TEAM USA FOOTBALL OPENS 2-0 AT THE WORLD GAMES 2025 IN CHENGDU, CHINA

U.S. Women’s National Team starts competition with wins against Canada and Austria  

CHENGDU, CHINA – Team USA Football, which is selected, trained and led by USA Football, the sport’s National Governing Body, won its first two games at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China on Thursday, Aug. 14. The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Canada 39-31 in the early morning before topping Austria 48-34 in the afternoon.  

The World Games are the second-most important global multi-sport event in the world, only trailing the Olympics. This year’s event features approximately 4,000 athletes from over 100 countries competing in 253 medal events. Flag football will make its Olympic debut when the Summer Games come to Los Angeles in 2028.  

The teams competing in The World Games 2025 include Austria, Canada, China, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico and the U.S. Flag Football debuted at The World Games in Birmingham, Ala. in 2022.  

Fans may find the full U.S. Women’s National Team’s schedule on usafootball.com. Their next game is on Friday, Aug. 15 at 2:30 a.m. ET. Games will be livestreamed on live.theworldgames.org. 

Game No. 1: U.S. 39, Canada 31  

The U.S. Women’s National Team trailed Canada throughout the first half before several key defensive stops and an offensive explosion propelled the U.S. to victory. Veteran quarterback Vanita Krouch completed 23 of 33 pass attempts for 271 yards, five touchdowns and an extra point. Maci Joncich also tossed a touchdown pass.  

Three separate members of the team caught touchdowns, including superstar Isabella Geraci. In her first action at The World Games, Geraci caught 10 of 13 targets for 130 yards, three touchdowns and an extra point. She debuted with the U.S. National Team in 2024, helping the program to win its third consecutive International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championship.  

Center Ashlea Klam added six receptions for 46 yards and the first touchdown in this year’s World Games. Dynamic speedster Madison Fulford, who broke onto the international scene in 2023 with a historic showing at the IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship, caught two passes for 58 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

Defensive backs Laneah Bryan and Ashley Edwards and rusher Addison Orsborn made critical contributions to the victory. Edwards led the team with three successful passes defended, and Bryan led the way with five flag pulls, including one that ended Canada’s final drive of the game.  

After three lead changes in the early minutes of the second half, Orsborn helped the U.S. breakaway by sacking the opposing quarterback in the end zone for a safety. The play swung momentum in favor of the U.S. Women’s National Team, which never trailed the rest of the game.  

Game No. 2: U.S. 48, Austria 34 

The U.S. and Austria exchanged leads twice in the first half with Austria leading 21-20 at halftime. Krouch wasted no time getting the U.S. back on top in the second half, authoring a two-play drive that culminated in a 35-yard touchdown strike on a wheel route to Klam. The U.S. led for the remainder of the game.  

Krouch finished the game with 29 completions on 36 pass attempts for 353 yards, six touchdowns, six extra points, and two interceptions, one of which came on a Hail Mary at the end of the first half.  

Fulford played a larger role in the team’s second win of the day, hauling in 12 receptions on 13 targets for 156 yards, a touchdown and an extra point. Klam and Joncich, two of the youngest members of the team, also stepped up. Klam caught all seven of her targets for 97 yards, two touchdowns and an extra point. 

Joncich made five receptions for 62 yards, two touchdowns and two extra points and ran in an additional touchdown. London Jenkins, who is a first-time member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, contributed two receptions, including an extra point.  

The U.S. National Team’s defense, led by a collection of veterans each decorated with multiple gold medals, slowed Austria’s offense in the second half. Deliah Autry-Jones recorded the United States’ first interception of the tournament, and Orsborn applied five pressures. Bryan, Amber Clark-Robinson and Edwards all pulled five flags.  

Assets for use – Please courtesy USA Football:   

• USA Football logos for editorial use are available at this link.   

• Highlight video from the U.S. National Teams’ gold medal winning performances at the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships for use is available at this link.   

• USA Footballs’ 2025 U.S. National Team Media Guide.  

2025 U.S. Women’s Flag National Team Roster   

Name; Position; Hometown (Current Residence)  

Deliah Autry-Jones; DB/WR; Tampa, Fla. (Tampa, Fla.)  

Laneah Bryan; DB/WR; El Paso, Texas (El Paso, Texas)  

Amber Clark-Robinson; DB/WR; Greenville, N.C. (Kansas City, Kan.)  

Ashley Edwards; DB/WR; San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio, Texas)  

Madison Fulford; WR/DB; Charlotte, N.C. (Round Rock, Texas)  

Isabella Geraci; WR/DB; North Ridgeville, Ohio (North Ridgeville, Ohio)  

Brianna Hernandez-Silva; DB/WR; Las Vegas, Nev. (Cedar Park, Texas)  

London Jenkins; WR/DB: Jacksonville, Fla. (Jacksonville, Fla.)  

Maci Joncich; WR/QB; Henderson, Nev. (Gainesville, Fla.)  

Ashlea Klam; C/DB; Austin, Texas (West Palm Beach, Fla.)  

Vanita Krouch; QB; Carrollton, Texas (Carrollton, Texas)  

Addison Orsborn; Rush/WR; Round Rock, Texas (Ottawa, Kan.)  

2025 U.S. Women’s Flag Alternates   

Ariel Blair; DB/WR; El Paso, Texas (El Paso, Texas)  

Jacci Crowe; WR/DB; Lake Forest, Calif. (Lake Forest, Calif.)  

Valentina Fanetti; QB; Middleton, N.J. (West Palm Beach, Fla.)  

Alexandra Harris; WR/DB; Miami, Fla. (Miami, Fla.)  

Sarah Massucci; WR/DB; Wichita, Kan. (Denver, Colo.)  

Janae Scott; DB/WR; Tallahassee, Fla. (Thomasville, Ga.)  

Head Coach: Saaid Mortazavi  

Assistant Coach: Mary Kate Bula  

Assistant Coach: Matthew Hernandez  

About USA Football: USA Football is the National Governing Body (NGB) for American Football in the United States and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the international governing body for the sport of American football. USA Football selects, trains and leads Team USA in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways. For more information, visit usafootball.com.