Pierre Trochet re-elected IFAF President – New IFAF Executive Board elected at Congress in Lausanne

Pierre Trochet has been re-elected as President of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) at the XXVI IFAF Congress held in Lausanne, Switzerland. Trochet, who stood unopposed, begins his second and final four-year term, set to conclude in 2028.

Hosted in Lausanne, the Olympic Capital, Congress brought the international American football community together to celebrate recent milestones including the record breaking IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Lahti, Finland and the IFAF U20 World Junior Football Championship in Edmonton, Canada. 

Trochet’s re-election follows a successful first term which saw flag football added to the Sport Programme of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 and IFAF granted Associate Membership of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and full membership status of the International World Games Association (IWGA). 

Addressing Congress, Pierre Trochet, IFAF President, said:

“First and foremost, I want to thank the IFAF members for placing their trust in me to serve as President for another term – it is an immense honour to represent and lead the global American football family.

“Our mission is clear: to build on our successes and establish an even stronger, more sustainable foundation for the future. As we enter this next phase of growth and opportunity, I am confident that we will deliver tremendous value for both the American football community and the Olympic movement. By equipping our member federations with the resources they need to thrive, we will accelerate the global development of our sport.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the past four years and look forward to an exciting new term. Flag football’s debut at LA28 will inspire millions worldwide, but this is just the beginning. We are committed to securing our sport’s long-term inclusion in the Olympic Games, expanding our presence in multi-sport events, and strengthening our role as an influential member of the broader Olympic movement. The future of American football is bright, and it’s up to all of us to make it extraordinary.”

In addition to the Presidential election, IFAF member federations also elected key positions to the Executive Board following presentations by each candidate. These individuals will help shape the global governance and strategic direction of American football over the next four years.

The newly elected IFAF Executive Board members are:

• Vice President: James Mullin (Canada)
• Director of Finance: Uras Aslan (Turkiye)
• Director of Competitions: Fabio Tortosa (Italy)
• Director of Development: Russell McConnochie (New Zealand)
• Secretary: Eric Mayes (United States of America)

Chair of the IFAF Athletes Commission and captain of the Mexico women’s national flag football team, Diana Flores, who was also in attendance at Congress, said:

 “I look forward to collaborating with the newly elected IFAF Executive Board as we continue to elevate the voice of athletes in shaping the future of American football. Looking ahead, a key priority for the IFAF Athletes Commission will be the staging of elections in early 2025. This is a crucial step in ensuring that we continue to engage the international American football player community and develop athlete representation at every level of the sport.

“With the remarkable global growth of flag football, we are approaching some truly exciting milestones, including The World Games 2025 and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. These moments will showcase the passion and talent of our athletes on the world stage and inspire the next generation of players and we are incredibly proud to be part of this journey.”

The Congress also saw the upgrading of the membership of four federations – Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya and Malaysia – from allied to associate members, reflecting the global development of the sport. Member federations discussed the progress made and looked ahead to the next stage of the sport’s extraordinary international growth, with the upcoming 2025 Flag Football Continental Championships, The World Games 2025, Chengdu and 2025 IFAF Tackle Football World Championship highlights in the calendar ahead.