Schedule announced as 660 athletes from 32 nations prepare to head to Finland

A total of 660 athletes from 32 nations will battle on the flag football fields at the Pajulahti Olympic center in Finland from August 27-30 in the quest for the IFAF Flag Football World Championships goal medal.

The schedule of matches at the 11th biennial event, which will be the largest and most significant in the sport’s history, and details of the Round of 16 knockout stages can be found at the IFAF Game Centre. All matches will be streamed live at IFAF.TV.

The women’s tournament opens with a mouthwatering clash between two heavyweights from different continents on the showpiece Field 1 at 8am on Tuesday, August 27. The World Games champion Mexico takes on Italy, the nation they knocked out at the quarterfinals stage of the last world championships.

Reigning world champions USA and Asia-Oceania silver medalists Australia also begin their quest for gold in the opening slate of matches, facing Sweden and Ireland respectively. The top seven teams in the women’s tournament will hit the Road to Chengdu by earning qualification to The World Games to be played in China in 2025.

The men’s competition commences at 9.15am with six matches, including the juggernaut that is the United States team facing Brazil on Field 1, while Field 6 provides an intriguing meeting between Australia and debutants Cameroon.

Men’s European champions Germany begin their challenge at 10.30am against Sweden, while the continent’s women’s champions Great Britain face Czechia at 1pm.

The full schedule of matches will focus on the group stages on August 27 and 28 before the knockout and ultimately medal rounds follow mainly on August 29 and 30. The Lahti Sports Center in Finland’s sixth most populus urban area will host the medal games, with the men’s final beginning at 7.15pm on August 30, followed by the women’s title game at 8.30pm.

In the women’s Round of 16 knockout bracket, the five group winners will be ranked 1 to 5 and the five second-placed teams ranked 6 to 9. The five third-placed and best fourth-place finisher will earn slots 10 to 16. Each nation’s group record will determine the order of their bracket placement with the tournament rankings used as a tiebreaker among teams with the same record. Teams that do not advance to the Round of 16 will enter a placement competition.

In the men’s Round of 16 knockout bracket, the eight group winners will be ranked 1 to 8 and the eight second-placed teams ranked 9 to 16. Each nation’s group record will determine the order of their bracket placement with the tournament rankings used as a tiebreaker among teams with the same record. Teams that do not advance to the Round of 16 will enter a placement competition.

The schedule for the knockout stages can be found at the IFAF Game Centre.