The 2017 International Bowl will return to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this January, and the event only continues to grow.

U.S National Teams and Select Teams will participate in seven games across two days in the eighth annual event. The 2017 rendition of the International Bowl will mark the debut of Japan, which joins the United States and Canada.

The International Bowl is a collaboration between USA Football, Football Canada and the Japan American Football Association. All three governing bodies will assemble rosters comprised of top players and coaches in their respective countries. Football Canada is organizing teams from three provinces: Team Ontario, Team Alberta and Team Saskatchewan. 

The growth of the event is a natural evolution, according to U.S. National Teams manager Aaron Ingram.

“The more you do anything, the bigger it gets,” he said. “This year, it’s bigger and better.”

Also growing is the level of competition for roster spots on the U.S. National Team. Players first must try out at a Regional Development Camp (RDC) in the spring, before earning an invitation to the Development Games, a week-long camp in the summer.

Sometimes, even that exposure to U.S. National Teams coaches isn’t enough to earn a spot.

“The competition is so steep,” said Ingram, who leads the team selections. “You have to be on your game from the Regional Development Camps to the Dev Games. Then we’ll go back and watch your in-season high school film.”

From the pool of players that advance from Regional Development Camps to the Development Games, rosters for the U.S. National Teams are filled, with one team for each age group, beginning with the Under-16 team.

U.S. Select Teams are created when there are opportunities to play additional games against international competition.

The U.S. National Team needs to be at its best throughout the International Bowl as the foreign opponents are formidable challengers.

Canadian teams won 2 of 6 games in the 2016 International Bowl, including a 24-0 victory in the Under-18 National Team game.

Whereas Canadian teams often like to rely on their physicality to punish defenses with its ground game, Japan has a more wide-open offensive style.

“After seeing them and getting to know coaches and schemes in China [at the 2016 World Championship], it’s a much faster-paced play than Canada,” Ingram said. “Japan will spread you out and if you’re not careful, they’ll run right by you.”

The 2017 International Bowl promises to be an extraordinary event for fans and the global football community.

“North Texas, a region steeped in football heritage and history, is an extraordinary setting for this exciting series of games,” said Scott Hallenbeck, USA Football executive director. “Our young athletes will represent their country and learn from top coaches while practicing and competing against tremendous international teams in AT&T Stadium – one of the world’s premier football venues.”

A week-long schedule of practices and activities will culminate in three games on Monday, Jan. 16 and four games on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Rosters, game times and ticket information will be announced as they become available.

TENTATIVE GAME SCHEDULE

Monday, Jan. 16

• Game 1 U.S. Under-14 Select Team vs. U.S. Under-14 Select Team - 10 a.m.
• Game 2 U.S. U15/14 Select vs. U.S. U15/14 Select - 1 p.m.
• Game 3 U.S. Under-17 Select Team vs. Team Saskatchewan - 4 p.m.
• Game 4 U.S. Under-17 National Team vs. Japanese National Team - 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 17

• Game 1 U.S. Under-15 Select Team vs. U.S. Under-15 Select Team - 10 a.m.
• Game 2 U.S. Under-16 Select Team vs. Team Alberta - 1 p.m.
• Game 3 U.S. Under-18 Select Team vs. Under-18 Team Ontario - 4 p.m.
• Game 4 U.S. Under-16 National Team vs. Under-16 Team Ontario - 7:30 p.m.

Video: Football For Life: U.S. National Team