, Ore., to a 40-12-1 record from 1993-97, earning two conference titles and a 1997 NAIA championship game berth. Currently serving as a college football analyst for ESPN and SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Hawkins was the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in 2013.

A full coaching staff is listed below. The U.S. roster will be announced in the coming weeks.

IFAF is composed of 71 member countries spanning six continents that possess national federations dedicated to American football. Among the world’s fastest-growing international federations of sport, IFAF has grown from 21 member nations in 2006.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted IFAF provisional recognition in December 2013. Provisional recognition is the initial step toward permanent IOC membership, which IFAF could attain as early as 2016. IFAF’s permanent IOC membership would make American football eligible for a future vote to become part of the Summer Olympics lineup.

USA Football is the sport’s national governing body in the United States.

2015 U.S. Men’s National Team coaching staff:

Name	Position	School/experience	Hometown
Dan Hawkins	Head coach	Former Boise State and Colorado head coach	Boise, Idaho
Paul Wulff	Offensive coordinator/ Offensive linemen	Former San Francisco 49ers offensive assistant	Walnut Creek, Calif.
Robert Tucker	Defensive coordinator	West Hills College head coach	Coalinga, Calif.
Cody Hawkins	Quarterbacks	Ohio State University graduate assistant	Woodland, Calif.
Darian Hagan	Running backs	University of Colorado director of player development	Denver, Colo.
Dan Morrison	Receivers	Former Southern Methodist University associate head coach	Dallas, Texas
Jerry Brady	Defensive linemen	West Hills College defensive line coach	Coalinga, Calif.
Isaiah Jackson	Linebackers	West Virginia State University defensive line coach	Dunbar, W.Va.
Thom Kaumeyer	Defensive backs	Former Tulane University defensive coordinator	Chico, Calif.

About USA Football: Indianapolis-based USA Football (www.usafootball.com) is the sport’s national governing body, leading the game’s development for youth, high school and other amateur players. The independent nonprofit partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and sport to establish important standards rooted in education. USA Football trains more high school and youth football coaches combined than any organization in the U.S., advancing coaching education and player skill development for safer play and positive experiences through athletics. Follow USA Football at www.facebook.com/usafootball or on Twitter @USAFootball.