IFAF Senior World Championship

The IFAF Senior World Championship is held every four years having first been contested in 1999. The 2011 IFAF Senior World Championship will be held in Europe for the third time, with the Asian continent having hosted the 2007 event.

The United States is the reigning senior world champion, but it is the Japanese who claim the most storied history at the senior international level. Japan has twice lifted the world crown and in 2007 took the United States to double overtime before finally surrendering the world title they had held for eight years.

The first IFAF Senior World Championship was played in Palermo in Italy from June 24 to July 4, 1999. Japan became the inaugural World Champions with a 6-0 overtime victory over Mexico having defeated Sweden and Australia in the group stages, while Mexico triumphed against Italy and Finland. A total of 330 players and coaches participated in the first senior world championship.

Four years later in Germany, Japan beat France 23-6 in one semi final and Mexico edged Germany 21-17 in the other to again meet for the world championship. Japan ran out 34-14 winners as running back Ikunori Hanna carried the ball 11 times for 125 yards and a touchdown to earn the MVP award. Germany defeated France 36-7 to claim third place.

Japan hosted the 2007 Senior World Championship in the Kawasaki suburb of Tokyo as the tournament featured the national teams of France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Sweden and the United States.

USA Football initiated the first ever US senior national team under veteran head coach John Mackovic and Team USA outlasted Japan 23-20 in double overtime to return home triumphant from Tokyo.

Kicker Craig Coffin of Southern Illinois University split the uprights with a 23-yard field goal to claim the gold medal after running back Kyle Kasperbauer from the University of Nebraska-Omaha had rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

The bronze medal game was another close contest with Germany defeating Sweden 7-0 with an 85-yard punt return by Marcel Duft for the winning and only touchdown of the game.

During the nine games of the 2007 IFAF Senior World Championship, more than 22,000 fans flocked to the host stadiums and almost one million people visited the official websites.

All time IFAF Senior World Championship results

2007 - Tokyo, Japan

Championship Game
USA 23 Japan 20 (OT)
Third place
Germany 7 Sweden 0
Fifth place
Korea 3 France 0
Group Stages:
Japan 48 France 0
Germany 32 Korea 2
Sweden 16 France 14
USA 77 Korea 0
USA 33 Germany 7
Japan 48 Sweden 0

2003 - Frankfurt Rhein-Main, Germany

Championship Game
Japan 34 Mexico 14
Third Place
Germany 37 France 6
Semi Finals:
Japan 23 France 6
Mexico 21 Germany 17

1999 - Palmero, Italy

Championship Game
Japan 6 Mexico 0 (OT)
Third place
Sweden 38 Italy 13
Fifth place
Australia 10 Finland 3
Group Stages:
Italy 28 Finland 7
Mexico 89 Finland 0
Mexico 54 Italy 0
Sweden 22 Australia 6
Japan 21 Sweden 14
Japan 54 Australia 0

Download IFAF Senior World Championship Records (1.4 MB PDF)

Offical website: wc2007.info