TEAM USA FOOTBALL’S MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM WINS GOLD; WOMEN CLAIM SILVER AT 2026 IFAF FLAG FOOTBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
U.S. Men’s National Team will enter LA28 as the reigning World Champions; U.S. Women’s National Team falls to Canada in final
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY – Team USA Football® won two medals at the 2026 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany. The U.S. Men’s National Team defended their title in emphatic fashion, winning an unprecedented sixth consecutive World Championship. The U.S. Women’s National Team came up one score short in their gold medal game against Canada.
In a rematch of the finals from flag football’s debut at The World Games in 2022, the U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Italy 46-26. Darrell “Housh” Doucette, the winningest active national team quarterback in the sport and the face of men’s flag football, earned IFAF Flag Football World Championship MVP honors. Doucette scored four touchdowns in the gold medal game.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Women’s National Team faced Canada in the finals of a major international competition for the first time since the 2014 IFAF Flag Football World Championships and lost 20-27 after failing to score a touchdown on the game’s final play. The loss breaks a streak of three consecutive World Championships for the U.S.
The U.S. has already qualified for flag football’s Olympic debut in LA28 as the host nation, but the IFAF Flag Football World Championships still served as an important qualifying event. By reaching the finals, Italy’s men’s team and Canada’s women’s team secured Olympic bids. Canada’s men’s team and Mexico’s women’s team also secured their places in the Olympic field by winning their bronze medal games.
Press releases recapping the U.S. National Team’s Day 1 games, Day 2 games and the quarterfinals and semifinals are available. A Game Center with a review of the U.S. National Teams’ schedule is available at usafootball.com.
U.S. Men Finals: U.S. 46, Italy 26
The U.S. Men’s National Team has once again defended their position as the best team in the world. Sunday’s 46-26 win against Italy marked the program’s sixth consecutive IFAF Flag Football World Championship, a streak that extends back to when current head coach Jorge Cascudo served as the team’s quarterback.
The U.S. Men’s National Team has won seven of the 12 total IFAF Flag Football World Championships (2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2026) and has only suffered one loss in an IFAF-sanctioned competition since the start of 2014.
Quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette is now one of the most decorated athletes in IFAF history. He is 36-1 with the U.S. National Team and has won gold medals in three IFAF Flag Football World Championships, the only two IFAF Americas Continental Championships (2023, 2025) and men’s flag football’s only appearance at The World Games (2022).
The U.S. started the World Championship with the ball and quickly drove down the field. A long catch and run by Tyler Davis set up a 1st & goal. A few plays later, Doucette shook a pair of Italian defenders for a rushing touchdown. Doucette found Davis for the two-point conversion to go up 8-0. Italy tied the game, but the U.S. found the end zone again just minutes later on a shovel pass from Nico Casares to Laderrick “Pablo” Smith, bringing the score to 14-8.
Italy attempted a full-field shot at the end zone on fourth down the next series, but defensive captain Aamir Brown had perfect coverage to force the incompletion. The U.S. retaliated with their own deep throw as Doucette found Davis for a one-play, 45-yard touchdown on a post route. The elusive Velton Brown Jr. split a trio of Italian defenders to convert the two-point attempt and extend the lead to 22-8.
Pressure by Shawn “Flash” Theard Jr. forced Italy to throw up a prayer on 4th & goal on the following series, and Brown intercepted the pass to give the U.S. the ball with a little over two minutes remaining in the half. Casares and Doucette went to work, moving the ball down the field until Doucette found Davis for a diving touchdown. Doucette caught the two-point conversion.
Italy had 53 seconds to work with before halftime, but their first pass of the new possession was tipped and intercepted by Brown. Two plays later, Doucette shook an Italian defender, evaded another tackler and scored again. Italy had one final shot at the end zone before the break, but Brown made a diving pass breakup to prevent a touchdown. The U.S. held a 38-8 lead at halftime.
Italy cut into the lead in the second half to make it 38-16, but the U.S. responded immediately with a 27-yard touchdown on a deep post to Theard. Doucette found Brown Jr. on the two-point conversion.
An Antonio Coleman pass breakup on the next Italian possession ensured Italy wouldn’t have enough time to mount a comeback, and the U.S. coasted to victory. Coleman was quietly a breakout star for the U.S. once he shifted from rusher to cornerback early in the tournament.
Stat Recap
In the gold medal game, Doucette contributed in every possible manner on offense. He completed seven of his eight pass attempts for 132 yards, two touchdowns and two two-point conversions. Doucette also rushed for a pair of touchdowns and made four receptions for 32 yards and a two-point conversion. His versatility and production earned him IFAF Flag Football World Championship MVP honors.
Casares completed 15 of 18 pass attempts for 151 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions. Davis led the team through the air with six receptions for 109 yards, two touchdowns, and a two-point conversion. Brown Jr. wasn’t far behind, with eight receptions for 77 yards and two two-point conversions and an additional rushing two-point conversion.
The U.S. defense had its best day of the tournament when it mattered most. Brown showed why he’s the captain of the reigning World Champion’s defense by intercepting two passes and successfully defending four in total, including the would-be touchdown right before halftime. Theard applied five pressures and impacted multiple throws as Italy’s quarterback faced the speedster.
Coleman and Isaiah Calhoun contributed a pass breakup each. Brown Jr. took a few snaps on defense and logged the U.S. National Team’s only sack of the game.
U.S. Women Finals: U.S. 20, Canada 27
Teenage quarterback Akemi Higa and rising star Maci Joncich wasted no time getting the U.S. on the scoreboard. Higa found Joncich on a hook-and-go for a 45-yard touchdown on the first play of the game. Higa connected with Joncich on the one-point conversion to go up 7-0, but Canada responded on their first drive of the game. Tight coverage by defensive captain Deliah Autry-Jones prevented the completion on the extra point.
Higa kept the U.S. offense rolling with a long completion to Isabella Geraci, followed shortly by a quick shovel pass to Ashlea Klam for another touchdown. Higa went back to Klam for the extra point to take a 14-6 lead.
On Canada’s next possession, it was once again Autry-Jones with tight coverage to force an incompletion on 4th & goal. The defensive stop gave the U.S. an opportunity to take a two-score lead, but the offense stalled at Canada’s three-yard line. Canada got the ball back with two minutes remaining and drove down the field to tie the game at 14 apiece heading into half.
Canada took full advantage of getting the ball first after the break. They gained 30 yards on a corner route before scoring on the subsequent play, taking their first lead of the game. Trailing 14-20, the U.S. drove into Canada’s territory and had a few looks at the end zone but couldn’t punch it in. Canada capitalized to extend the lead to 14-27.
Higa jumpstarted the offense with a 20-yard pass to Madison Fulford. Two plays later, Higa found Fulford again to put the ball at Canada’s two-yard line. She went right back to Fulford on the next play for the touchdown, and the U.S. made it a one-score game at 20-27.
On the following Canadian possession, NyKeeta Christopher made a game-saving pass breakup on a deep fade. Kendra Meredith joined the party on the next play, breaking up the pass on fourth down to give the U.S. the ball back with 33 seconds remaining.
Higa completed a pass to Kennedy Foster to pick up the first down and stop the clock with 13 seconds left in the game. Three consecutive short completions set the U.S. up with 4th & goal on the four-yard line with three seconds remaining. Unfortunately, Higa’s pass to Fulford at the back right corner of the end zone fell incomplete as time expired.
Stat Recap
Higa completed 27 of 40 pass attempts for 268 yards, three touchdowns and a pair of one-point conversions in the finals. She finished her debut international tournament with the U.S. Women’s National Team with 25 total passing touchdowns and only one interception.
Joncich led the team with six receptions for 79 yards, a touchdown and a one-point conversion. She scored 10 combined receiving and rushing touchdowns in the World Championships, the most by any U.S. player. Joncich also passed for an additional touchdown in the group stage.
Fulford finished second on the team in yards during the finals, catching five passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. Klam made six receptions for 36 yards, a touchdown and a one-point conversion. Geraci contributed five receptions for 50 yards, while Foster added four receptions for 33 yards.
Autry-Jones led the defense with seven flag pulls. Christopher and Meredith had key pass breakups on long throws to give the U.S. a final chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter.
*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.