The Cleveland Browns' commitment to the growth of flag football in Italy will extend to the next generation this September, when the country hosts the 2026 IFAF European Youth Flag Football Championships.
As part of their ongoing partnership with the Italian Federation of American Football (FIDAF), the Browns continue to support the development of flag football across all levels of the Italian program, from the senior national teams to its youth pathway. Browns Italia branding will be featured on the uniforms of Italy's youth national teams at the European Championships, just as it was with the senior teams during their international campaign this summer.
The championships will take place Sept. 24–26 at Spiaggia Romea Village & Residence in Lido delle Nazioni, near Ferrara, bringing together 31 teams representing 13 countries: Great Britain, Finland, Israel, Spain, Russia, Poland, Germany, Austria, Czechia, France, Italy, Serbia and Slovakia.
Three European titles will be awarded across the U17 Boys, U17 Girls and U15 Mixed divisions, with seven countries — including host nation Italy — competing in all three categories.
Organized by FIDAF under the auspices of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), and with the support and patronage of the Emilia-Romagna Region, the championships will mark the third time Italy has hosted the event, following the 2021 and 2023 editions in Grosseto.
This year's competition comes at a particularly exciting time for flag football in Italy. Just over a month earlier, the Italian men's senior national team secured qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where flag football will make its historic Olympic debut.
Italy enters the championships with an impressive recent record at the European youth level, having earned at least one medal in each of the past four editions.
Leading the way will be the U17 Girls National Team, the defending European champions after an outstanding 2025 tournament in Innsbruck that ended with a 53–15 victory over Germany in the championship game.
Italy also finished fourth in the U15 Mixed division and sixth in the U17 Boys competition in 2025, placing all three national teams among Europe's top six.
The results are part of a sustained run of success for Italy's youth flag football program. In 2021, Italy earned three European titles and one silver medal. Two years later, the Italians claimed gold in U15 Mixed, silver in U17 Girls and bronze in U17 Boys. The 2024 championships brought another two medals, with silver for the U17 Boys and bronze for the U15 Mixed team, before the U17 Girls returned Italy to the top of the podium in 2025.
With flag football's Olympic debut at LA28 now on the horizon, the European Youth Championships represent another important step in developing the next generation of Italian players. Through their partnership with FIDAF, the Cleveland Browns will continue to stand alongside the Italian federation as it builds the sport at every level — from youth development to the international stage and the road to the Olympic Games.
Pools, game schedules, team rosters and additional information will be announced in the coming weeks.
