American football is extremely popular and continues to grow, with fans watching the sport around the globe.
There are leagues in several countries, led of course by the NFL in the United States.
But are there national teams? DAZN takes a look.
Are there national teams in American football?
National teams for American football do exist.
The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) is the sport's international governing body, and it organizes a world championship for the 71 countries that have a national team.
Created in 1998, the IFAF " is responsible for all regulatory, competition, performance and development aspects of the game on a global level."
According to its website, IFAF's mission includes "[t]he recognition and support of national federations as they develop the game in their respective countries."
IFAF recognizes Canada as the first American football federation formed outside of the United States, although the North American country calls its three-down version Canadian football.
Is there an American football World Cup?
As noted, IFAF organizes the World Championship of Football (also known as the IFAF World Cup).
Here are the champions of each edition:
- 1999: Japan
- 2003: Japan
- 2007: United States
- 2011: United States
- 2015: United States
The next event is scheduled for 2025.