2018 European Championship of American football

2018 European Championship of American footballTournament details

Host nation|  Finland
Dates| 29 July – 4 August 2018
No. of nations| 6
Final positions
Champions |  France
Runner-up |  Austria
Third-place |  Finland
Tournament statistics
Attendance| 10,001 (Avg. ~1,111 per game)
MVP of the tournament|  QB Paul Durand

<- 2014

2021 ->

The 2018 European Championship was the 14th European Championship in American football. The final tournament was played in Vantaa, Finland from 29 July to 4 August 2018.

## Qualification

[edit]

The Qualification for the European Championship 2018 was held in three stages. In the first round, twelve teams played a single playoff round. The six winners and two further teams played the second round, in two tournaments of four teams. Another two teams entered the qualification in the third round in playoff games against the two tournament winners of the second round. Four teams were already qualified for the European Championship 2018. Altogether an all-time record number of twenty teams competed to win the European title in 2018. One team, Germany, did not play a single game due to the national federation of American Football in Germany having an unresolved dispute with IFAF.

### First round

[edit]

The first round was played from August to October 2015. Six of the twelve teams took part in one of the tournaments of the last championship. These were the seeded teams playing against an unseeded team. The seeded teams were the hosts of their playoff game. Israel defeating Spain was the only unseeded team to make it to the next round.

Date  | Kickoff  | Away  | Score  | Home  | Game site

|
|
|
|
|

30 August  | 12:00 p.m. CEST | Israel | 28–20  |  Spain | Estadio Santo Domingo, Alcorcón
26 September  | 6:00 p.m. CEST | Slovakia | 00–21  |  Switzerland | Stadion Rankhof, Basel
10 October  | 1:00 p.m. CEST | Norway | 00–20  |  Russia | Tsarskoye Selo Stadium, Pushkin
10 October  | 2:00 p.m. CEST | Hungary | 00–56  |  Serbia | Voždovac Stadium, Belgrade
11 October  | 2:00 p.m. CEST | Poland | 07–14  |  Czech Republic | Letní stadion, Pardubice
24 October  | 6:00 p.m. CEST | Belgium | 03–17  |  Netherlands | Mandemakers Stadion, Waalwijk

### Second round

[edit]

The second round tournaments were played in 2016. As runner-up and third in the B Group Tournament in 2013, Italy and Great Britain earned a spot as the host nation of one of the tournaments.

#### Tournament in Italy

[edit]

* Italy
* Serbia
* Switzerland
* Israel

Date  | Kickoff  | Away  | Score  | Home  | Game site

|
|
|
|
|

Semifinals
2 September  | 2:00 p.m. CEST | Israel | 10–40  |  Italy | Stadio G. Teghil, Lignano Sabbiadoro
2 September  | 7:00 p.m. CEST | Switzerland | 00–17  |  Serbia | Stadio G. Teghil, Lignano Sabbiadoro
Classification game
4 September  | 3:00 p.m. CEST | Israel | 00–51  |  Switzerland | Stadio G. Teghil, Lignano Sabbiadoro
Final
4 September  | 7:00 p.m. CEST | Serbia | 14–17  |  Italy | Stadio G. Teghil, Lignano Sabbiadoro

#### Tournament in Great Britain

[edit]

* Great Britain
* Czech Republic
* Netherlands
* Russia

Date  | Kickoff  | Away  | Score  | Home  | Game site

|
|
|
|
|

Semifinals
16 September  |  | Russia | 03–30  |  Great Britain | Sixways Stadium, Worcester
16 September  |  | Netherlands | 13–20  |  Czech Republic | Sixways Stadium, Worcester
Classification game
18 September  |  | Russia | 06–17  |  Netherlands | Sixways Stadium, Worcester
Final
18 September  |  | Czech Republic | 13–38  |  Great Britain | Sixways Stadium, Worcester

### Third round

[edit]

Italy and Great Britain, as the winners of the tournaments in Italy and Great Britain, were respectively assigned to play against Sweden and Denmark (fifth and sixth place at the 2014 EFAF Championship), with the winners advancing to the 2018 tournament.

In June 2017, Italy was announced to have qualified for the final tournament[1] as only one of the four teams without any match played. Finland, who was already qualified, did not appear on the schedule. No reasons were given.

In March 2018, IFAF New York announced to have Sweden, Denmark, and Great Britain advancing to the final tournament. Now reigning Champion Germany and Italy were not on the list. Again, no reasons were given. On 28 March, the website American Football International reported that the reason for Germany not joining was due to the teams in the German Football League voting not to change the league schedule to accommodate the European Championships.[2]

## Teams

[edit]

* Finland (2014 Fourth-placed, host)
* Austria (2014 Runner-up)
* France (2014 Third-placed)
* Sweden (Qualifier)
* Denmark (Qualifier)
* Great Britain (Qualifier)

## Venue

[edit]

All games were played at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion in Vantaa, Finland

Vantaa

Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion
Capacity: 4,700

## Group stages

[edit]

### Group A

[edit]

#### Standings

[edit]

Team  |  W  |  L  |  Pct  |  PF  |  PA  |  PD

|
|
|
|
|
|

Austria | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 81 | 16 | +63
Sweden | 1 | 1 | 0.500 | 33 | 61 | −28
Denmark | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 35 | 70 | −35

#### Schedule

[edit]

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Austria | 0 | 14 | 6| 20| 40
Denmark | 0 | 7 | 8| 0| 15

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 29 July 2018
* Game time: 16:00 EEST
* Game attendance: 502
* Referee: Øyvind Løken
* Box score

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Denmark | 14 | 0 | 0| 6| 20
Sweden | 0 | 7 | 17| 6| 30

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 31 July 2018
* Game time: 16:00 EEST
* Game attendance: 347
* Referee: Bård Beylich
* Box score

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Sweden | 3 | 0 | 0| 0| 3
Austria | 21 | 10 | 7| 3| 41

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 2 August 2018
* Game time: 16:00 EEST
* Game attendance: 512
* Referee: Øyvind Løken
* Box score

### Group B

[edit]

#### Standings

[edit]

Team  |  W  |  L  |  Pct  |  PF  |  PA  |  PD

|
|
|
|
|
|

France | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 63 | 23 | +40
Finland | 1 | 1 | 0.500 | 42 | 28 | +14
Great Britain | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 16 | 70 | −54

#### Schedule

[edit]

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Great Britain | 0 | 7 | 0| 0| 7
Finland | 7 | 21 | 0| 0| 28

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 29 July 2018
* Game time: 20:00 EEST
* Game attendance: 1650
* Referee: Bård Beylich
* Box score

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

France | 14 | 14 | 7| 7| 42
Great Britain | 3 | 3 | 3| 0| 9

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 31 July 2018
* Game time: 20:00 EEST
* Game attendance: 428
* Referee: Øyvind Løken
* Box score

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Finland | 0 | 0 | 7| 7| 14
France | 0 | 7 | 0| 14| 21

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 2 August 2018
* Game time: 20:00 EEST
* Game attendance: 2518
* Referee: Bård Beylich
* Box score

### Finals

[edit]

5th place game

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Great Britain | 7 | 7 | 12| 7| 33
Denmark | 0 | 0 | 8| 8| 16

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 4 August 2018
* Game time: 11:00 EEST
* Game weather: Sunny, +25°C
* Game attendance: 303
* Referee:  Veikko Lamminsalo
* TV: YLE Areena
* Box score

Game information

First quarter

* GB – Dan Conroy 4-yard run (Ian Jacquet kick), 0:33. Great Britain 7–0.

Second quarter

* GB – Dan Conroy 67-yard pass from Patrick Daley (Ian Jacquet kick), 5:16. Great Britain 14–0.

Third quarter

* GB – Alex Haldane 20-yard fumble return (Kick failed), 8:34. Great Britain 20-0.
* DEN – Lasse Lykke 2-yard pass from Kasper Bolmgren (Thomas Thellufsen pass from Lasse Hansen), 2:31. Great Britain 20-8.
* GB – Josh Amis 100-yard kick-off return (Kick failed), 2:16 Great Britain 26-8

Fourth quarter

* DEN – Aske Klixbüll 8-yard pass from Kasper Bolmgren (Thomas Ashworth pass from Lasse Hansen), 8:13. Great Britain 26-16.
* GB – Ian Jacquet 20-yard pass from Patrick Daley (Ian Jacquet kick), 3:10. Great Britain 33-16

Top passers

* GB – Patrick Daley – 15/24, 257 yards, 2 TD, INT
* DEN – Kasper Bolmgren – 18/37, 210 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT

Top rushers

* GB – Omodeji Alli – 7 rushes, 43 yards
* DEN – Michel Konate – 13 rushes, 30 yards

Top receivers

* GB – Dan Conroy – 2 receptions, 85 yards, 1 TD
* DEN – Mads Christiansen – 3 receptions, 41 yards

|

Bronze medal game

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

Sweden | 0 | 6 | 15| 0| 21
Finland | 7 | 7 | 7| 14| 35

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 4 August 2018
* Game time: 15:00 EEST
* Game weather: Cloudy, +24°C
* Game attendance: 1,984
* Referee:  Bård Beylich
* TV: YLE Areena
* Box score

Game information

First quarter

* FIN – Karri Pajarinen 14-yard run (Joni-Petteri Malka kick), 9:33. Finland 7-0.

Second quarter

* FIN – Marcus Siiskonen 34-yard pass from Miro Kadmiry (Joni-Petteri Malka kick), 9:01. Finland 14-0.
* SWE – Philip Juhlin 8-yard run (Kick failed), 0:58. Finland 14-6.

Third quarter

* FIN – Veikka Lehtonen 4-yard run (Joni-Petteri Malka kick), 9:32. Finland 21-6.
* SWE – Jacob Dahre 7-yard pass from Philip Juhlin (Jacob Dahre pass from Philip Juhlin), 6:36. Finland 21-14
* SWE – Emil Knutsson 18-yard pass from Philip Juhlin (Jacob Dahre kick), 0:44. Tied 21-21.

Fourth quarter

* FIN – Karri Pajarinen 4-yard run (Joni-Petteri Malka kick), 8:08. Finland 28-21.
* FIN – Veikka Lehtonen 6-yard run (Joni-Petteri Malka kick), 1:56. Finland 35-21.

Top passers

* SWE – Philip Juhlin – 21/41, 310 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
* FIN – Miro Kadmiry – 13/18, 159 yards, TD

Top rushers

* SWE – Philip Juhlin – 13 rushes, 80 yards, TD
* FIN – Karri Pajarinen – 12 rushes, 82 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

* SWE – Jacob Dahre – 10 receptions, 122 yards, TD
* FIN – Marcus Siiskonen – 2 receptions, 41 yards, TD

|

Final

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

France | 7 | 0 | 14| 7| 28
Austria | 0 | 14 | 0| 0| 14

at Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion, Vantaa

* Date: 4 August 2018
* Game time: 18:00 EEST
* Game weather: Cloudy, +24°C
* Game attendance: 1,757
* Referee:  Øyvind Løken
* TV: YLE Areena
* Box score

Game information

First quarter

* FRA – Andrew James 34-yard pass from Paul Durand (Jefferson Alexandre kick), 2:42. France 7-0. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:18

Second quarter

* AUT – Sandro Platzgummer 41-yard run (Thomas Pichlmann kick), 10:15. Tied 7-7. Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 4:23
* AUT – Berhard Seikovits 12-yard pass from Alexander Thury (Thomas Pichlmann kick), 2:51. Austria 14-7. Drive: 4 plays, 36 yards, 1:30

Third quarter

* FRA – Jason Aguemon 49-yard run (Jefferson Alexandre kick), 9:01. Tied 14-14. Drive: 6 plays, 81 yards, 2:53
* FRA – Jerome Valbon 1-yard pass from Paul Durand (Jefferson Alexandre kick), 3:38. France 21-14. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 3:50

Fourth quarter

* FRA – Jefferson Alexandre 20-yard pass from Paul Durand (Jefferson Alexandre kick), 5:25. France 28-14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:49

Top passers

* FRA – Paul Durand – 18/27, 225 yards, 3 TD, INT
* AUT – Alexander Thury – 10/28, 85 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

* FRA – Jason Aguemon – 11 rushes, 63 yards, TD
* AUT – Sandro Platzgummer – 7 rushes, 58 yards, TD

Top receivers

* FRA – Jefferson Alexandre – 4 receptions, 54 yards, TD
* AUT – Berhard Seikovits – 5 receptions, 46 yards, TD

|

## See also

[edit]

* International Federation of American Football

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. ^ American Football International. 28 March 2018, retrieved on 1 August 2018. http://www.americanfootballinternational.com/german-american-football-clubs-will-not-change-schedule-to-accommodate-ifaf-european-championships/

## External links

[edit]

* IFAF European Championship – official Page

* v
* t
* e

European Championship of American football

Men's|

* Italy 1983
* Italy 1985
* Finland 1987
* West Germany 1989
* Finland 1991
* Italy 1993
* Austria 1995
* Italy 1997
* Germany 2000
* Germany 2001
* Sweden 2005
* Germany 2010
* Austria 2014
* Finland 2018
* Europe 2021
* Europe 2023
* Europe 2025

Junior|

* France 1992
* Germany 1994
* Germany 1996
* Germany 1998
* Germany 2000
* Great Britain 2002
* Russia 2004
* Sweden 2006
* Spain 2008
* Spain 2011
* Germany 2013
* Germany 2015
* France 2017
* Bologna 2019

Women's|

* Spain 2015

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template