Flag Football has been making the headlines recently after it was confirmed that it would be one of the sports set to make a historic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Those intrigued, however, won't have to wait another four years to see it on the world stage as in just one week on 27 August the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships kick off in Finland featuring 32 teams from all over the world battle it out. 

The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) has now confirmed the schedule of the 11th biennial event which will see the United States hope to defend titles in both the men's and women's competitions. 

Taking place at the Pajulahti Olympic Training Center in Lahti, Finland from August 27-30, the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships are the culmination of IFAF’s biggest-ever international cycle of Flag football competition last year, which saw 65 international teams represented across events staged in North Carolina in the United States, Limerick in Ireland and the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

The group stages will take place on August 27 and 28 for both the men's and women's competitions before knockout and ultimately medal rounds follow on August 29 and 30.

Nations were placed into groups using a serpentine draw system based on the 2023 IFAF Flag Football World ranking.

Men's Competition 

In the men’s competition, the winners and runners-up from eight groups will qualify for the knockout round. 

The United States will begin their defence of a world title won in Israel in 2021 in the first match against Brazil at 08:15 CET on Tuesday 27 August.

Lowest-ranked team Serbia and a Spain team that narrowly lost in the European quarterfinals last year join them in Group A. 

Meanwhile world and continental runners-up Mexico face an Australian team that made its mark at the Asia-Oceania championships in Group B.

Group C is an all-European group with European champions Germany battling it out with Great Britain, Sweden and Georgia among their opponents. 

Another group to keep an eye on is Group G where traditionally high-scoring Israel will meet a Denmark team looking to recapture the form that won six straight European championships

Each men’s round of 16, quarterfinal and semifinal game will pair the highest-ranked team against the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition.

The men's final will take place from 18:15 CET on Friday 30 August.

Women's Competition

The women’s tournament will see the top three nations from five groups advance, along with the best fourth-place finisher.

Defending world champions the United States have been drawn into Group A with France, Sweden, Ireland, and Asia-Oceania continental silver medalist Australia. 

The second-ranked team Mexico will kick off proceedings against Italy in the first match of the tournament at 07:00 CET on Tuesday 27 August. Canada, Denmark and Korea join Mexico and Italy in Group B.

The women’s final will take place at 19:30 CET  on Friday 30 August.

“The countdown is on for the biggest and most competitive IFAF Flag Football World Championships yet and we are hugely excited to bring the global American football family together in Finland," said IFAF President, Pierre Trochet.

"With 660 outstanding elite athletes from 32 nations—the largest representation in the event’s history—set to light up the field at the world-class Pajulahti Olympic Training Center in Lahti, we are ready for an unforgettable tournament when it kicks off on August 27.”

All matches will be streamed live at IFAF.TV.