The scene is set for the knockout stages of the IFAF European Flag Football Championships as eight teams remain in contention for a continental crown in each of the men’s and women’s tournaments.
The 2023 champions will emerge from the men’s and women’s Gold Medal Games to be played at 5:30 pm and 6:45 pm on Sunday with the action streamed live on IFAF.TV. Which nations will contest the finals will be decided during a third action-packed day of elite flag football at the University of Limerick. The full schedule of games can be downloaded here.
The men kick things off on Sunday at 10 am in Ireland as the four group winners, who all remain unbeaten, face second-placed teams in the quarterfinals.
Photo: Ian Humes
Group A winner Switzerland scored a joint-highest 192 points on their way to a 4-0 record and will take on six-time winners and defending champions Denmark (3-1) on Field 1 in a game that will be streamed live on IFAF.TV. Group B winner France (4-0) also put up 192 total points and face Israel (2-1) who finished second in the four-team Group C.
Austria (3-0) topped group C and will take on Great Britain (3-1), while Germany (4-0) won Group D to set up a quarterfinal meeting with Italy (3-1).
The semifinal match ups see Switzerland or Denmark face Austria or Great Britain for a place in the 5:30 pm Gold Medal Game, while France or Israel will take on Germany or Italy for the other berth. Those games begin at 12:30 pm.
In the women’s tournament, Group A saw three of the four qualifying teams finish level and separated only by a tiebreaker with a 4-1 record. Of that trio, Germany will face Czechia (4-2) in the quarterfinals on Field 1 live on IFAF.TV, Austria meets France (4-2) on Field 2, and reigning champions Spain take on Italy. Great Britain (5-1) topped Group B and will play against the only team in the knockout stages with a losing record, Finland (2-3).
Photo: Ian Humes
In the semifinals at 12.45pm, Germany or Czechia face Italy or Spain, while Great Britain or Finland will meet Austria or France for a place in the 6:45 pm Gold Medal Game.
Saturday game notes: The women’s team of hosts Ireland scored their first points of the championships to brighten a 46-6 loss to reigning women’s champions Spain… Italy’s men (3-1) were almost upset by Finland (1-3), but in the dying seconds, Simone Boni made a spectacular diving one-handed catch in the end zone to edge the contest 24-21… Belgium recorded their first tournament win with a 44-6 victory over fellow newcomers Georgia… The Georgians might have finished 0-3 on their introduction to the flag football family, but celebrated scoring 13 total points.
10:00 AM MQF1 Switzerland v Denmark
11:15 AM WQF1 Germany v Czechia
12:30 PM MSF1 WMQF1 v WMQF4
1:45 PM WSF1 WWQF1 v WWQF4
3:00 PM MP13 LMQF2 v LMQF3
4:15 PM Mens Bronze
5:30 PM Mens Gold
6:45PM Womens Gold