USA FOOTBALL’S LARGEST EVER JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL CUP CONCLUDES, SHOWCASING SPORT’S INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

Eight countries unite as the sport’s stars of tomorrow strengthen global flag football community looking ahead to LA28 and beyond  

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – USA Football, the sport’s National Governing Body, concluded its Summer Series, presented by Under Armour, on Sunday, June 22. The fourth annual Junior International Cup played a key role in the week’s events, uniting eight countries and more than 500 15U and 17U Boys’ and Girls’ National Team athletes and team personnel for a week of competing, learning and celebrating flag football in the city where the sport will make its official Olympic debut in 2028.  

As the sport’s National Governing Body in the U.S., USA Football selects, trains and leads the U.S. National Teams for international competition, including the 2028 Olympics, and plays a leading role in nurturing football’s global reach. USA Football debuted the Junior International Cup in 2022 to further develop athletes of the future while encouraging the growth of National Team pipelines in countries worldwide.  

This year’s Junior International Cup featured teams from Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, South Korea and the U.S., showcasing a diverse set of schemes and playstyles. More information on the Junior International Cup and the U.S. athletes and coaches is available in the 2025 U.S. Junior National Teams Media Guide.  

All of this year’s action was streamed on HomeTeam Network, including the championship games that featured live commentary by veteran sportscasters. See below for a recap of each Junior International Championship gold medal game.  

15U Boys’ Division: U.S. vs. Japan  

Following a thrilling 47-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the semifinal game to defeat Team Azteca 25-20 to make it through to the Gold Medal Match, the 15U U.S. Boys’ National Team authored one final dramatic finish. A late game defensive stand to prevent a touchdown by the Japanese National Team secured the 27-20 victory. Trey Newton (Milford, Pa.) earned game MVP honors.  

In the Junior International Cup’s four iterations, the 15U U.S. boys have claimed every gold medal. This year was a particularly special experience as it was head coach Jonathan Nagapen’s and assistant coach Jesse Marrow’s first years with the program. The team went 6-0 during the event with a 238 to 54 point differential.  

15U’ Girls’ Division: U.S. vs. Team Monterrey 

Team Monterrey, a club program from Mexico, secured a 26-20 win over the 15U U.S. Girls’ National Team in the Gold Medal Match. Monterrey secured an early lead and survived a late push by the U.S. to secure their first gold medals in Junior International Cup history.  

The U.S. 15U girls defeated Panama 39-0 to get through to the final. They finished the event with a 5-1 record, including four shutout wins and a 201 to 32 point differential.  

17U Boys’ Division: U.S. vs. Canada 

The 17U U.S. Boys’ National Team avenged a loss to Canada in the 2024 Junior International Cup semifinals with a strong 38-19 showing in this year’s Gold Medal Match. Luc Carroll (Miami, Fla.), who won bronze with the 17U team in 2024 and gold with the 15U team in 2023, earned game MVP honors after catching three passes on offense and intercepting one on defense.  

The 17U U.S. boys finished the event with an undefeated 6-0 record, outscoring opponents 300 to 82. Head coach Rudy Fernandez claimed his third consecutive gold medal with the program after serving as an assistant coach on the 2023 17U boys’ team and head coach of the 2024 15U boys’ team.  

17U Girls’ Division: U.S. vs. Team Azteca  

The 17U U.S. Girls’ National Team continued its Gold Medal streak by defeating Team Azteca, a club program from Mexico, 19-12 in the championship. The team, led by second-year National Team coach Joshua Saunders and former U.S. Women’s National Team world champion Nadia Bibbs, went 6-0 at the Junior International Cup with a 189 to 46 point differential. Kaitlyn Reynolds (Cedar Park, Texas) was named the championship game MVP during the medal ceremony.  

The victory earned several athletes their third consecutive Junior International Cup Gold Medals, including Emery Beckett (Lakeway, Texas), Akemi Higa (Las Vegas, Nev.), Alison Kaltenbacher (North Wales, Pa.), Reynolds, Landri Smit (Cedar Park, Texas) and Tessa Wieloch (Lansdale, Pa.).  

Assets for use – Please courtesy USA Football:   

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

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

• B-roll of the 2024 Junior International Cup is available at this link.  

• Images from the 2025 Junior International Cup may be made available upon request to media@usafootball.com.  

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.