USA Football Press Release

VIENNA, VA. — The United States will be seeking to capture its first world championship in the sport it invented more than 135 years ago when USA Football’s senior national team competes in the 3rd World Championship of American Football later this summer.

The six-country tournament will be held July 7-15 in Kawasaki, Japan. This year’s event is the third staged by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The United States is competing in the tournament for the first time. Team USA will face Germany and Korea in pool play. The other pool will consist of host and two-time defending champion Japan along with Sweden and France.

“We’ve been building towards the opening of our training camp for more than a year now,” USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck said. “With only five weeks to go until our camp begins the excitement level is high for all of us at USA Football and especially our coaching staff and players. We’re looking forward to seeing the first U.S. national team take the field in Japan on July 10.”

Former NFL and college head coach John Mackovic will lead Team USA into this year’s tournament. Mackovic and his staff will coach a team of 45 players who completed their college eligibility in 2006. The roster will be a true cross-section of college football, with all levels of the NCAA and the NAIA represented by at least one player.

"There is a growing enthusiasm among those committed to coach and play for the USA's first ever senior national team,” Team USA Head Coach John Mackovic said. “I look forward to the competition and the opportunity to make new friends through our play. American football's popularity around the world should be enhanced by our participation in this World Cup. The late General Douglas MacArthur said it best with 'Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that upon other fields and other times will bear the fruits of victory.' Somehow I feel this journey of ours will provide long-term benefits to the world."

Team USA will conduct a 14-day domestic training camp from June 20-July 3 prior to departing for Japan on July 4. Its first tournament game will be July 10 against Korea, followed by a match-up with Germany on July 12. The championship game is scheduled for July 15.
USA Football will announce its training camp site on May 14. The Team USA support staff will be announced on May 16. The assistant coaches will be announced on May 21. The 45-man roster will be announced on May 23.

USAFootball.com