American Football World Cup
Encyclopedia
The IFAF World Championship of American Football (also known as the IFAF World Cup) is an international American football
competition held every four years and contested by teams representing member nations. The competition is run by the International Federation of American Football
(IFAF), the international governing body for the sport. Of the 54 countries that currently field a national American football team, only 8 teams qualify for the championship. The championship has been contested four times since the inaugural 1999 tournament.
The defending champions are the United States
, who won the 2011 championship after winning the 2007 edition in their first appearance. Japan
won the 1999 and 2003 championships.
The championship was held in Italy
in 1999, in Germany in 2003, in Kawasaki
, Japan
in 2007, and in Austria
in 2011.
within the groups, with each team playing each other once. However, as opposed to a tournament bracket after the games are completed, the teams with the best record from each group met in the gold medal game, the second place teams in each group for the bronze medal game, the third place teams play in the 5th place game, and the fourth place teams play in the 7th place game, guaranteeing that each team plays four games.
Automatic berths included the host nation and the defending champions. Both finalists from the European Federation of American Football
tournament received berths. Two teams from the Pan American Federation of American Football
received berths, as did one member of the Asian Federation of American Football
and of the Oceania Federation of American Football
.
For the 2015 championship in Sweden, the tournament will expand to 12 teams. Teams will be divided into four groups, each with three teams. Teams will play the other two teams in their groups once each, for a total of two group stage games. Teams will then advance to the second round, and from there to the placement and medal games.
Because American football is far more dominant in the United States than anywhere else in the world, the United States did not field a team in the world championship for its first two iterations. The United States has fielded a team for both the 2007 and 2011 iterations, but with extremely restrictive criteria that make most American football players ineligible for the team. Despite the restrictions, the United States has won both world championships in which they have fielded a team. Similarly, Canada (where Canadian football
, a related sport, has widespread popularity) did not field a team until the 2011 competition, where the Canadian team finished second to the United States.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
competition held every four years and contested by teams representing member nations. The competition is run by the International Federation of American Football
International Federation of American Football
International Federation of American Football is the international governing body of American football associations. Its headquarters are in La Courneuve, France, and its current president is Tommy Wiking...
(IFAF), the international governing body for the sport. Of the 54 countries that currently field a national American football team, only 8 teams qualify for the championship. The championship has been contested four times since the inaugural 1999 tournament.
The defending champions are the United States
United States national american football team
The United States national American football team represents the United States in international American football competitions. It is the country's official senior national men's football team. It is controlled by USA Football and is recognized by the International Federation of American Football...
, who won the 2011 championship after winning the 2007 edition in their first appearance. Japan
Japan national American football team
The Japan national American football team represents Japan in international American football competitions. The team is controlled by the Japan American Football Association, and has been one of the world's strongest international teams since it began participating regularly in international...
won the 1999 and 2003 championships.
The championship was held in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1999, in Germany in 2003, in Kawasaki
Kawasaki, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 2007, and in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in 2011.
Tournament format
At the 2011 championship, the championship tournament consists of eight teams which are divided into two groups of four (there were six teams in 1999 and 2007 and four in 2003). The opening round featured a round-robin tournamentRound-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
within the groups, with each team playing each other once. However, as opposed to a tournament bracket after the games are completed, the teams with the best record from each group met in the gold medal game, the second place teams in each group for the bronze medal game, the third place teams play in the 5th place game, and the fourth place teams play in the 7th place game, guaranteeing that each team plays four games.
Automatic berths included the host nation and the defending champions. Both finalists from the European Federation of American Football
European Federation of American Football
The European Federation of American Football is the governing body of American football in Europe. It is recognized by the International Federation of American Football ....
tournament received berths. Two teams from the Pan American Federation of American Football
Pan American Federation of American Football
The Pan American Federation of American Football is the American Football federation that qualifies teams from North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America in the IFAF World Cup....
received berths, as did one member of the Asian Federation of American Football
Asian Federation of American Football
The Asian Federation of American Football is the governing body of American football in Asia. It is a member of the International Federation of American Football....
and of the Oceania Federation of American Football
Oceania Federation of American Football
The Oceania Federation of American Football is the governing body of American football in Oceania. It is a member of the International Federation of American Football.- Competitions :...
.
For the 2015 championship in Sweden, the tournament will expand to 12 teams. Teams will be divided into four groups, each with three teams. Teams will play the other two teams in their groups once each, for a total of two group stage games. Teams will then advance to the second round, and from there to the placement and medal games.
Because American football is far more dominant in the United States than anywhere else in the world, the United States did not field a team in the world championship for its first two iterations. The United States has fielded a team for both the 2007 and 2011 iterations, but with extremely restrictive criteria that make most American football players ineligible for the team. Despite the restrictions, the United States has won both world championships in which they have fielded a team. Similarly, Canada (where Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
, a related sport, has widespread popularity) did not field a team until the 2011 competition, where the Canadian team finished second to the United States.
Summaries
| Year | Host | Final | Third-place match | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | ||||
| 1999 Details |
 Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
6–0 (OT Overtime (sports) Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination... ) |
38–13 | ||||||
| 2003 Details |
 Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
34–14 | 36–7 | ||||||
| 2007 Details |
 Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
23–20 (2 OT Overtime (sports) Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination... ) |
7–0 | ||||||
| 2011 Details |
 Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
50–7 | 17–14 | ||||||
| 2015 Details |
 Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
||||||||
Standings
| Team | 1999 6 |
2003 4 |
2007 6 |
2011 8 |
2015 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | – | – | 8th | ||
| – | – | – | 7th | ||
| – | – | – | 2nd | ||
| 6th | – | – | – | ||
| – | 4th | 6th | 6th | ||
| – | 3rd | 3rd | 5th | ||
| 4th | – | – | – | ||
| 1st | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | ||
| 2nd | 2nd | – | 4th | ||
| – | – | 5th | – | ||
| 3rd | – | 4th | – | Host | |
| – | – | 1st | 1st | ||
Rankings
| Pos. | Team | Champion | Runner-up | Third | Fourth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 (1999, 2003) | 1 (2007) | 1 (2011) | – | |
| 2nd | 2 (2007, 2011) | – | – | – | |
| 3rd | – | 2 (1999, 2003) | – | 1 (2011) | |
| 4th | – | 1 (2011) | – | – | |
| 5th | – | – | 2 (2003, 2007) | – | |
| 6th | – | – | 1 (1999) | 1 (2007) | |
| 7th | – | – | – | 1 (2003) | |
| 8th | – | – | – | 1 (1999) |