Italian
The Italian men’s Flag Football National Team (new Olympic sport in Los Angeles 2028) wins the European Championships for the first time
PARIS (FRANCE) – Another historic result for Italy. The men’s flag football national team has indeed triumphed at the European Championships held in Paris. The Azzurri, after four silver medals (2005-2009-2013-2017), have won a legendary gold medal for the first time.
Decisive was the final against Austria in which the team coached by Massimiliano Bonomo won 27-19. With this triumph, Italy secured one of the spots available for the 2026 World Championships that will take place in Düsseldorf (Germany) from August 13 to 16. A great step towards the qualifications for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games where flag football will be included for the first time as an Olympic discipline.
What is Flag Football
Flag Football is a team sport very similar to American Football, using the official ball as well. The main difference lies in the absence of physical contact, as tackling is prohibited. To block an opponent, one must instead pull off a flag attached to a special belt.
Depending on the national federation, you can play with 4, 5, 7, 8, or 9 players. In Italy, it is mainly played with 5. From 2028, it will be one of the new five Olympic disciplines along with Baseball/Softball, Squash, cricket, and Lacrosse.
The Journey of the Azzurri
Italy started the continental tournament by winning against Ukraine (39-13), Portugal (43-12), and Norway (33-0). On the second day, they defeated Ireland (41-12), only to lose to Switzerland (20-32), which then advanced as the first in Group D.
In the quarter-finals, the Azzurri struggled to win against Israel (41-38) and then suffered in the semi-finals against Great Britain, winning 28-22. They delivered an almost perfect performance in the final, where Italy quickly established a good lead and managed to fend off every attempt of an Austrian comeback until the final score of 17-19. The blue Luke Zahradka was awarded MVP of the tournament.
Bronze medal for the home team from France, who defeated Great Britain 34-20 in the third place playoff.
The federal president Leoluca Orlando commented on the historic victory at the end of the last day:
“A splendid result that confirms the growth of flag football in Italy, the value and international leadership of Italian players and coaching staff, and the commitment of FIDAF in view of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.”
Photo Credits: Riccardo Foglio/FIDAF
