IFAF World Championship - Tournament Format

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 tournament 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.