Egypt to Host Africa's First Continental American Football Tournament
Egypt to Host Africa's First Continental American Football Tournament
With elite teams and NFL-backed talent scouting, the event is the first continental American football championship in Africa.
Egypt will host the inaugural edition of the International Federation of American Football's (IFAF) African Flag Football Championships—Africa Flag 2025—marking the first time a continental American football championship is held on the continent. The tournament is scheduled to take place in Cairo on June 20th and the 21st 2025.
Organised in partnership with the National Football League (NFL) and the Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF), the championship will bring together elite men's and women's national teams from across Africa. The event will also serve as a qualifier for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships, and comes as the sport builds momentum ahead of its debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The launch of Africa Flag 2025 is part of a wider initiative to promote flag football across the continent. For the first time, Egypt will host NFL Africa programming, which includes youth development events, talent identification camps, and the NFL Flag Continental Championship. The youth tournament will take place from June 20th to the 23rd and will feature under-12 boys and girls from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. The final will be held on June 23rd in Cairo.
As part of the initiative, the NFL will also operate a dedicated scouting camp to identify emerging African talent. Athletes may be selected for advanced development opportunities including the NFL Academy Europe-Africa programme in the UK and the International Player Pathway (IPP), which helps international players enter the NFL.
NFL players with African roots, including Bobby Okereke (New York Giants, Nigeria), Brian Asamoah II (Minnesota Vikings, Ghana), and Dieter Eiselen (NFL free agent, South Africa), are expected to join in the activities and engage with the local community during the championship weekend.
Africa's involvement in flag football has grown rapidly over the past two years. Cameroon made history in 2024 as the first African team to compete at the IFAF Flag Football World Championships. According to IFAF, participation in Egypt and Nigeria increased by 149% and 85% respectively in 2023 alone. In Nigeria, over 13,000 young people have been introduced to the sport through national federation outreach.
To support this growth, IFAF and the NFL have collaborated on infrastructure, training, and development initiatives, including coaching and officiating clinics. A recent three-day clinic held in Ghana from April 11th to the 13th brought together representatives from ten African countries: Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Uganda.
Globally, flag football is now played by over 20 million athletes in more than 100 countries. IFAF's continental championships are seen as key to shaping the sport's Olympic future, with the 2024 World Championships—featuring 31 teams from five continents—described as the most competitive to date.
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Al-Ahram Weekly
16 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
One year from World Cup opener, FIFA leaves questions unanswered on tickets and security
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FIFA has not revealed plans for this year's draw but appears to be planning for Las Vegas on Dec. 5. Regular ticket sales began in February 1993 for the U.S. football family and general first- and second-round sales started that June. Fans submitted lottery applications in October 1993 for games from the quarterfinals on. Teams could train away from World Cup cities While not detailing ticketing plans for next year's tournament, FIFA is spreading it beyond the host cites and lists about 60 possible base camps for teams to use, paired with hotels. Some are fancy — The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia — and some more Spartan — the Courtyard by Marriott Mesa at Wrigleyville West in Arizona. Thousands of arrangements must be coordinated. 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(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link:
CAF
19 hours ago
- CAF
Nora Häuptle (Zambia): 'There is no elevator to success.'
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There's a vast reservoir of talent—not just in the players, but in the potential for overall development. With Zambia right now, I genuinely feel there's a chance to raise the level of the game. I enjoy playing the role of 'developer'—taking teams to the next level. And then there's the incredible passion for football. I've also learned so much culturally. I strive to stay open-minded, because it's a true exchange: I give, but I also receive so much. I'm deeply inspired by the continent's history and its people. I really want to continue this journey here. This upcoming TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2024 will be your first. What does it mean to you professionally and personally? Yes, it'll be my very first WAFCON, my first major tournament on the continent. With Ghana, I had qualified the team after three years of work. That was a great journey. Now I have the pleasure of participating with Zambia. For me, it's a kind of fulfilment. It's also a chance to prove our worth at the highest level. We've invested so much into this team, with so much passion. And in Zambia, we all share one vision: to bring a trophy home. That's a huge motivation for me. I just want to make sure we move forward step by step, with curiosity and enthusiasm. I can't wait for the tournament to begin. Zambia will be in Group A with Morocco, DR Congo, and Senegal. What's your analysis of the group? It's a fairly diverse group in terms of playing styles. I know Senegal a bit from my time with Ghana. They're a very physical team, with technically skilled players. Many of them play in France, a physically demanding league. DR Congo is home to the current CAF Women's Champions League winners (Editor's note: TP Mazembe), which means a strong club foundation. Often, these clubs form the backbone of the national team. So we're expecting a tough, combative match there. As for Morocco—you can clearly see the results of their federation's investment, for both men and women. Their game is more possession-based. Zambia recently played them in Olympic qualifiers, so we're familiar with their approach. How do you manage the collective pressure? Yes, expectations are high. But personally, I don't read much of what's said around us—I try not to let outside pressure into my mind. I always come back to the small daily steps of our work. I know there's no elevator to success, only stairs. I prefer to focus on our performance. I always say: if we work hard on our performance, results will follow. So I stay focused on that. How do you build unity in a team that's increasingly under media scrutiny? I think we've built an inner life unique to our group, and that's our focus. For me, team stability is rooted in its values. We're still in that process—defining our values together, understanding what they mean concretely, and then living them daily. I believe that when that foundation is strong, even if there are ups and downs in performance, we never lose what matters most. We can lose a game, yes—but we must never lose our values. Coming back to that base helps us face pressure with greater composure. How do you balance the experienced internationals with the young talents from the local league? Recently, our U17 team qualified for the World Cup, which proves the depth of talent we have here. We do have some very gifted young players, and I'm gradually bringing them into the senior setup. For me, it's the squad as a whole that matters. We need to build a system around our key players. We have some outstanding individuals, so the challenge is finding a way to make them work together effectively on the pitch while maintaining team cohesion. For example, during the tournament in China in April, some of our key players couldn't travel. It was an opportunity to give game time to younger players—and I believe in them. They stepped up. For me, it's all about finding the right balance. Coach, you're still young, but let's talk legacy. What do you hope to leave behind in Zambian football? I only started at the beginning of the year, so I'm not thinking much about legacy yet. But the vision of the country—and the players—really inspires me: to win a trophy. That's a clear goal. Beyond that, I'd also like to be remembered as a good person, someone who stayed true to her values. Someone who shared her passion for football, but also someone who inspired others, both in sport and beyond—here in Zambia.
CAF
2 days ago
- CAF
African champions Banyana Banyana name provisional squad for TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON title defence
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