TEAM USA FOOTBALL’S MEN’S AND WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAMS ADVANCE TO GOLD MEDAL GAMES AT IFAF FLAG FOOTBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams seek to defend their status as reigning World Champions
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY – Team USA Football® is through to the gold medal games of the 2026 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany. The U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams survived tough matchups in the quarterfinals and semifinals to earn the right to defend their status as the reigning World Champions.
In tomorrow’s finals, the U.S. Men’s National Team will face Italy at 9 a.m. ET, followed by the U.S. Women’s National Team facing Canada at 10:30 a.m. ET. The medal games will be streamed on DAZN.
The U.S. has already qualified for the Olympics as the host nation, but Italy’s men’s team and Canada’s women’s team have joined them in clinching spots for LA28. There is still one men’s and one women’s bid up for grabs that will be decided in the bronze medal games. This year’s IFAF Flag Football World Championships are the final World Championships before flag football debuts as an Olympic sport with the LA28 program.
Following Nigeria’s withdrawal, the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships feature the 15 best men’s and women’s teams divided into four groups each. Recaps of the U.S. National Team’s Day 1 games and Day 2 games are available on usafootball.com.
Schedules for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams are available at usafootball.com.
U.S. Women Quarterfinals: U.S. 35, Germany 34
The U.S. Women’s National Team faced off against the host nation Germany in a game that went whistle-to-whistle. Germany intercepted quarterback Akemi Higa on the first possession of the game and took a 0-6 lead a few plays later. The U.S. scored 14 unanswered points as Higa found breakout star Maci Joncich for a 26-yard touchdown and Kennedy Foster for a 10-yard touchdown.
The U.S. took a 14-6 lead with less than a minute to go in the first half in large part because rusher Brooklin Hill and defensive captain Deliah Autry-Jones provided a suffocating pass rush on Germany’s second possession and forced a turnover on downs.
Germany scored before halftime to cut into the lead 14-12, but the U.S. took full advantage of the last 18 seconds on the clock. Higa connected with Foster on a deep post to set up a scoring opportunity and found Foster again on a goal line fade to put the U.S. up 21-12 as the half ended.
Germany fought back, taking a 21-28 lead after their first two possessions in the second half. The two teams traded scores until the U.S. trailed 28-34 with the ball and under two minutes remaining. Higa methodically drove the U.S. down the field before finding Madison Fulford for a 10-yard touchdown to tie the game at 34 apiece.
A successful extra point conversion to Isabella Geraci, who played most of the game on defense in place of injured cornerback Laneah Bryan, gave the U.S. a 35-34 lead with 25 seconds remaining. The defense held, with Hill’s relentless pressure forcing three consecutive errant passes to end the game.
Higa finished the quarterfinals with 29 completions on 33 attempts for 276 yards, five touchdowns and an interception. Crucially, she successfully converted all five of the U.S. National Team’s one-point tries. Foster was the offense’s other star of the game. She made ten receptions for 99 yards, two touchdowns and two one-point conversions. Her performance on the final drive of the first half was essential to the win.
Center Ashlea Klam contributed nine receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Fulford and Joncich both caught one touchdown and one extra point each.
On defense, the defining story of the game was Hill’s pressure. After getting settled in following an early penalty, Hill recorded a sack in her third consecutive game and applied seven additional pressures. Autry-Jones got involved in the pass rush when Germany began incorporating more two and three-quarterback looks and finished the game with three pressures.
NyKeeta Christopher had a strong day in coverage as the secondary bought enough time for the rushers to impact Germany’s quarterbacks.
U.S. Men Quarterfinals: U.S. 45, Japan 38
In a game that saw the team leading on the scoreboard change eight times, the U.S. escaped with a last-minute defensive stand. Japan took three shots at the end zone with 13 seconds remaining in the game but failed to complete a pass. The U.S. has scored 40 or more points in every game this tournament, except their pool play loss to American Samoa.
Japan scored on the opening possession of the game, but the U.S. quickly responded with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Darrell “Housh” Doucette to Ja'Deion High. The two teams traded touchdowns throughout the first half, with both defenses failing to generate a stop until the final possession. Japan got the ball with under a minute remaining in the half and drove down the field to take a 23-30 lead. The U.S. failed to score in the final ten seconds and went into the break down seven points.
Doucette found Tyler Davis for a touchdown on the first possession of the second half, but the U.S. couldn’t complete the extra point attempt. The teams traded another pair of touchdowns to make the score 37-38 before a diving pass breakup by Justin McMullen gave the U.S. their first defensive stop of the game with just over three minutes remaining.
Doucette gave the U.S. the lead with a touchdown pass to Laderrick “Pablo” Smith. A defensive penalty against Japan on the two-point conversion attempt gave the U.S. a second chance to make it a seven-point difference, and Nico Casares capitalized with a completion to Davis. That brought the score to 45-38 and left Japan 1:47 for their final drive, which ultimately came up short.
Casares led the team in passing with 25 completions on 30 attempts for 265 yards, three touchdowns and two two-point conversions. Doucette went nine-for-nine for 95 yards, three touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions.
The U.S. National Team’s star trio of wide receivers all had big days. Davis made 12 receptions for 90 yards, three touchdowns, three two-point conversions and one one-point conversion. Velton Brown Jr. hauled in ten passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. High added eight receptions for 108 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Doucette also got involved, making four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.
McMullen had two passes defended, including the one that set up the U.S. Men’s National Team’s go-ahead drive to win the game. Antonio Coleman intercepted a Japan extra point attempt in the first half.
U.S. Women Semifinals: U.S. 27, Great Britain 21
The U.S. Women’s National Team trailed Great Britain for the entire game until quarterback Akemi Higa found wide receiver Maci Joncich for the go-ahead touchdown with 18 seconds remaining. Higa went back to Joncich for the extra point to put the U.S. up by six. Great Britain attempted a long Hail Mary on the final play of the game, but Isabella Geraci intercepted it to put the U.S. through to the finals.
The U.S. women found themselves in a precarious situation early in the semifinal showdown against the reigning European Continental Champions. Great Britain’s defense produced several early sacks that kept the U.S. from picking up first downs on their first two possessions. Great Britain seized the momentum, taking a 14-point lead.
With the game in danger of slipping away, Higa turned to Geraci to move the ball down the field before she found Joncich at the back left pylon for a touchdown. Geraci caught the extra point conversion to make the score 7-14.
Great Britain scored again to go up 7-21 with fewer than 30 seconds left in the first half. As time ticked away, Higa found Geraci for a long gain to set up 1st & goal from the six-yard line. She went back to Geraci for the touchdown two plays later to cut the lead to 14-21 going into the half.
The U.S. defense came alive in the second half, putting together its most dominant stretch of the tournament. Deliah Autry-Jones intercepted Great Britain on the first drive coming out of the break. The next drive, Kendra Meredith broke up a pass before NyKeeta Christopher pulled down her first interception of the World Championships.
Madison Fulford made a spinning back shoulder catch to get the U.S. deep into Great Britain’s territory. A few plays later, Higa connected with Geraci on 4th & goal to get the U.S. to within one point of the lead, 20-21.
Great Britain drove into U.S. territory on their next possession, but pressure by Brooklin Hill forced an errant throw on third down. Great Britain heaved the ball to the end zone on fourth down, but Geraci picked it off. With 1:55 left in the game, Higa began the march that culminated in the U.S. taking a 27-21 lead.
Christopher made one of the most unheralded plays of the game. On Great Britain’s first play of their final drive, they completed an intermediate pass along the sideline, but Christopher prevented the receiver from getting out of bounds to stop the clock. By the time the offense lined up and spiked the ball, only seven seconds remained.
Great Britain completed another intermediate pass before their ill-fated final heave to the end zone. The U.S. defense intercepted passes on each of Great Britain’s final four possessions of the game.
Higa completed 23 of her 36 pass attempts for 211 yards, four touchdowns and three one-point conversions. Geraci was her favorite target, hauling in seven receptions for 75 yards, two touchdowns and an extra point. Joncich also made her fair share of impactful plays, snagging six passes for 43 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an extra point. She also carried the ball four times for 23 yards.
Fulford made five receptions for 40 yards and an extra point, while Kennedy Foster caught four passes for 45 yards.
On defense, Hill finished the game with four pressures. Meredith broke up a pair of passes, and Loryn Goodwin also successfully broke up one of the targets that came her way. The U.S. generated two scores off turnovers in the second half.
U.S. Men Semifinals: U.S. 42, Mexico 40
The U.S. Women’s National Team wasn’t the only team to have their semifinal game decided on a last-second Hail Mary. The latest chapter in the historic rivalry between the men’s teams from the U.S. and Mexico came down to the game’s final minutes. Following the U.S. Men’s National Team taking a 42-40 lead with under 30 seconds to go, Mexico picked up a first down and attempted a heave to the end zone on the game’s final play. First-year National Team athlete Justin McMullen intercepted the pass as time expired.
The high-scoring affair started early, with quarterback Nico Casares connecting with Ja'Deion High for a 36-yard touchdown on the second play of the game. Mexico trailed by as many as ten points but cut into the U.S. lead to make it 28-26 at halftime by scoring a touchdown as time expired.
The second half featured fewer fireworks with only four total touchdowns compared to eight in the first half. The U.S. stopped Mexico to open the game’s final 20 minutes and drove down the field to take a 35-26 lead. With the clock ticking down, Mexico began using more three-quarterback sets to stress the defense’s rushers and buy time for receivers to get open. The strategy worked, trimming the lead to 35-32.
With a little over five minutes remaining in the game, Casares attempted a deep fade to Velton Brown Jr., but Mexico intercepted the ball in their own end zone. The turnover led to a touchdown drive that gave Mexico its first lead of the game, 35-40. Two minutes remained.
No strangers to late comeback wins in this year’s World Championships, the U.S. Men’s National Team gained yards in chunks while working the clock. Brown and Laderrick “Pablo” Smith, two of the most dynamic athletes in the sport, both juked defenders on carries as they worked the ball down the field. Smith went down at the one-yard line to force Mexico to use its final timeout.
On the following play, Casares shoveled the ball forward for a one-yard touchdown to Brown. It was the game’s final score.
Casares finished the game with 21 completions on 26 pass attempts for 218 yards, five touchdowns, a two-point conversion, a one-point conversion and an interception. Darrell “Housh” Doucette added three completions of four attempts for 16 yards, a touchdown and a one-point conversion. He also made seven receptions for 48 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushed three times for 28 yards.
High led the receiver room with seven receptions for 105 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions. Brown and Smith each contributed a receiving touchdown.
On defense, Antonio Coleman was one of the most accurate flag pullers, totaling six. Defensive captain Aamir Brown broke up a key pass.
*Indicates 2025 U.S. National Team Member
+Indicates 2025 U.S. National Team Alternate
2026 U.S. Men’s National Team Roster
Name; Position; Residence
Aamir Brown; S/DB; Philadelphia, Pa.*
Velton Brown Jr.; WR/Ath; Orlando, Fla.*
Isaiah Calhoun; DB/LB; Plano, Texas*
Nico Casares; QB; Miami, Fla.*
Antonio Coleman; QB/Ath; Prince George’s County, Md.+
Mike Daniels; DB/S; Miami, Fla.*
Tyler “TD” Davis; WR/DB; Austin, Texas*
Darrell “Housh” Doucette III; QB/Ath; New Orleans, La.*
Ja'Deion High; WR/C; Lubbock, Texas*
Justin McMullen; DB/S; Miami, Fla.
Laderrick “Pablo” Smith; Ath; Pompano Beach, Fla.*
Shawn Theard Jr.; Ath/Rush; New Orleans, La.*
Head Coach: Jorge Cascudo; Miami, Fla.
Assistant Coach: Willy Perez; Baldwin City, Kan.
Assistant Coach: Rudy Fernandez; Las Vegas, Nev.
2026 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster
Name; Position; Residence
Deliah Autry-Jones; LB/DB; Tampa, Fla.*
Laneah Bryan; DB/WR; El Paso, Texas*
NyKeeta Christopher; DB/WR; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Kennedy Foster; WR/DB; Kansas City, Mo.
Madison Fulford; WR; Los Angeles, Calif.*
Isabella “Izzy” Geraci; WR/DB; North Ridgeville, Ohio*
Loryn Goodwin; S/WR; Dallas, Texas
Akemi Higa; QB; Las Vegas, Nev.
Brooklin Hill; WR/Ath; Las Vegas, Nev.
Maci Joncich; WR/QB; Henderson, Nev.*
Ashlea Klam; C/DB; Austin, Texas*
Kendra Meredith; DB/Rush; Germantown, Md.
Head Coach: Saaid Mortazavi; Miami, Fla.
Assistant Coach: Mary Kate Beach; Charlotte, N.C.
Assistant Coach: Matthew Hernandez; Tampa, Fla.
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 Football® 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.