United States

Association	USA Football
Continent	Americas
Colors	Red  White  Blue
Head coach	Dan Hawkins
General manager	Todd Bell
World Championship
Appearances	3 (first in2007)
Best result	Champions (2007,2011,2015)
Uniform
Home Away
Medal record World Championship 2007 Japan Team 2011 Austria Team 2015 Canton Team World Games 2017 Wrocław Team World University Championship 2016 Mexico Team 2018 China Team

TheUnited States National American Football Team, often referred to asTeam USA, represents theUnited States in international men'sAmerican football (Tackle Football) competitions. It is currently controlled byUSA Football and is recognized by theInternational Federation of American Football (IFAF). The team is currently ranked no.1 in the world in tackle Football by the IFAF.^[1]

Team USA has won theIFAF World Championship three times (most recently in 2015), which are the most championships won by a country for the tournaments. Team USA won a bronze medal at theWorld Games (2017) and two silver medals in theWorld University American Football Championship (2016 and 2018).

During 2015, a split between IFAF Paris and IFAF New York occurred, in which IFAF Paris expelled USA Football in 2017.^[2] USA Football was temporary replaced by the United States Federation of American Football in Paris, while New York retained USA Football as their active member. The United States Federation of American Football would manage the 2017 national team at the World Games.^[3]

In March 2018, theCourt of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) determined that the IFAF New York was the proper governing entity and voided all decisions of the other IFAF entity, including their decision to strip USA Football of its recognition.^[4] USA Football is currently the internationally recognized sole governing body for American football in the United States.^[5]

The national team was selected to encompass a cross-section ofamateur football in the United States, and as suchUSA Football used strict criteria to select team members. This does not permit the top football players in the United States to compete. The criteria are applied to make international tournaments more competitive. The restrictions include:

• NFL players are ineligible
• Player must have graduated from college, making active college players ineligible
• All levels ofNCAA andNAIA athletics are required to be represented, not justFBS

An exception to these criteria however, applies to theSummer Olympic Games for theUnited States national flag football team, as NFL executive Peter O'Reilly stated in October 2023 that theNational Football League will work with the players' union on allowing current and former NFL players to participate for Team USA in Flag football at the upcoming2028 Summer Olympics.^[6]

The United States competed for the first time in the2007 IFAF World Championship. The team's first ever game was a 77–0 win over South Korea in the first round of the tournament. Team USA defense set an IFAF all-time tournament record in holding South Korea to minus-31 yards in total offense, as well as the record for fewest rushing yards allowed with minus-47.^[7] In the second round the USA defeated Germany 33–7.^[8] They played Japan on July 15 for the championship. Japan was making their third appearance in the finals, winning the previous two World Championships. Japan took a 17–10 lead with seven minutes and seven seconds left in regulation.University of Arizona quarterback Adam Austin guided Team USA with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with the second 5-yard touchdown run by RB Kyle Kasperbauer, to tie the game at 17. IFAF follows the overtime system used by theNCAA, and both teams scored field goals with their first possession. In the second overtime, Japan got the ball first but missed a 34-yard field goal attempt. Team USA then reached Japan's 6-yard line. On 4th and one, Craig Coffin kicked the game winning 22-yard field goal, with the final score at 23–20.^[9] University of Nebraska-Omaha running back Kyle Kasperbauer was named MVP of the game after scoring two touchdowns and running for 54 yards on 15 carries. Austin finished 12 of 25 for 109 yards, with no TDs, and one interception. FormerWilliams player Jon Drenckhahn was the top receiver, catching 5 passes for 40 yards.

The team included players representing all levels ofcollege football, with 13 fromNCAA Division I FBS, 12 fromNCAA Division I FCS, 10 fromNCAA Division II, 9 fromNCAA Division III and 1 formerNAIA player.

The head coach of Team USA wasMel Tjeerdsma ofNorthwest Missouri State University, withLarry Kehres the offensive coordinator andLou Tepper the defensive coordinator.^[10] Team USA played its first game on July 8, 2011, defeating Australia 61–0. After beating Mexico 17-7 on July 11, the team qualified for its 2nd consecutive World Cup gold medal game. On July 16, USA defeatedCanada 50–7 to claim its second consecutive World Championship.^[11]

The United States routed Canada 50–7 in the gold medal game of the 2011 IFAF Senior World Championship. The 20,000 fans in attendance at Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, Austria, set a record for an IFAF Championship game. The game was never close, with Team USA leading 37–7 at halftime. Team USA dominated the rushing game, outgaining Canada 247–48, with four players scoring touchdowns on the ground. While Henry Harris led the way for the Americans on the ground, with 114 yards on 15 carries and a TD,Mount Union RBNate Kmic was the only American to score two touchdowns on the day and was named tournament MVP.University of Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins was 13 of 21 for 161 yards and 2 TD passes. Ricardo Lenhart (Otterbein) led the receivers, with 3 catches for 63 yards. The U.S. defense recorded four sacks, and Jordan Lake caught two interceptions.^[12]

The U.S. Men's National Team was led by former Boise State and Colorado head football coach Dan Hawkins. Hawkins was 53–11 at Boise State from 2001–05, winning four consecutive Western Athletic Conference titles. His teams compiled a 31-game WAC winning streak, the longest in conference history. The U.S. Men's National Team includes athletes from 24 states.

The United States defeated Japan in the gold medal game by a score of 59-12. This marked Team USA's third straight IFAF Championship, which would beat out Japan for the most IFAF Championships.^[13]

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Japan	0	6	6	0	12
United States	16	22	7	14	59

atTom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium,Canton, Ohio, United States

• Date: July 18, 2015
• Game time: 19:00
• Game weather: clear
• Game attendance: 3,000
• Referee: E.Bolstad • Umpire: D.Parsons • Center judge: M.Matos • Linesman: M.Mikkelsen • Line judge: G.Udvardi • Back judge: P.Mercer • Field judge: F.Rasmussen • Side judge: J.P. Canto • Alternate: I.Veronica

In 2015 the split emerged between IFAF Paris and IFAF New York, in which IFAF Paris expelled USA Football in 2017.^[14] USA Football was replaced by the United States Federation of American Football in Paris, while New York retained USA Football as their active member. Since IFAF New York was not recognized by theInternational Olympic Committee at the time, the United States Federation of American Football was permitted to organize the United States national American football team for the2017 World Games.^[15]

Players, mainly professional Americans playing in Europe, were chosen for the team. They were promised full funding from the United States Federation of American Football, but the funding was withdrawn just days before the competition and players had to provide their own transportation toWrocław. As a result, most of the team withdrew from the competition and were instead replaced by amateur volunteers who were already in Europe at the time.^[16] Most of the team arrived the day before their opening match vs theGermany national American football team. The Americans lost to Germany 13–14, in which was the first loss ever for a United States National American Football Team in international competition.^[17]

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
United States	0	7	6	0	13
Germany	0	7	0	7	14

atOlympic Stadium,Wrocław

• Date: 22 July 2017
• Game time: 13:00
• Referee: Perez Canto Juan (FRA)
• Report

The United States were able to rebound two days later and defeat thePoland national American football team 14-7 en route to a bronze medal at the 2017 World Games.^[18]

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
United States	0	7	0	7	14
Poland	0	0	7	0	7

at Olympic Stadium, Wrocław

• Date: 24 July 2017
• Game time: 13:00
• Referee: Doboczky Zoltan (GER)
• Report

Nation	Wins	Losses	Pct
Australia	1	0	1.000
Canada	1	0	1.000
France	1	0	1.000
Germany	2	0	1.000
Japan	3	0	1.000
Mexico	2	0	1.000
South Korea	1	0	1.000

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place  

IFAF World Championship
Year	Result	Position	GP	W	L	PF	PA
1999	Did not participate
2003
2007	Champions	1st	3	3	0	133	27
2011	Champions	1st	4	4	0	176	21
2015	Champions	1st	4	4	0	214	36
2025	Qualified
Total	3 titles	3/6	11	11	0	523	84

World Games
Year	Result	Position	GP	W	L	PF	PA
2005	Did not participate
2017	Third place	3rd	2	1	1	27	21
Total	0 titles	1/2	2	1	1	27	21

World University American Football Championship
Year	Result	Position	GP	W	L	PF	PA
2014	Did not participate
2016	Runner-up	2nd	4	3	1	145	49
2018	Runner-up	2nd	4	3	1	197	23
Total	0 titles	2/3	8	6	2	342	72

United States
American Football team uniforms

Home

Away

Alternate

• Most First Downs: 27 vs. Japan 7-12-15
• Most Points Scored: 82 vs. France 7-16-15
• Most Passing Yards: 267 Cody Hawkins vs. Mexico 7-12-11
• Most Rushing Yards: 117 Aaron Wimberly vs. France 7-15-15
• Most Receiving Yards: 106 Nate Kmic vs. Australia 7-8-11
• Most Team Sacks: 8 vs. Mexico 7-9-15
• Most Team Tackles for Loss: 18.5 vs. Mexico 7-9-15
• Longest Play (Rushing): 60 Sadale Foster vs. Japan 7-12-15
• Longest Play (Passing): 64 McLaughlin to Malm vs. Australia 7-8-11
• Longest Play (Punt Return): 74 Awrey vs. South Korea 7-10-07
• Longest Play (Kickoff Return): 84 Awrey 84 vs. South Korea 7-10-07
• Longest Play (Field Goal): 46 Berkshire vs. Mexico 7-12-11
• Longest Play (Interception Return): 77 Banks vs. Germany 7-10-11
• Longest Play (Fumble Return): 10 Jackson vs. Germany 7-10-11
• Longest Play (Blocked Punt Return Touchdown): 26 Calbert vs. Australia 7-8-11
• Longest Play (Blocked Field Goal Return Touchdown): 75 Dingle vs. Germany 7-10-11

• Official website

• American football in the United States
• Men's national sports teams of the United States
• Men's national American football teams
• 1984 establishments in the United States
• American football teams established in 1984
• National sports teams established in 1984

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Webarchive template wayback links
• All articles with dead external links
• Articles with dead external links from November 2025