They are future stars of tomorrow in IFAF competition today.
More than 350 youngsters who dream of becoming a new generation of Olympic Games athletes will compete in Austria from September 4 to 6 at the 2025 IFAF European Youth Flag Football Championships presented by Raiffeisen Club Tirol.
A total of 31 teams from 12 nations will light up the American Football Zentrum Innsbruck and the Sportanlage Wiesengasse in the Tyrolean capital at the Boys U17 and Girls U17 and mixed U15 age groups. Games will be streamed live at IFAF.TV.
“This might be the last generation with a real shot at LA 2028,” says Austria U17 Girls head coach Holly Kellner. “For the others, we hope that Brisbane 2032 will become a reality. Nevertheless, the attention, especially in a country like Austria, which has a strong record of success on the highest stage with its adult teams, has grown significantly. This means more talented players are falling in love with flag football, and the competition is getting bigger and bigger.”
With nearly 3.6 million overnight stays per year (as of 2024), the Innsbruck region is one of Austria's largest tourism destinations, offering a unique symbiosis between a vibrant urban space and a fascinating alpine mountain world. Football has also become an integral part of Innsbruck, which is why the city provides the perfect infrastructure for a youth European championship.
“We are thrilled to host the IFAF European Youth Championships of Flag Football in Innsbruck,” says Johannes Anzengruber, Mayor of the Tyrolean State Capital Innsbruck. “It will be a perfect ending to our summer ‒ for the young players, for all fans of American Football and especially for our youth: fast-paced action, cheering, bated breath. Above all: shared fun and friendship.”
Group games will be played on Thursday and Friday, September 4 and 5, with the top two teams in each category advancing to their respective semifinals. Six fields will host games simultaneously, beginning at 9am CET on September 4 with Germany vs Czechia and Great Britain vs Ukraine (both U15 Mixed), Switzerland vs Israel and Italy vs Spain (both U17 Boys) and Spain vs Germany (U17 Girls). The full schedule and scores will be available at https://www.flagyouthec.at/.
U17 Girls (seeding based on 2024 placement) Group A: Spain (1), Italy (4), Germany (5), France (8) Group B: Czechia (2), Finland (3), Austria (6), Great Britain (7)
Spain are the defending champions having won the U17 Girls title in Serbia in 2024 with a narrow 26-24 win over Czechia, while Finland won the bronze medal. Two years ago, Great Britain enjoyed a 19-6 victory over hosts Italy to take gold. Austria claimed the bronze medal in that tournament with a 37-12 win over Germany.
U17 Boys (seeding based on 2024 placement) Group A: Israel (1), Austria (4), Germany (5), Finland (8) Switzerland (9) Group B: Italy (2), Great Britain (3), Czechia (6), Spain (7), Ukraine (10), France (11)
Israel arrives in Austria seeking a third straight title at the Under 17 Boys category. Israel beat Italy 29-19 to retain the crown they won a year earlier with a 34-13 win over Serbia. Italy won the bronze medal in 2023.
U15 Mixed (seeding based on 2024 placement) Group A: Germany (1), Austria (4), Slovakia (5), Czechia (8), Switzerland (9), Israel (12) Group B: Great Britain (2), Italy (3), Spain (6), Ukraine (7), Finland (10), France (11)
Germany emerged as champions with a 46-39 win over Great Britain last year, while Italy won the bronze medal. 2023 was the first time this category had been included in the games reflecting flag football’s highly inclusive nature and integration of male and female athletes in international sport. Italy came away with the gold medal, beating Czechia 27-20 in the final, while Austrian claimed bronze.
