WWC17ca PREVIEW: Mexico

Mexico enter the 2017 IFAF Women’s World Championship alongside Australia and Great Britain as first-time tournament participants.

While the nation’s women’s tackle team makes their first international tournament appearance, Mexico has a strong track record of success internationally. Mexico’s men’s national teams have medaled at nearly every tournament they’ve participated in including the IFAF U19 World Championships where they took home bronze in 2014 and 2016.

Mexico will no doubt be excited to play in their first women’s worlds contest as they face defending champs and rival, Team USA.

While they face a tough opening day matchup, Mexico should not be taken lightly as they had a talented women’s national team at the 2016 IFAF Flag Football World Championships where they captured bronze. The bronze medal game win came against defending women’s flag gold medalists, Canada, a feat Mexico hopes to repeat against their other North American neighbours, Team USA on June 24.

History of football in Mexico

American football has been played in Mexico since the early 1920s at different colleges and universities. In 1928 the first professional championship was played, and as more universities and colleges joined the championship, four categories – called fuerzas – were created. The First Fuerza became the National League in 1970, and in 1978 it was reorganized under the present league, ONEFA. Mexico has many leagues with college, junior, and youth leagues under the guidance of the country’s national federation Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Americano, A. C.

Mexico is no stranger to international competition at the collegiate age level. The Aztec Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned college Division III post-season bowl game that has been played intermittently since at least 1950. With one exception, all of the games have been played at locations in Mexico and since 1997 the bowl has featured a team of AFCA Division III All-Stars against a team of Mexican All-Stars. The Aztec Bowl is traditionally played in mid-December

This post is also available in: French