Six European countries host IFAF Europe U19 Championship clashes this weekend as 12 teams battle for chance to climb the continental rankings and ultimately compete for the European title. And for places at the 2024 IFAF U20 World Championships in Canada. The winners of Sunday’s Austria vs Finland and Sweden vs Denmark games will play for the Gold Medal over the September 15-17 weekend, with the losing teams contesting bronze. Among the other eight teams in action, Italy, Great Britain, France and Germany all have their eyes on winning to play for fifth place when summer draws to a close, while Spain, Belgium, Czechia and Switzerland are jostling for ninth place overall. Powerhouse Austria are in no mood to relinquish the European crown won in 2022 as they take on a traditionally tough Finland team at the Ravelin Football Centre in Vienna this Sunday, April 9 (kick off 12.30pm CET). And the defending champions have another proud accomplishment to protect. The Austrians are unbeaten against European opposition since as far back as 2011. That 12-year span includes the heavyweights of the continent at this level winning five European titles. “The game against Finland will be a special challenge,” said head coach Roman Floredo. “Teams from the north are practically always bigger and stronger. With the speed we have, we will make up for that and try to defend the title again. “Probably the most difficult task as a U19 head coach is to work with new players at virtually every finals. Of course, the team is always thrown together anew, but we all play football to win titles, and nobody wants to finish second. That’s why the motivation is the same every year.” The Austrian U19 platform has been a successful proving ground and the class of 2023 will aspire to follow in the footsteps of previous generations, who have since graduated to the NFL. Offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann (Indianapolis Colts), tight end Bernhard Seikovits (Arizona Cardinals) and running back Sandro Platzgummer (New York Giants) all once proudly pulled on the red and white of Austria en route to chasing their dream across the Atlantic. Led by head coach Pekka Lamminsalo, the Finland offense will lean heavily on the talents of quarterback Arttu Aalto and running back Henri Kaasinen. That strength and size, which the Austrians expect will test their ability to fight for the championship in September, starts on the Finnish defensive line, where Jarno Lipola and Malek Jaradat are among the leaders. The history of the European Championship hails all the way back to 1992 when Finland were the dominant nation, winning the first three titles over France, Germany and Sweden. Livestream: https://streamster.tv/event/football/u19-em-halbfinale/ Where local derbies are concerned, they don’t come much closer than Sweden against Denmark. The Kristianstad Fotbollsarena hosts the meeting of these two traditional rivals this Sunday, April 9 and is located only 115km (71 miles) from the border between the two Scandinavian nations (kick off 2pm CET). Champions in 2017, runners up in 2022, 2019, 2008, and as far back as 1996, Sweden again have quarterback Max Lambert under center after he led Sweden to the silver medal in 2022. Running back Vilgot Valeskog is considered to be the biggest backfield talent to come out of Sweden in many years and the ground game is complemented by the most experienced player on the roster, wide receiver Elliot Lindehammer. Head coach Sebastian Brinkenfeldt will look to linebacker Benjamin Kennedy Chaanhing to be the verbal leader of the Swedish defense, along with defensive back Rory Nethercott, who is again a team captain as he was at the 2022 tournament. He is joined in a strong secondary by Nils Böök who while small in size plays smart and fast. Victor E. Andersen will sign off from his role as head coach of Denmark’s U19 program after Sunday, and at his disposal has two players who were starters last year at senior level in the Danish National League in wide receivers Due Moller (Copenhagen Towers) and Westergaard Andersen (Triangle Razorbacks). Among a potentially potent offense, Ludvig Olufson Bruun is a young and fast receiver, while returning starter at running back Jacon Langkjær and talented newcomer Noah Tinggaard Helmi pose a threat on the ground. Valdemar Enghave plays at Wilbraham & Monson Academy in the United States, but has returned home to face Sweden, and will be paired at linebacker with the promising Barkholt Fruelund. Livestream: https://www.swe3play.se/livestream/s-em-semifinal-u19-sverige-danmark-qbn69 At the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan on Saturday, April 8, Italy host Great Britain with home head coach Giorgio Longhi hoping for a repeat of the 28-23 Italian win when the sides met in 2022 (kick off 9pm CET). Great Britain head coach Scott Rowe said: “We have selected a great group of young men to head out to Milan to take on a very strong Team Italy. Huge credit must go to the players, coaches, and staff for their hard work and dedication over the last four months or so which is effectively how long we have had to prepare for this tough game. We will go in as underdogs, but I am incredibly proud to be the head coach of this team.” “After the progress, we made in 2022 this game is another important step for us to continue building the U19 program. It’s so important that we prioritise U19 and U16 football as these young players are the future of our game and they deserve to have a program to aspire to and one which can compete with the very best in Europe.” Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@fidaf-tv The winners in Milan will face either the France or Germany in September to compete for fifth place. Two of the continent’s traditionally most successful U19 nations will battle it out at the Stade Pierre-Paul Bernard in Talence, Bordeaux on Sunday, April 9 (kick off 2pm CET). France claimed third place in 2019, beating Denmark 42-15 to win the bronze medal at the tournament in Italy, having finished as runners up in 2013 and 2011. Under head coach Emmanuel Maguet, the French offense will be sparked by quarterback Antione Lefevbre and running back Tom Blanc. The French were crowned European champions back in 2004 and 2006, beating Sunday’s opponent Germany on both occasions. Their reward after that first title being an opportunity to participate at the NFL Global Junior Championship played during the week of Super Bowl in Jacksonville along with the national teams of USA, Canada, Mexico and Japan. Les Bleus were chosen on that occasion by FOX Television to hold a unique practice at Alltel Stadium on the eve of Super Bowl XXXIX so that the game broadcaster could test their camera angles on a live team. Germany returns to international competition after a period of absence of and last won the European title in 2008, before Austria’s dominance, defeating Sweden 9-6 in the blistering heat of Seville, Spain. That triumph ended a streak of three silver medals, having been crowned the U19 kings of Europe in 1998 and 2000. Germany head coach Philipp Stursberg, who was a linebacker on that 1998 championship winning U19 team and went on to play in the GFL and NFL Europe, said: “We want to place the youth national team among the top teams in Europe again.” Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8jGFbIJiMg The historic city of Prague plays host when Czechia meets Switzerland at the Ragby Sparta Stadion this Sunday, April 9 (kick off 12pm CET). Home team head coach Jan Štiegler will count on quarterbacks Jakub Yamato and Matyáš Bílý to lead from under center, while linebacker Ondřej Kyloušek is one to watch on defense. Switzerland, led by head coach Dennis Oppermann, have a potential game-changer in running back Lennox Gautschi of the Zurich Renegades. Livestream: https://sport.video/ceska-asociace-americkeho-fotbalu Looking to book a matchup with the Czechia-Switzerland winner in September will be either Spain or Belgium, who face off on Saturday, April 8 in Calatayud in the Province of Zaragoza in the midst of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range (kick off 6pm CET). Under head coach Andy Brutyn, Belgium expect to bring a tough and physical defensive game to balance the playmaking ability of quarterback David Vandromme. Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5002YGtUv8 IFAF Game Centre: https://americanfootball.sport/game-centre/ Image c/o FIDAF / Giulio Busi