Women's gridiron football, more commonly known as women's tackle football, women's American football, women's Canadian football, or simply women's football, is a form of gridiron football played by women. Most leagues play by similar rules to the men's game. Women primarily play on a semi-professional or amateur level in the United States. Very few high schools or colleges offer the sport solely for women and girls. However, on occasion, it is permissible for a female player to join the otherwise male team.
Flag football is a variant of gridiron football where, instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier ("deflagging") to end a down. In flag football, contact is limited between players. The sport has a strong amateur following with several national and international competitions each year sponsored by various associations but is most popularly played in America where it was invented. The international governing body for the sport is the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). In 2022, flag football was shortlisted as a proposed discretionary event for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, with inclusion being accepted on October 16, 2023.
The IFAF World Championship of Football is an international gridiron competition held every four years and contested by teams representing member nations. The competition is run by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the international governing body for the sport. Seventy-one nations have a national American football team. The most recent tournament, in 2015, featured seven teams.
The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) is the international governing body of American football associations. The IFAF oversees the organisation and promotion of all international competitions across both contact and non contact versions of the game, including the IFAF World Championship of American Football, which is held every four years. The IFAF became a provisionary member of SportAccord in 2003, and became a full SportAccord member in 2005. The organization's head office is located in the French commune of La Courneuve, in the Île-de-France region.
IFAF Europe is the governing body of American football in Europe. It is a member of the International Federation of American Football. IFAF Europe replaced the European Federation of American Football (EFAF) which had begun in 1976 as the American European Football Federation (AEFF).
The United States national American football team often referred to as Team USA represents the United States in international men's Flag football and American football competitions. It is currently controlled by USA Football and is recognized by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The team is currently ranked no.1 in the world in both flag and tackle Football by the IFAF.
American Football Association of Finland is the national governing body of American football in Finland. It was founded in 1979 and it is a founding member of the European Federation of American Football, EFAF and International Federation of American Football, IFAF. Since 2000, American football has grown steadily. In 2006 there were 27 clubs playing the sport with over 100 teams and over 1400 players. In 2012, the association's competitions fielded over 150 teams with more than 2200 licensed players.
The IFAF Women's World Championship is the international championship for women in American football. The first event was held in 2010, in Stockholm, Sweden, with six countries competing. The United States took home the gold while not letting any team they played score. The second event was held in 2013, with Vantaa, Finland, hosting the games. The United States swept the competitors again, winning the gold medal. Third event was played in 2017 with Canada as the host nation. The U.S. took the gold medal for the third time, again beating the host nation Canada in the final.
American football was featured in the Summer Olympic Games demonstration programme in 1904 and 1932. College football was played at the 1904 Olympics, which was played at Francis Field, but was, in reality, college teams playing each other as part of their regular seasons. The sport was eventually played officially as a demonstration sport only once, in 1932. Though American football has not been played in the Olympics since then, various American football players have participated in the Olympics. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) oversees the IFAF World Championship, which is an international tournament, which itself is held every four years.
The Canada Men's National Football Team represent Canada in Senior Men's international gridiron football competitions. It is governed and managed by Football Canada and is recognized by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). Football Canada is the governing body for amateur Canadian football, however, IFAF-sponsored games are played using American football rules. They competed for their first and only IFAF World Championship in 2011.
The World Curling Championships are the annual world championships for curling, organized by the World Curling Federation and contested by national championship teams. There are men's, women's and mixed doubles championships, as well as men's and women's versions of junior and senior championships. There is also a world championship for wheelchair curling. The men's championship started in 1959, while the women's started in 1979. The mixed doubles championship was started in 2008. Since 2005, the men's and women's championships have been held in different venues, with Canada hosting one of the two championships every year: the men's championship in odd years, and the women's championship in even years. Canada has dominated both the men's and women's championships since their inception, although Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Scotland, the United States, Norway and China have all won at least one championship.
The Great Britain national American football team, known as the GB Lions represents the UK in international gridiron. It is controlled by the British American Football Association.
The Canada National Football Junior Team a.k.a. the Football Canada World Junior Team represent Canada in international gridiron football competitions. The football program is part of the football development program and is controlled by Football Canada and is recognized by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). It is the premiere team in male development for the organization. While Football Canada is the governing body for amateur Canadian football, IFAF-sponsored games are played using American football rules. Team Canada first competed on the world stage in the NFL Global Junior Championship in 2000 with a championship victory over Team Europe. They competed for their first IFAF Junior World Cup in 2009.
The United States women's national American football team represents the United States in international women's American football competitions. It is currently ranked no.1 in the IFAF. It is controlled by USA Football and is recognized by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF).
The flag football competition at the 2022 World Games took place in July 2022, in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States.
The IFAF Junior World Championship or IFAF World Junior Championship is a biennial competition for American football which ran from 2009 to 2020 and was the precursor of the quadrennial IFAF U20 World Cup with the first event played in 2024 in Edmonton, Canada.
The Great Britain women's national American football team are the official American football senior national team of Great Britain.
The 2028 Summer Olympics will introduce the sport of flag football for the first time. Two events, one for men and one for women, will be held. Flag football, a non-contact variant of American football in which players remove flags attached to the ball carrier instead of tackling them, was previously contested at the 2022 World Games and will be featured at the 2025 World Games.
The United States women's national flag football team represents the United States in women's international flag football matches. The sport is governed by USA Football. In 2023, the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) ranked the United States women's team 1st worldwide.
The Mexico women's national flag football team represents Mexico in women's international flag football matches. The sport is governed by the Mexican American Football Federation. In 2023, the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) ranked the Mexico women's team 2nd worldwide.
United States (men) 
Mexico (women; 3 titles)
