Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships are scheduled to take place in Ningbo, China, from October 23 to 27, 2025
IFAF Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships 2025
Ningbo, China • October 23-27, 2025
Hosted by the Chinese Rugby and Football Association (CRFA), the championships mark the grand finale of IFAF's 2025 Continental Series, culminating an expanded, biennial format. This significant event underscores flag football's growing momentum as the sport prepares for its landmark debut at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.
Championship Details
The championships will feature five days of intense competition at the state-of-the-art Fenghua Sports Center in Ningbo. Top male and female athletes from across Asia and Oceania will compete, not only for regional titles but also for vital qualification spots at the prestigious 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships.
The Ningbo championships follow an exciting series of continental contests held earlier in the year, including events in Cairo, Egypt (Africa Flag, June 20-21), Panama City, Panama (Americas Flag, September 14-17), and Paris, France (Euro Flag, September 25-27).
Defending Champions and Competition
Men's Division
Thailand enters as the defending champions in the men's division, having narrowly defeated New Zealand 31-25 in a gripping finale amid heavy rain in Malaysia in 2023. However, the Japanese men's team recently showcased remarkable improvement, highlighted by their dominant 42-6 victory over Australia at a summer training camp in the USA, signaling a tough road ahead for Thailand's title defense.
Women's Division
Japan, currently ranked third globally, is the reigning women's champion, after decisively beating Australia 47-27.
Emerging Teams and New Debuts
The Asia-Oceania Championships will also spotlight emerging national teams, including debuts anticipated from Jordan, Mongolia, Hong Kong, and possibly Afghanistan. The latter, featuring talent primarily based in competitive leagues across the United States, is expected to make an immediate impact.
Australia's Challenges
Australia faces significant challenges, particularly in resolving their quarterback situation. Both quarterbacks tested during the USA Summer Camp struggled to execute the team's offensive scheme effectively. Australia urgently needs to address these performance gaps and find offensive weapons quickly, as scoring consistently is crucial for competitive success.
Nations such as New Zealand, Korea, and Kuwait are intensively preparing their teams, with Saudi Arabia also a potential contender. The competition for the coveted qualification positions for the 2026 World Championships will be fierce, as only three teams per category will secure a spot among the world's top sixteen.
China's Growing Flag Football Scene
This tournament will be China's second major international flag football event, following the inclusion of women's flag football at The World Games Chengdu 2025, scheduled from August 7 to 17. The sport's rapid expansion across China underscores its rising popularity; currently, an estimated 200,000 Chinese teenagers participate in NFL Flag programs, with total participation expected to reach one million within two years.
CRFA is actively scaling its high-performance initiatives in preparation for the upcoming Olympic cycle. Since flag football's inclusion in the LA28 Olympics program in 2023, approximately 2,000 athletes and officials have participated in intensive talent identification and development camps.
Official Statements
"Bringing the Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships to China is a proud achievement and represents a significant milestone in two decades of dedicated effort to grow flag football. Our objective is clear: to present a world-class event that showcases the sport's burgeoning popularity and to provide our national teams a crucial step toward Olympic qualification."
— Wang Yun, Chairman of the CRFA
"Hosting IFAF's inaugural flag football events in China signifies a substantial advancement for our sport. We deeply value our strong partnership with the CRFA and eagerly anticipate a remarkable tournament. Watching China's national teams debut will be particularly exciting."
— Pierre Trochet, IFAF President
Looking Ahead
The Chinese women's national team will first compete internationally at The World Games in Chengdu alongside the seven top-ranked teams from the previous year's World Championships. Fans worldwide can watch the live stream from August 14 to 16 at live.worldgames.org.
As flag football continues its global ascent, the 2025 Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships promise intense competition, historical debuts, and thrilling narratives, setting the stage perfectly for the sport's Olympic future.
