BRITAIN NAMES SQUADS FOR FIRST OLYMPIC QUALIFIER
Great Britain have confirmed the 24 players who will carry the nation’s first Olympic ambitions into this month’s IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf.
The men’s and women’s tournaments, staged from August 13–16, offer the first direct route to the sport’s Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028. With host nation United States already assured of its places, the two highest-finishing eligible countries in each competition will also qualify for the Games. That opportunity gives Düsseldorf consequences beyond the pursuit of a world title, particularly for a Great Britain women’s programme that has established itself among the leading challengers to the dominant North American nations.
Ranked third in the world and winners of the past two European championships, GB have retained much of the group that also competed at last year’s World Games. Phoebe Schecter, Jessica Allen, Jochebed Frimpong and Emily Kemp are among the established players returning for another major tournament, while quarterback Brittany Botterill is back after missing recent international action through injury.
Botterill’s return provides a timely reinforcement for an offense facing a demanding group schedule. Britain have been drawn alongside Austria, France and China, with France providing familiar opposition from the European circuit and Austria possessing considerable experience at international level.
Centre Angelica Tait is the only player selected for her first senior tournament, while former GB women’s contact wide receiver Jessica Anderson makes the transition into the flag programme. Grace Conway, Hannah Elliott, Marta Mathews, Abi Snelson and Ellie Thorpe complete a roster whose continuity reflects Britain’s recent success.
The women begin against France on August 13th before facing China later that day and Austria the following morning. Reaching the knockout rounds would be expected of a team carrying genuine medal ambitions, but securing one of the two available Olympic places may require Britain to progress deep into a field containing both defending world champions United States and world number one Mexico.
Great Britain’s men arrive in Germany from a different position. Their fourth-place finish at the 2025 European Championships placed them on the fringes of the continental medals, prompting a more substantial refresh ahead of the world tournament.
Five players have been added to the squad, led by quarterback Christian Strong and wide receiver Luke Sweeney. Darius ‘Frost’ Williams joins the defensive backfield alongside NFL Academy graduates Enriqué Aspinall and Jayden Smith, giving Britain two young defenders already accustomed to working within an elite development environment.
Spencer Brown, Andrew ‘AJ’ Carr, Joe Cotterill, Oliver Dyer, Liam Harper, David Mcinally and Ben Schneller join by Strong, Sweeney, Aspinall, Williams and Smith on the final 12-man roster.
The men have been placed in a heavily European Group D alongside Italy, France and Panama. Italy arrive as the reigning continental champions, while France will offer an immediate measure of Britain’s progress since last year’s fourth-place finish. Panama provide the group’s only opposition from outside Europe and another obstacle to the knockout phase.
With only six nations per gender able to compete at LA28, the margin for error throughout the qualification process is narrow. Countries missing out in Düsseldorf will still have another route through the later Olympic Qualifier Series, but Britain’s women in particular will view the World Championships as an opportunity to secure their place at the earliest attempt.
Both tournaments will be shown live through DAZN, IFAF’s global broadcast partner.
GREAT BRITAIN WOMEN
Jessica Allen
Jessica Anderson
Brittany Botterill
Grace Conway
Hannah Elliott
Jochebed Frimpong
Emily Kemp
Marta Mathews
Phoebe Schecter
Abi Snelson
Angelica Tait
Ellie Thorpe
GREAT BRITAIN MEN
Enriqué Aspinall
Spencer Brown
Andrew ‘AJ’ Carr
Joe Cotterill
Oliver Dyer
Liam Harper
David Mcinally
Ben Schneller
Jayden Smith
Christian Strong
Luke Sweeney
Darius ‘Frost’ Williams
Image courtesy BAFA/Andy Keith