Austria's flag football ladies: On the way to Olympia 2028!

Austria's flag football ladies: On the way to Olympia 2028!

The women's national team of the American Football Federation Austria (AFBÖ) is strongly represented on the international stage in the Football flag. With remarkable successes, including reaching the semi -finals at the World Games 2022 and the World Cup 2024, the team has worked in fourth place in the world rankings. Head Coach Robert Riedl returned in 2022 after a break, motivated by the chance to qualify for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Only six teams will take part in these games, which increases the competition enormously. [LAOLA1] (https://www.laola1.at/de/Red/verbaende/sport-austria/flag-footballerinnen- between-saf-premiereund-un- olympia-traum/) reports that the first three starting places of the tournament at the Flag-Football World Championship are awarded.

To prepare optimally, the Austrian team has planned a demanding training session that includes six camps. The first of these camps took place in Salzburg, where 28 players were in the squad and 16 were included in the provisional contingent via Tryouts. Riedl emphasizes that it is crucial to put together the best players and a strong coaching team to be successful on the way to the EM 2025 in Paris.

preparation for the European Championship 2025

Austria is the favorite at the upcoming European Championship. The team will gain valuable tournament experience on the way to the 2026 World Cup, especially for the newer players who are referred to as "rookies". The final squad for the World Cup is reduced to only twelve players. In addition, the fans look forward to the domestic flag football league, whose playoffs will take place on June 22 during the Sport Austria Finals. This offers additional incentive to raise the shape to an Olympic level.

flag football is viewed as a limited contact of the American football and will play an important role in Los Angeles in 2028. Olympics.com emphasizes that both the United States and Mexico on the leading nations in this sport to count. The United States has won the last world championships in both men and women. Among the struggles for the top places, the potential of other countries such as Germany, Japan and Canada are also observed, which could gain in importance in the run-up to the games.

Olympic perspectives and new sports

The organization committee LA28 has also proposed four other sports in addition to Flag Football: Baseball-Softball, Cricket, Lacrosse and Squash. This proposal must still be approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The recommendation for this is presented at the 141st IOC session in Mumbai, India, in mid-October. If the approval is granted, the specific event programs and the number of quota places for the athletes are determined. In the past, three of these sports have already been part of the Olympic Games, which underlines their relevance and attractiveness. Olympics.com informs that the cricket format in Los Angeles will be a Twenty20 format, which could offer an exciting addition to the game experience.

For the Austrian Flag Football women, an exciting time is now imminent, shaped by hard work and hope to secure a place on the Olympic stage. The challenge is great, but the dream of Olympics drives them and preparations are in full swing.