Tenth seed Czechia pulled of a major shock in the 2024/25 IFAF European Championships on Sunday, winning 14-7 away to seventh seed France.

Czechia are relative newcomers on the international scene compared to their hosts who were European champions in 2018, won the continental silver medal in 2010, bronze four years later and finished fourth overall for a fourth time in tournament history in 2021.

The decisive play came in the fourth quarter when France quarterback Leo Cremades was intercepted by Ondřej Kyloušek, who raced 35 yards down the left sideline to the endzone and a 14-7 lead. The Czech defense held firm and denied France on the hosts’ final drive to spark wild scenes of celebration among the visitors.

The signs that Czechia could pose a threat in Group B had come a week earlier when they pushed Finland all the way in a hard-fought 28-6 home loss. France head coach Jean-Philippe Dinglor had believed his team was stronger than its seventh-place overall rank based on last year’s tournament and was eager to stake a claim for a place in the final four.

Now the group will be decided next weekend when Finland hosts France on October 26 in Vantaa with a win enough for the Finns to advance to the final four, which would mean Czechia has an opportunity to contest fifth place overall next year. A French recovery and a win in Finland would require points differential to separate the three nations.

Following a scoreless first half, at the end of the third quarter France gambled on fourth and nine at the Czechia 21-yard mark and came up with the game’s opening touchdown. Cremades found Florian Laros through the air to delight the 3,500 spectators at Villeneuve d'Ascq. in Lille and the hosts led 7-0.

The Czech offense responded as Jakub Březina moved the ball on the ground, Jakub Woleský gained momentum in the passing attack and Adam Žouželka moved the ball to within striking distance of the end zone. Březina finished off the successful drive with a touchdown before Amos Feranec tied the game with the extra point.

Following Kyloušek’s game-changing pick-six, France rallied and came within nine yards of the Czechia end zone, but Cremadese's pass was intercepted by defensive end Jakub Smutný. One last desperate French push to tie the contest ended when Jakub Smutný produced two sacks to seal a famous victory.

2024/25 IFAF European Championships Level 1 Group Stages

Group A Austria 1-0 Hungary 1-1 Serbia 0-1

October 12       Hungary 3 Austria 58 October 19       Serbia 19 vs Hungary 25 October 27       Austria vs Serbia, Salzburg

Group B Finland 1-0 Czechia 1-1 France 0-1

October 13       Czechia 6 Finland 28 October 20       France 7 Czechia 14 October 26       Finland vs France, Vantaa

Group C Italy 1-0 Denmark 1-0 Switzerland 0-2

October 12       Switzerland 0 Italy 45 October 19       Denmark 27 Switzerland 7 October 26       Italy vs Denmark, Milan

Group D Germany 1-0 Sweden 1-0 Great Britain 0-2

October 13       Sweden 20 Great Britain 19 October 19       Great Britain 11 vs Germany 49 October 26       Germany vs Sweden, Krefeld

2024/25 IFAF European Championships Level 2 Group Stages Schedule

October 19       Ireland 18 Netherlands 13 November 3     Turkey vs Ireland, Ankara November 17  Netherlands vs Turkey, Arnhem