Updates

The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) announced that Lahti, Finland, will stage the next edition of the Flag Football World Championships in 2024. 

The event will take place at the Pajulahti Olympic and Paralympic Training Centre from August 25-30, 2024, bringing together the top men's and women's teams in one of the world's fastest-growing sports. 

“We are delighted to entrust Finland and SAJL (Suomen Amerikkalaisen Jalkapallon Liitto or American Football Association of Finland) with the hosting rights to the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships,” said Pierre Trochet, IFAF President. “The country's innovative vision, youthful spirit and passion for sport – especially women's sport – are a great match for everything we are trying to achieve with flag football.”

It follows the debut of flag football at The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama last month. Mexico's women's team celebrated a historic victory over the U.S., with Italy and Panama also represented among the men's and women's medalists. 

Teams had qualified for the World Games through the previous IFAF Flag Football World Championships, which were held in Jerusalem, Israel in December 2021.

The tournament in 2024 will serve as the climax of the biggest-ever international cycle of flag football competition, including full continental representation for the first time.  

IFAF made the hosting announcement on the sidelines of the 2022 IFAF Women's World Championship in tackle football, which took place in Vantaa, Finland, staged in partnership with SAJL. 

IFAF President Pierre Trochet was in attendance to watch the defending champions U.S. women's national team defeat surprise finalists Great Britain in the gold medal game on August 7.  

All games in the 2024 World Championship will take place at Pajulahti, the only official Olympic and paralympic training facility in Finland.