Every week during the countdown to this summer’s IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Lahti, IFAF will profile the nations heading to Finland from August 27-30 by exploring their pedigree and featuring some of the players to watch.
Sixth place at the 2021 IFAF Flag Football World Championships, fourth at The World Games in 2022 and silver medalists at the European Continental Championships last year. Currently fourth in the IFAF rankings, Austria’s men appear to be on the right trajectory to challenge for gold when the world title is on the line in Lahti, Finland this summer.
Austria’s women claimed bronze the last time the world’s flag football elite convened in Israel, and narrowly missed out on the same reward at The World Games twelve months later. The continental quarterfinalists, who eventually finished fifth in Europe and are ranked fifth in the world, will be among the contenders again in Finland in 2024.
Back in Israel in 2021, Austria’s women finished second in Group C having beaten Switzerland, drawn with Germany and lost to Mexico. In the knockout stages, unbeaten Panama, who had topped Group B with a 4-0 record, were beaten by a single point, but the United States proved too tough a proposition in a 33-6 loss. The bronze medal was captured with a 26-13 victory over Brazil.
Qualification for The World Games assured, Austria beat France, but lost to USA and Panama, setting up a quarterfinal meeting with Japan, who were defeated 39-32. Having again lost out to the United States, though in a closer 41-32 semifinal, Austria faced Panama in the bronze medal game, but were unable to match the heroics of a year earlier and fell by a score of 40-19.
A second-placed group finish at the 2021 IFAF World Championship set Austria’s men up with a tough quarterfinal match against Italy, which they lost by three points. Germany was beaten 28-20 in the first consolation bracket, but France won the fifth-place decider 37-31. A year later at The World Games, wins over Germany and Mexico, coupled with another loss to Italy earned second place in Group A which was followed by an 18-7 win over Panama in the quarterfinals. Eventual winners USA proved too strong in the semifinals and then in the bronze medal game Mexico gained revenge with a 39-35 win.
In Limerick, Ireland, last summer Austria saw off the challenge of Israel, Belgium, Georgia, Great Britain and Denmark, so were one of two unbeaten teams heading into the championship game. In a thrilling continental decider Austria held Germany in check until just before halftime but were unable to close a gap that eventually turned into a 38-26 German victory. Sebastian Marolt was an offensive threat throughout for Austria, with quarterback Felix Wasshuber directing the offense with some highlight reel passes.
Head coach Michael Salamon will continue in his role, and will hand offensive coordinator duties over to Florian Hazdra, with the aim that Austria will again be explosive with the ball in their hands. Defensive duties have passed to a new coordinator in former player Ulrich Prettenthaler.
There are changes to the women’s team too, where Robert Riedl has taken over as head coach from Walter Demel. Well-known within in the flag football world in Austria, AFBÖ Hall of Famer Riedl was part of the Austrian team that won four consecutive gold medals at the European Championships (2009-2015) and the silver medal at the World Championships 2016. Demel remains on the team’s coaching staff.
“I am very pleased to be able to work again as head coach for the women’s national team and thank AFBÖ for its trust,” said coach Riedl. “With a great coaching team at my side, we want to win medals for Austria at the upcoming major events and qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games.”
Austria’s women’s team held their first camp two weeks ago following nationwide tryouts, while the men’s team will soon begin their preparations for the summer ahead. Both will hold three or more camps before the much-anticipated IFAF World Championships in Lahti from August 27-30.
