The IFAF Women’s European Championship is on the line this weekend.

Surprise package Spain can take the title with a home victory in Calatayud, Zaragoza on Saturday, April 13 (kickoff 6pm CET), but standing in their way is a Great Britain team that also has designs on the continental crown.

European debutants Spain shocked Finland with a 12-0 victory over the defending champions at the Myyrmäen Jalkapallostadion in Vantaa last May and followed up that win with a narrow 8-6 home success over Germany. That 2-0 record means that if Spain beats Great Britain, they will have the advantage of winning the first tiebreaker if multiple teams are tied with a 3-1 finish later this year. Spain will be champions.

“This game is of monumental importance for us and for the history of American football in Spain,” says head coach Manuel Ibañez. “While our victories in the previous matches have already marked historic milestones, winning this game and clinching the European championship with a perfect 3-0 record would be nothing short of extraordinary. It would be a story worthy of a movie script, highlighting the remarkable journey of this team and its players.”

Spain certainly entered the tournament as perceived underdogs, while Great Britain opened their campaign with a statement 40-0 win over Sweden. The gold medal would already be within their grasp, but for an agonizing 22-23 loss in Germany, who are also still in contention for the championship.

“Spain are similar to us in the fact that they’ve got explosive playmakers on both sides of the ball,” says GB offensive coordinator Paul Cooper. “They have a lot of talent on that defense, so it’s been a lot of late nights watching film, trying to figure out how we can break it down. That’s a really exciting challenge, and that’s what you sign up for in international football. You want to play against the best players in the world, in this case the best players in Europe.”

Wide receiver Olga Sotillo, who also starred in helping Spain to a silver medal at the IFAF European Flag football Championships, is expected to be a factor for the hosts, whose 20 points scored trail the GB total of 62.

“We are blessed with a talented roster of players who possess a diverse range of skills and abilities,” added coach Ibañez. “Our greatest strength lies in our unity as a team. We are more than just a group of individual players; we are a tight-knit family bound by a shared goal and unwavering support for one another. Our solidarity and camaraderie on and off the field make us a force to be reckoned with.”

Great Britain shut out Sweden in their first game of the tournament and Victoria Ware, who anchors the defensive line, is determined to set a similar tone in Calatayud.

“That starts with the defensive line having first contact and setting the tempo,” she says. “We have to create panic and pressure – shark-infested waters for their backfield. You need to be fast, aggressive and apply that pressure immediately.

“Our goal is to go out and bring home a gold medal in the European Championships.”

A Great Britain win would move them from a current second position in the standings to top spot above Spain, with a home game against Finland on the weekend of August 16-18 then becoming a potential title decider. If Finland wins in Germany on the May 24-26 weekend, they too would be in contention. Alternatively, Germany would present that challenge if they beat Finland and then overcome Sweden. Just to complicate matters, Spain can still lose and beat Sweden to triumph, but then an inferior points differential tiebreaker becomes an obstacle.

So, for Spain, the challenge is simple: win this weekend and lift the silverware.

“This game is about more than just winning a championship,” explains coach Ibañez. “It’s about proving to ourselves what we are capable of achieving when we work together towards a common goal. It’s about writing a new chapter in the history of Spanish American football, one that celebrates the strength, unity, and indomitable spirit of our team.”

Regardless, of the outcome and what it means for the complicated bigger picture, Spain vs Great Britain is poised be a thrilling match up.

“You really want to see how we match up with Spain and what we can do against that defense,” added OC Cooper. “We want to test ourselves and I think, looking at where we sit as a squad, we have a fantastic offensive line, we have fantastic ball-handling players across the board.”

IFAF Women’s European Championships 2023/24 Standings

Nation                   W/L        PD Spain                      2-0          +14 Great Britain         1-1          +39 Germany                1-1          -1 Finland                  1-1          -2 Sweden                  0-2          -50

IFAF Women’s European Championships 2023/24 Results & Schedule

Saturday, April 15 Great Britain 40 Sweden 0 Worcester, England Sixways Stadium

Saturday, May 27 Finland 0 Spain 12 Vantaa, Finland Myyrmäen Jalkapallostadion

Sunday, May 28 Germany 23 Great Britain 22 Düsseldorf, Germany Solingen Walder Stadium

Saturday, August 26, 1pm Sweden 0 Finland 10 Solna, Sweden Bergshamra IP

Saturday, August 26, 6pm Spain 8 Germany 6 Calatayud, Spain San Iñigo Football Field

Saturday, April 13, 6pm Spain vs Great Britain Calatayud, Spain San Iñigo Football Field

24-26 May 2024 Finland vs Germany Sweden vs Spain

16-18 August 2024 Germany vs Sweden Great Britain vs Finland

IFAF Women Euros Tiebreakers If 2 or more teams have won equal number of games 1. Head-to-head wins 2. Pts difference in head-to-head games (3 or more teams) 3. Most pts scored in head-to-head games (3 or more teams) 4. Pts difference in all games 5. Most pts scored in all games 6. Team original tournament ranking In case only one team is separated from the others, that team will take that position. If other teams remain tied, tiebreaker is starting from point 1. with the remaining teams.