IFAF Junior World Championship
The inaugural IFAF Junior World Championship will be played at Fawcett Stadium at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in the summer of 2009.
Games between the world's eight best 19-and-under junior national teams representing eight countries and four continents will be played on Saturday, June 27, Wednesday, July 1 and Saturday, July 4, before the Championship Game is contested on Sunday, July 5.
“On behalf of IFAF and the more than 50 countries on five continents that love and play organized football, we are ecstatic to have the world's best compete in the world's greatest football setting,” said IFAF President Tommy Wiking.
Joining host nation the United States as an automatic qualifier will be Canada. The Canadians will hold the No. 1 seed with the U.S. claiming the No. 2 seed.
“We felt that Canada's exceptional record in international junior competition during recent years warranted the top seed," added Wiking. “The United States is recognized as the home of the sport and is expected to be a strong contender for the championship.”
Canada's junior national team has consistently impressed on an international platform by winning the past three NFL Global Junior Championships, held during Super Bowl week from 1997 to 2007. They were also crowned champions in 2000.
Japan will fly the flag for Asia, while countries representing Europe are Germany, Sweden and France who finished first, second and third, respectively, at the 2008 European Junior Championship in Spain in 2008 to qualify. Rounding out the tournament field, New Zealand will represent Oceania after defeating Australia in its regional qualifying game on January 24, while Mexico will be the third Pan-American team following its win against Panama on February 14.
When the games kick off on June 27, Canada will take on New Zealand, the United States will face France, Mexico will meet Sweden and Japan will face Germany.
The advent of a junior tackle tournament encompassing four continents and including a nationally selected team from the United States is unique in the world of junior international American football. However, several of the federations whose teams will compete in Canton boast many years of experience on the world stage. Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Mexico all took part in the IFAF-sanctioned NFL Global Junior Championship at various times between 1997 and 2007. Canada was crowned champion on four occasions (2000, 2005, 2006, 2007) and Mexico twice (1997, 1998).
The next IFAF Junior World Championship is scheduled for 2012, and it will be held every two years after that.
Official website link: www.JWCFootball.com