Sweden and Germany have punched their tickets for Canton, Ohio, joining Canada and the United States as the first four qualifiers for the 2009 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Junior World Championship. The global football tournament, to be played in Canton's historic Fawcett Stadium next June 27-July 5, will consist of the world's eight best high school-aged national teams spanning four continents.
Sweden (3-0) and Germany (3-0) earned trans-Atlantic flights to America by clinching a top-three placement in the 2008 European Junior Championship in Sevilla, Spain. The European tournament, which began on July 12, concludes Sunday when Sweden and Germany play for a gold medal.
France (2-1) takes on Denmark (1-2) Sunday morning in the tournament's bronze medal game, which will determine the continent's third and final seed for next summer's tournament in Canton. Denmark, Austria and Finland all finished tied in Group B with identical 1-2 records behind Germany (3-0). The Danes' superior point-differential among the three bottle-necked teams won the tiebreaker, earning them a showdown against France for the right to advance to the U.S. next summer.
Full details, recaps, standings and game statistics from the 2008 European Junior Championship are available at www.EFAF.de and www.EJC2008.com.
USA Football, the sport's national governing body on youth and amateur levels, introduced CHUCK KYLE of Cleveland's St. Ignatius High School as Team USA's head coach this past Wednesday. Kyle, who three times has guided his St. Ignatius Wildcats to "National Championship" honors (USA Today 1989, '93; National Prep Poll 1993, '95), will lead America's first junior national team in the sport. Fifty (50) countries are IFAF members, each with a national federation dedicated solely to football.
At the conclusion of Sunday's France-Denmark game in southern Spain, three open slots will remain for Canton. All three berths will be claimed by February 2009 in the Americas, Asia, and Oceania.
The United States earned an automatic Junior World Championship bid as the tournament's host country. Canada earned its place in the field due to the long-time strength of its junior national team program in international play.
In conjunction with hosting the European Junior Championship, Sevilla is the venue for the IFAF annual Congress, which runs today through Saturday. Delegates representing the majority of the 50 IFAF member countries are in attendance.
The Congress agenda includes the ratification of several countries as IFAF members. Among the countries seeking membership are the Bahamas, Brazil, Bulgaria, India and Turkey. Congress delegates will also vote on a proposed change to IFAF statutes to allow Puerto Rico and American Samoa to become members and will recognize Oceania as a continental federation of IFAF, joining AFAF (Asia), EFAF (Europe) and PAFAF (Pan-America). USA Football Executive Director SCOTT HALLENBECK serves as president of the Pan-America Federation of American Football (PAFAF).
Game Schedule & Results: 2008 European Junior Championship in Sevilla, Spain
Group A
Sweden 27, Russia 0
France 45, Spain 25
Sweden 40, Spain 0
France 7, Russia 6
Russia 49, Spain 14
Sweden 20, France 13
Group B
Austria 35, Denmark 14
Germany 34, Finland 7
Finland 16, Austria 9
Germany 20, Denmark 7
Denmark 46, Finland 6
Germany 7, Austria 0
Saturday, July 19
Seventh Place Playoff: Finland (1-2) vs. Spain (0-3), 4:30 a.m. ET
Fifth Place Playoff: Austria (1-2) vs. Russia (1-2), 12 p.m. ET
Sunday, July 20
Bronze Medal Game: France (2-1) vs. Denmark (1-2), 4:30 a.m. ET
Championship Game: Germany (3-0) vs. Sweden (3-0), 11 a.m. ET