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International Football Alliance

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International Football Alliance
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2025 IFA season
SportAmerican football
Founded2023
First season2025
Owner(s)Jason Bradly Adams
No. of teams6 [1]
CountryMexico and United States
Related
competitions		Direct: LFA
Other: ELF
Official websitewww.ifa.football

The International Football Alliance (IFA) is a proposed professional, outdoor, 11-man American football summer minor league that will operate internationally in both Mexico and the United States.[2][3]

The IFA's inaugural season is set to begin play in June 2025 with 6 teams - 1 team in Mexico and 5 teams in the United States (postponed from 2024).[4]

Premise

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The IFA's aim is to "deliver the highest level of American football," and "build a unified and solid American football ecosystem in Mexico,"[2] while the league mission statement reads: "The International Football Alliance mission is bridging the gap in international professional football by delivering the highest level of American Football within the locations of Mexico and the United States, implementing NFL based standard rules of play, and creating an international alliance. Together with our team ownership, teams, players, and fans, we will work to build a unified and solid football ecosystem to grow American football in Mexico".[5]

History

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The IFA was announced on January 25, 2023, in a press conference held by commissioner Juan Manuel Bladé.[2] Bladé revealed that the league will consist of 6 teams—3 in Mexico and 3 in the United States. It was later revealed that 4 of them are derived from the now-defunct Fútbol Americano de México league (Guadalajara Tequileros, Chihuahua Rebellion, Cancun Sharks and Pioneros de Querétaro who moved to Dallas and were named "Dallas Pioneers"). Dallas was the only American city announced, although the commissioner mentioned a potential additional team in El Paso.[3] In August 2023, ESPN reported that San Diego will be the sixth location, and that Art Briles and Noel Mazzone were the first coaches to be assigned to a team (Dallas Pioneers and Tequileros de Jalisco, respectively) while the league also hired Nick Rolovich and Hal Mumme.[6] In October 2023, El Paso, Texas, was removed from the official website. On November 29, 2023, the league announced Las Vegas as its second US location after the Las Vegas Kings joined from the American Indoor Football Alliance.[7][8] On December 19, 2023 the league announced its sixth team - the Gulf Coast Tarpons,[9][10] but a month later the team was removed from the league website, while adding Mexico City as "targeted Location".

The league announced tryouts for its first season in San Diego, California (July 29, 2023); Melissa, Texas (August 20, 2023); Riviera Beach, Florida (September 9, 2023);[11] Cincinnati, Ohio (October 7, 2023);[12] Fort Lauderdale, Florida (October 21, 2023);[13] Atlanta, Georgia (November 11, 2023);[14] and internationally, in Cologne, Germany, on December 10, 2023 (moved from Birmingham, England).[15] The IFA Mexico Combine was held on December 3, 2023, in Mexico City, at Patriots Field (was open to all Mexican nationals).[16]

In January, 2024 the league announced their plans to push the inaugural season to 2025, after securing only 5 teams for 2024.[4] The IFA also announced 4 more teams for 2025 in Tampa Bay, Florida (Tampa Bay Tornadoes), Huntsville, Alabama (Alabama Beavers), Portland, Oregon (under the name PDX) and Louisiana (Gulf Coast Tarpons),[17] while the later 2 would be removed from the website on later date. In June, 2024 San Antonio was announced as the league eighth team.[18] Las Vegas withdrew from the league in October, 2024 and began pursuing an Arena Football One franchise.[19] On October 25, 2024, after months of speculations, the IFA announced the 6 teams to be playing the 2025 season: Alabama, Baltimore, Dallas, San Antonio, Tampa and Chihuahua. Five days later, a seventh team named the Ohio Valley Ironmen was added.[20] Baltimore fell out with the IFA in January 2025.[21]


Teams

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The IFA has announced 6 founding member cities, 4 of which were derived from the now-defunct Fútbol Americano de México league (with the Pioneros relocating to Dallas), one "El Paso team" and additional unspecified US-based team. Commissioner Juan Manuel Bladé Cavazos stated the IFA would like to have a team in Mexico City upon procurement of a suitable ownership group. Cavazos further stated the plan is to have 10 teams by 2025, split between the 2 countries, while California and Florida are states with prospective member cities.[22]

The number and location of teams changed multiple times, which the IFA attributed to problems with finding "viable ownership".[23]

Current teams

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Team City Stadium Capacity Coach
Mexico
Chihuahua Rebellion Juárez City, Chihuahua Estadio Olímpico Universitario 22,000 Mauricio Balderrama
United States
Alabama Beavers Huntsville, Alabama Joe W. Davis Stadium[24] 6,000
Texas Pioneros[25] Georgetown, Texas Birkelbach Field 12,442 Art Briles
Tampa Tornadoes Tampa, Florida Leto High School 5,000 Stevie Thomas
San Antonio Caballeros San Antonio, Texas Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium[26] 6,000 Hal Mumme
Ohio Valley Ironmen Wheeling, West Virginia[27] Wheeling Island Stadium 12,220 Manny Matsakis

Players

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Each team will carry a 53-man roster (40 active on game day) and seven players on the practice squad, with a maximum of 20 American players (similar to the Canadian Football League),[28][3] with a goal of attracting international players. The players will be selected after participating in IFA-organized combine tryouts.[3] Each team must carry two quarterbacks on the active roster and one on the practice squad.[29] Players with dual citizenship (United States + 1 country) may be submitted against either the 20 American player cap or the 33 International player cap (per team). For the 2025 season, each team will carry 53 man roster with a minimum of 5 international players.[30]

Compensation

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Salaries were first reported as "similar" to the ELF, XFL, and USFL.[2] The league later announced that "player pay will be determined per team, with league standards are $400–$1500 per game," but the league would later stated that all players will get paid $400 per game, while only active QB's making $1500 per game.[31] During training camp the players will make $100 per-week, plus room and board.[29]

Draft

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The league announced that the Inaugural Draft will be held March 21- 22nd, 2025 in Huntsville, Alabama, and will consist of eight rounds total, with rounds 1-3 focused solely only on International and Dual Citizens, while rounds 4-8 will focus on United States-born citizens. The draft pool will include recent college graduates, professional players who received an invite after league tryout and players with experience in other professional football leagues.[32]

Coaches

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In August 2023, ESPN reported that the IFA hired former Baylor coach Art Briles as the head coach of Dallas Pioneers and the league confirmed that report later that day.[33] The same report also mentioned that Noel Mazzone will coach Tequileros de Jalisco, while Nick Rolovich will coach one of the American teams and Hal Mumme will coach one of the Mexican teams.[6] Rolovich later signed with the XFL's Seattle Sea Dragons,[34] but was let go amid the XFL-USFL merger, and was interviewed for the IFA Portland position.[35] On January 19, 2024 Adam Rita was interview for the Cancun Sharks head coaching position.[36] In January, 2024 Noel Mazzone was announced as the Head Coach for IFA Portland.[37] In June, 2024 Hal Mumme was announced as the head coach for IFA San Antonio.[38] In August 2024, Eric Marty announced he had accepted the head coaching position of a theretofore-unannounced IFA member, the Baltimore Lightning of Baltimore, Maryland, which had played the 2023 season in the Gridiron Developmental Football League. In late October, 2024 Manny Matsakis was announced as the General Manager and Head Coach of the newly joined Ohio Valley Ironmen.[39]

Media

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In September they announced that league games will be available in the US through Roku an Tubi.[40] In January 2024 the IFA announced they reached broadcast agreement with Right Now TV for over-the-air and streaming broadcasts.[41] On October 11, 2024 the league announced streaming partnership with Lights Out Sports.[42]

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ https://www.ifa.football/leagueteams
  2. ^ a b c d "Anuncian liga de futbol americano entre México y Estados Unidos". espn.com.ar (in Spanish). 15 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Announcement of new Footbal [sic] League with teams from the United States and Mexico". Marca. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Kickoff 2025". International Football Alliance.
  5. ^ "Art Briles hired to coach Dallas team in International Football Alliance". On3. 11 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Dallas' new spring football team hires ex-Baylor coach Art Briles". ESPN. 10 August 2023.
  7. ^ https://twitter.com/TheIFAFootball/status/1729895920903623084
  8. ^ "Las Vegas Kings Football Team Joins the International Football Alliance". PRLog.
  9. ^ "International Football Alliance Announces New Expansion with Gulf Coast Tarpons for the 2025". PR.
  10. ^ "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report January 15, 2024". OurSports Central. 15 January 2024.
  11. ^ "IFA Official Contract Camps". International Football Alliance.
  12. ^ "IFA Cincinnati tryouts". 4K Football Live.
  13. ^ "Florida Registration". International Football Alliance.
  14. ^ "Atlanta Registration". International Football Alliance.
  15. ^ "Cologne, Germany Registration". International Football Alliance.
  16. ^ "Mexico National Combine Registration". International Football Alliance.
  17. ^ "Meet The Teams". International Football Alliance.
  18. ^ "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". OurSports Central.
  19. ^ offthewallfbpod (2024-10-22). "So how about this Las Vegas Kings situation, huh?". OffTheWallFB. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  20. ^ "New professional outdoor football team coming to the Ohio Valley". WTRF.
  21. ^ Lathrop, Michael (2025-01-08). "Baltimore Lightning Exit International Football Alliance (IFA) Over Concerns". Pro Football Newsroom. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  22. ^ "La International Football Alliance unirá a equipos de México y Estados Unidos". YouTube.com (in Spanish).
  23. ^ 🚨 Big News! We’re thrilled to welcome the Ohio Valley Ironmen into the International Football Alliance for the 2025 season! International Football Alliance via Facebook. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  24. ^ "Huntsville named official home of Alabama Beavers". WAAY31.
  25. ^ "Episode 150 – XFL vs. USFL: Talent "Arms Race"!". TheMarkcast.com.
  26. ^ https://www.instagram.com/caballeros_ifa/p/C-8F5sVPv2-/?locale=en%2F&hl=af
  27. ^ "Ohio Valley Ironmen introduce themselves in meet-and-greet". The Times Leader.
  28. ^ "El Comisionado Juan Manuel Blade en Hi Sports (Parte 2)". YouTube.
  29. ^ a b "Spring Football Returns To Las Vegas In 2024". youtube.com.
  30. ^ "Hal Mumme - 6/12/2024". youtube.com.
  31. ^ "Frequently asked questions". International Football Alliance.
  32. ^ "Draft 2025". International Football Alliance.
  33. ^ Williams, Madison (August 13, 2023). "Ex-Baylor Coach Art Briles Hired by New Football League". SI.com.
  34. ^ Lyons, Matt (2023-09-14). "Nick Rolovich Named Seattle Sea Dragons New OC". xflnewshub.com. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  35. ^ "🚨 Ex @WSUCougarFB Head Coach Nick Rolovich has been in talks with IFA Portland management about the HC vacancy". X.
  36. ^ "🚨 Ex @TorontoArgos General Manager and Head Coach Adam Rita has interviewed with IFA Sharks management about the HC vacancy". X.
  37. ^ "🚨📰 Breaking News The International Football Alliance will name former Jets WR Coach Noel Mazzone as the Head Coach for IFA Portland". IFA.
  38. ^ "Hal Mumme Set to Coach in the International Football Alliance (IFA)". Pro Football Newsroom.
  39. ^ "International Football Alliance Announces New Addition Of Ohio Valley Ironmen". The Intelligencer.
  40. ^ "Our League is for the Players, Fans, and Communities...with that, we added two more American and International streaming platforms you can be seen on, watch on, and enjoy! Building an ecosystem of Professional International Football you players and fans can enjoy and be proud of!". IFA.
  41. ^ "International Football Alliance Reaches Broadcast Agreement with Right Now TV". FOX40. 23 January 2024.
  42. ^ https://x.com/TheIFAFootball/status/1844791196771590442
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