International Federation of American Football

Structure and organization

The IFAF recognizes in their respective areas the following branches and has 78 as of August 2025:

• IFAF Africa: 11
• IFAF Americas: 18
• IFAF Asia: 13
• IFAF Europe: 30 (European Championship of American football)
• IFAF Oceania: 6

Members

Africa (11)

Americas (18)

• URU Uruguay

Asia (13)

Europe (30)

Oceania (6)

Variants

Source:

1. Tackle football
2. Flag football: 40 minutes with two halves of 20 minutes
3. Wheelchair football: Indoors or outdoors
4. Beach flag football: 4 players - 25-yard field - 30 minutes with two halves of 15 minutes

Competitions

American football competitions

Men

• IFAF World Championship of American Football
• World University American Football Championship (FISU / IFAF)
• World Games (IWGA / IFAF)

Junior

• IFAF U-20 World Championship

Women

• IFAF Women's World Championship

Flag football competitions

Men / Women

• IFAF Flag Football World Championship
• World Games Flag Football (IWGA / IFAF)

Governance

President

Pierre Trochet (France) was elected President of IFAF in December 2021.

Former presidents

Source:

• Eiji Sasada (Japan): 1998–1999
• Frederic Paquet (France): 1999–2006
• Tommy Wiking (Sweden): 2006–2015
• Mac Kaneuji (Japan): 2015–2015 (interim)
• Roope Noronen (Finland): 2015–2016
• Richard MacLean (Canada): 2016–2021

Governance controversy and schism

Following the cancellation of the 2015 IFAF World Championship in Sweden for financial reasons, the event was moved to the United States. In February 2015, Tommy Wiking resigned as president of IFAF due to the event's cancellation before being reinstalled in the position. One group in New York had elected Roope Noronen as interim president in September 2014, followed by Richard MacLean in 2015. Another group, based in Paris, recognized Wiking as president.

In September 2016, the Paris IFAF suspended six nations—the United States, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Finland, and Denmark—for not submitting player information for anti-doping. A group of European federations wished for a reunification of the sport during a December 2016 meeting in Rome. In May 2017, after a split that created rival groupings of the International Federation of American Football, the IFAF party in Paris stripped its recognition of USA Football, citing disputes over anti-doping enforcement. IFAF Paris instead recognized the United States Federation of American Football as the USA's governing body, and the USFAF organized a team to participate in the 2017 World Games, in which it won a bronze medal. The grouping of the IFAF based in New York continued to recognize USA Football and organized the 2017 Women's World Championships, which the USA won.

In March 2018, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) determined that the IFAF in New York was the proper governing entity and voided all decisions of the other IFAF entity, including their decision to strip USA Football of its recognition. USA Football is currently the internationally recognized governing body for American football in the United States.

References

References

1. "Contacts". International Federation of American Football.
2. "Member Federations".
3. "History".
4. "Pierre Trochet: "This isn't a goodbye to Paris, it's just a see you later."".
5. (7 July 2012). "IFAF Congress ratifies new structure".
6. (18 August 2014). "Structural changes on the horizon for American Football in Europe".
7. http://www.americanfootball.sport/member-federations/24
8. http://www.americanfootball.sport/
9. http://www.americanfootball.sport/a-guide-to-tackle-football/
10. http://www.americanfootball.sport/a-guide-to-flag-football/
11. http://www.americanfootball.sport/a-guide-to-wheelchair-football/
12. http://www.americanfootball.sport/a-guide-to-beach-flag-football/
13. Preston, Michael. (2024-12-07). "Congress Review".
14. "President".
15. (9 December 2016). "European federations attempt to reunify American football with series of measures following crunch Rome meeting".
16. "Football".
17. "IFAF Accepts USFAF as Provisional Member from USA - IFAF".
18. "IFAF - Articles - View - 1654".
19. "IFAF - Articles - View - 1659".
20. (28 September 2017). "Court of Arbitration rules against IFAF Paris, affirms Tommy Wiking resigned as President".
21. "Nations: Americas {{!".