Silver for Germany’s U17 Girls: Munich Spatzen Shine at the 2026 IFAF Youth Flag European Championship
Germany’s U17 Girls Take Silver in Italy
From September 24 to 26, 2026, Europe’s top young flag football talent gathered in Lido delle Nazioni, Italy. For the German U17 girls’ team, the tournament turned into a true success story.
To kick things off, Team Germany secured a decisive 42–14 victory over Austria. This was followed by a narrow 25–26 loss to Great Britain, before Germany sealed its spot in the knockout stage with a 34–13 win over Finland.
In the quarterfinals, the German team gave host Italy no chance, winning 38–13. The semifinal against the Czech Republic then turned into a real nail-biter: Germany prevailed 14–13, securing their spot in the final.
Great Britain awaited them once again in the final. Team Germany fell short 7–33 in the final but could ultimately celebrate winning the silver medal and the title of European runners-up.
Two Munich Spatzen celebrate their European runner-up title
From Munich’s perspective, the U17 European Championship was also a special success. With Jolana and Annabel, two players from the Munich Spatzen were part of the German U17 squad.
This continues a strong trend: The Spatzen have long been among the top teams in German flag football and are regularly represented on the national and international stage in both the adult and youth divisions.
The silver medal at the European Youth Championship shows that even at the youth level, players from Munich are making the leap to the highest European level.
U15 Mixed Narrowly Misses Bronze
The German U15 Mixed team also played a strong tournament. As defending champions, the team started the group stage with two wins against the Czech Republic (27–13) and Great Britain (33–0).
In the quarterfinals, Germany defeated Slovakia 26–19. The semifinal was a dramatic affair: trailing 35–36 against Team Euro Youth, they were just one point short of reaching the final once again.
Team Germany also stayed close in the bronze medal game but ultimately fell to Spain 25–32. Thus, the German U15 Mixed team finished the European Championship in a strong fourth place.
Several talented players from Bavaria were represented on the team, including Valentina from the Ingolstadt Guardians, Marlon from the Dachau Thunder, Philipp from the Franken Knights, and Magnus from the Fursty Razorbacks.
U17 Boys Fight Their Way to Ninth Place
The tournament proved more challenging for the German U17 boys’ team. In the group stage, Team Germany first lost to Great Britain 36–48 and then to Spain 19–56.
In the round of 16, they suffered a narrow 14–20 loss to France, sending Germany into the placement round. There, the team bounced back with a 32–30 victory over Poland.
In the end, the U17 boys finished in ninth place at the European Championship.
Bavaria was also represented on this team: Fynn from the Fursty Razorbacks and Seymour from Regensburg Phoenix were part of the German squad.
Strong Representation of Bavarian Flag Football Youth
The 2026 IFAF Youth European Championship demonstrated once again just how widespread flag football has become in Bavaria.
In addition to the two players from the Munich Spatzen, talented players from Ingolstadt, Dachau, Fürstenfeldbruck, Regensburg, Erlangen, Franconia, and other locations were part of the German delegation.
Bavaria was also represented on the coaching staff and among the referees. This makes it clear that the development of flag football is no longer limited to the national level but begins right in the youth programs of the clubs.
Flag football continues to grow—especially in Munich
The Youth European Championship is part of a strong year for German flag football. With the adult World Championship being held on home soil in Düsseldorf, the growing NFL Flag program, and flag football’s Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028, the sport continues to gain visibility.
Munich is also part of this trend. The Munich Spatzen are among the most successful flag football organizations in Germany and field national team players at both the adult and youth levels.
At the same time, the sport’s presence in the city continues to grow—not least thanks to the NFL, new flag football programs, and the upcoming NFL Munich Game in 2026.
Silver: A Strong Sign for the Future
With a second-place finish for the U17 girls, fourth place for the U15 mixed team, and ninth place for the U17 boys, Team Germany is bringing home valuable experience from Italy.
In particular, the silver medal won by the German U17 girls sends a strong signal for the years ahead. Two players from the Munich Spatzen were key members of this successful team.
For German and Munich flag football, the 2026 Youth European Championship demonstrates one thing above all: the next generation has already reached the international level.
