World Championship of Flag Football Underway in Lahti, Finland

The World Championship of flag football is currently being held in Lahti, Finland. The sport is gaining popularity as it has been recognized as an Olympic event for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Risto Luostarinen, chairman of the championship organizing committee, notes that flag football is still in its early stages in Finland, despite being played in schools for several decades.

Globally, there are around 20 million players in the sport, and athletes from over 30 countries have gathered for the championships in Lahti, including major flag football nations like the USA, Mexico, Austria, Italy, and Japan. Luostarinen describes flag football as the little brother of American football. “It is a non-contact version of American football, where tactics and strategy play crucial roles alongside skilled positional play.”

In American football, teams consist of 11 players, while flag football teams have just five players on a smaller field. “It’s somewhat analogous to beach volleyball versus traditional volleyball or futsal versus soccer,” Luostarinen explains.

Finland is still in the developmental stages as a flag football nation, but Luostarinen predicts the country will rank among the top 15-20 nations. Finland secured the right to host the World Championship thanks to the foresight of the sport’s federation. “We understood the importance of applying for the tournament before the sport’s inclusion in the Los Angeles Olympics was confirmed. The Olympic status has significantly raised the value of the tournament,” Luostarinen states.

With approximately 3,000 American football players in Finland, many of whom also play flag football, the future looks promising. The finals for both men’s and women’s tournaments will take place at the Lahti Sports Stadium, featuring exciting matchups: the USA vs. Austria for the men and the USA vs. Mexico for the women. Luostarinen expresses confidence in the potential for surprises in these closely contested matches.