2026 US Women's Flag Football National Team Announced
USA Football announced the 2026 Flag Football National Team rosters, which will compete at the upcoming IFAF World Championships in August. The women's roster will be led by head coach Saaid Mortazavi and assistants Mary Kate Beach and Matthew Hernandez. 12 women made the roster, and another 6 were named as alternates.
Akemi Higa (QB) is one of five players who will debut for the national team on the main 12-woman roster. Higa will begin her college career at the NAIA's Nevada State University in the 2026-27 academic year.
Ashlea Klam (C/DB) will make the national team for a 4th time. Klam spent the previous three seasons at the NAIA's Keiser University (FL), earning All-American honors. She also won the inaugural NAIA Player of the Year award this past season. Klam will transfer to NCAA Division I Cal Poly SLO for the 2026-27 academic year.
Brooklin Hill (WR/Athlete) will also be making her debut on the national team roster. Hill spent the 2025 season at the NAIA's University of Saint Mary in Kansas before transferring to Nevada State University for the 2026 season.
Deliah Autry-Jones (LB/DB) will spend a 6th year on the roster. She played flag football collegiately on a pair of NCAA Division I club teams at the University of South Florida from 2013 through 2016 and at Florida A&M University from 2017 through 2018.
Izzy Geraci (DB/WR) will make the national team for the 3rd time. Geraci was a basketball player in college, spending her first four years at NCAA D-I Cleveland State University (OH) from 2018 through 2022. She transferred to the University of South Carolina Upstate for the 202-23 season before embarking on a flag football career.
Kendra Meredith (DB/Rusher) will make her debut on the roster. She played college basketball at NCAA Division II Southern Connecticut State University from 2015 through 2016. She transferred to D-III Gettysburg College (PA) for the 2016-17 academic year to finish her career, winning the Centennial Conference and making the tournament in 2018.
Kennedy Foster (WR/DB) will make the roster for a 3rd time. Foster spent five years at the NAIA's Keiser University (FL) from 2021 through 2025. She was a five-time All-Sun Conference selection, setting the initial school records for receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and all-purpose yards.
Laneah Bryan (DB/WR) will play her 4th year on the senior national team. She did not play college flag football, but competed on the women's basketball team at D-I University of New Mexico from 2014 through 2018.
Loryn Goodwin (S/WR) will make her debut on the national team. Goodwin did not play flag football in college, but played NCAA Division I basketball. She started at the University of North Texas and later transferred to Butler University (IN) and the University of Texas at San Antonio. She ultimately finished her career at Oklahoma State University, where she earned First Team All-Big 12, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, and All-Big 12 Defensive Team honors.
Maci Joncich (WR/QB) will make the national team roster for a third year. Joncich plays for the NCAA D-I University of Florida women's flag football club team, which has won NIRSA titles in all three of her years on the team.
Madison Fulford (WR) will spend a 4th year on the national team roster. Fulford did not play collegiate flag football, but she competed in track and field at NCAA D-II Limestone University (SC) from 2013 through 2017.
Nykeeta Christopher (DB/WR) will make her debut for the national team. She played tackle football in high school and professionally for the Miami Fury.
Alternates
Amber Clark-Robinson (S/DB) is on the national team for a fourth time, this one as an alternate. Clark was the flag football head coach at the NAIA's University of Saint Mary (KS) for the 2023 through 2025 seasons and is currently prepping NCAA D-II Saginaw Valley State University (MI) for its first season in the 2026-27 academic year.
Ashley Edwards (DB) makes the roster for a fourth year. She played rec flag football in college and eventually joined a coed league in San Antioni, Texas.
Brianna Hernandez-Silva (Athlete) will make the national team roster for a third time. She played college flag football at NAIA Kansas Wesleyan University in 2022 and 2023. She was named the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Offensive Player of the Year for both seasons. In 2024, she transferred to Keiser University (FL), earning First Team All-Sun Conference honors at running back.
London Jenkins (Rusher/WR) returns to the national team for a second time. Jenkins spent two years at the NJCAA's Florida Gateway College, winning national titles in 2025 and 2026. Jenkins has been one of the most prolific and dominant collegiate players during her time at FGC, which has led to multiple D-I offers to continue her college career.
O'Mariah Gordon (WR/LB) will make her national team debut as an alternate. She played college basketball at NCAA Division I Florida State University for four seasons before returning to flag football. Gordon was part of the 2026 NAIA champions at Warner University (FL) for the 2026 season.
Valentina Fanetti (QB) will be on the roster for the second year. Fanetti played college flag football at the NAIA's Keiser University (FL) in 2024 and 2025, winning the conference title both seasons. She played for the club team at D-I Florida Atlantic University during the 2025-26 academic year.
Men's Roster Announced
USA Football also announced the men's 12-man roster, which includes 6 alternates. Jorge Cascudo is the head coach of the men's team. He is joined by Willy Perez, head coach of Baker University's (KS) women's flag football team, and Rudy Fernandez, the offensive coordinator for the women's flag football team at Nevada State University.
The men's team is full of familiar flag football names, including Aamir Brown, Darrell "Housh" Doucette III, and Velton Brown Jr. Justin McMullen is the only player on the men's 12-man roster who will debut. Three alternates also made the national team for the first time.
The Road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
The men's and women's national teams will compete at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship in August. The tournament will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from Thursday, August 13, through Sunday, August 16. Those games will be broadcast on DAZN, following a media rights deal between the IFAF and DAZN. The US men's team has won the five previous IFAF World Championships, while the women have won the last three World titles.
In 2027, the IFAF will hold its Continental Championships. The Americas Continental Flag Football Championship date has not been set. The US Men's team won the 2023 final against Mexico, 40-36. The 2025 final was cancelled, resulting in both the US and Mexico being declared co-champions. The US women won 26-21 over Mexico in 2023, while the 2025 women's tournament saw Mexico defeat the US in the semifinals. Mexico held a 12-0 lead in the 2025 final when the game was suspended due to severe weather, which led to Mexico being declared the champion over Canada.
The ultimate destination is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which will feature 6 teams for both the men's and women's tournaments. The US has already qualified as the Olympic host, leaving five spots available. The top two non-US teams from the men's and women's tournaments at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship will qualify for the 2028 Olympics.
The final three spots will be determined in the 10-team Olympic Qualifier Series, which will take place between April and June 2028. The exact date and location have not been confirmed. The Series will feature the top 2 teams from the 2027 Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania Championships. The top three teams from the men's and women's Olympic Qualifier Series will compete in the 2028 Olympics.
Flag football is scheduled for the first week of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with games taking place at Exposition Park Stadium. The men's medal contests will be at 6 PM Pacific Time on Friday, July 21, followed by the women's medal games at 1 PM Pacific Time on Saturday, July 22.