The serpentine system used to select the groups at the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships paired the ninth and tenth-ranked teams in the world Japan and France in Group H alongside challengers from Asia and South America.

Japan’s men blazed their way through the group stages of the Asia-Oceania continental tournament in Malaysia on the way to winning bronze. They scored the historic first points of the competition in the men’s bracket while securing top spot in Group A and a 5-0 record.

The likelihood of a Japanese clean sweep of the continental medals as their women won gold looked to be on the cards but semifinal opponents New Zealand had other ideas. In a thrilling end to end contest with the lead changing hands multiple times, the Kiwis upset Japan by one decisive score, running out 40-33 winners.

The eleventh placed finishers at the 2021 world championships and fourth overall in 2004 still claimed the continental bronze medal and will no doubt head to Finland eager to improve on that finish.

Back in the 2000s, France was among the teams to beat on the world and European stage. Having claimed the bronze medal at the first two world championships in 2002 and 2004, the French sandwiched a world title in 2006 in between two Euro triumphs in 2005 and 2007. A further third place finish came along in 2008.

France finished in fifth place at the 2021 World Championships in Israel, losing only to eventual champion the United States in the group stages while beating Spain Chile and India. A tough quarterfinal clash paired France with Mexico, who would go on to claim the silver medal, then they beat European powerhouse Denmark and Austria to claim that fifth spot overall.

The placing qualified France for 2022 The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, but an 0-3 group record and a quarterfinal defeat to Italy, who later pushed USA all the way in the final, left them winless.

Kuwait was one of those nations unable to halt Japan in the group stages last summer in the Asia-Oceania games where advanced to the knockout stages with wins over India, Philippines and Singapore. Eventual silver medalists New Zealand ended Kuwait’s interest, and hosts Malaysia also proved too strong in the placement rounds as Kuwait finished sixth overall.

Argentina were relative newcomers on the international scene last summer on the Americas continental stage.

Locked in a three-way battle for fifth place overall with Brazil and Chile, Argentina recorded their first win, 25-17 over Chile, who then beat Brazil by 26-18. Brazil and Argentina fought an epic content that left all three teams standing at 1-1 as Brazil emerged winners by three points 27-24 over Argentina.

The tiebreaker since the teams’ head-to-head record was equal was points differential in the three games. It was Argentina that claimed fifth place in the Americas with a plus-five mark.

“I never thought I would be here in the US where football was born, playing this sport I fell in love with when I was 19 or 20 years old,” said receiver Ilai Rozenblum. “We are learning more about the game from those who have more experience than us. We are working on improving our structure and setting down the bases for the next few years.”