2026 Flag Football Worlds schedule confirmed for Australia's LA 2028 campaign

AFA Media
1 day ago
2 min read

The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) has today announced the schedule for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships.

Scheduled for 13-16 August, the 12th biennial tournament will take place at Düsseldorf's newly opened, purpose-built flag football facility. The championships are the first since Flag Football was confirmed on the LA 2028 Olympic program, with 32 teams across 19 nations taking part to compete for qualification at the games.

After a great campaign at the 2025 Asia-Oceania Continental Championships, both Australia's women's and men's squads earned their place in Düsseldorf.

The men's squad, current Asia-Oceania champions and ranked #8 globally, will face world #1 the United States of America in Group A.

The women's squad, Asia-Oceania silver medalists and ranked #10 globally, have been drawn in Group B and will also meet the USA in pool play.

Both squads are currently preparing for the world championships through AFA's full-time flag football high performance program at the USANA Rabbitohs Centre in Sydney's Heffron Park.

Wade Kelly, CEO of American Football Australia, is confident in both squads' ability to compete against the best teams in the world.

"On the back of the DAZN announcement Düsseldorf is a fantastic moment for flag football in this country and globally. Both squads have earned their place inside the world's top ten, earning them the right to go and compete in Germany and a shot at qualifying for the LA28 Olympics."

Supporting the high-performance flag football program, AFA launched the Premier Flag League earlier this year. The league features Australia's best flag football athletes competing weekly against and extended senior squads, providing a scouting opportunity for developing talent while giving the current squad crucial match-day exposure.

Australia's road to LA 2028 begins on Thursday, 13 August, with both squads playing three group games before heading into the championship rounds. With eyes on a podium finish in Düsseldorf, a top two finish for either squad will book their ticket to the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

AUSTRALIAN MEN'S SQUAD (Group A)

Thu 13 Aug

Australia v American Samoa (#33), 14:15 CEST / 22:15 AEST

Fri 14 Aug

Australia v Israel (#9), 08:00 CEST / 16:00 AEST

Australia v USA (#1), 15:30 CEST / 23:30 AEST

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S SQUAD (Group B)

Thu 13 Aug

Australia v USA (#2), 08:00 CEST / 16:00 AEST

Australia v Spain (#7), 15:30 CEST / 23:30 AEST

Fri 14 Aug

Australia v Nigeria (#29), 10:30 CEST / 18:30 AEST