USA Football Names 2026 National Team Rosters
Forty-eight of the nation's best flag football players, including Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, have been invited to training camp at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center as USA Football begins the process of selecting final 12-athlete rosters for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The 2026 U.S. Women's Flag National Team roster features reigning world champions and rising college stars. (USA Football / Under Armour)
The 2026 U.S. Men's Flag National Team includes former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III alongside defending world champions. (USA Football / Under Armour)
At a Glance
- USA Football has announced initial 24-person rosters for both the men's and women's flag football national teams, built from returning 2025 national team members and 12 new athletes selected through trials held March 19-22. All 24 athletes will attend training camps on April 16-19 and May 21-24 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center before rosters are trimmed to 12 for the World Championships in Dusseldorf.
- The rosters blend reigning IFAF Flag Football World Champions with new talent, including former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL first overall pick Robert Griffin III on the men's side and former WNBA draft pick Loryn Goodwin on the women's side.
- The 2026 World Championships in Dusseldorf represent the most direct qualification pathway to flag football's Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where six teams per gender will compete for gold.
The Road to Dusseldorf
USA Football, the sport's National Governing Body, has assembled what Senior Director of High Performance Callie Brownson called the product of "the most competitive trials process USA Football has ever seen." The trials, held March 19-22, produced 12 new selections per roster who join returning 2025 national team members and alternates. All 48 athletes will attend training camps at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, the 155-acre Olympic and Paralympic training site in San Diego County, on April 16-19 and May 21-24.
Following the second training camp in May, a Selection Committee of coaches, scouts, and USA Football personnel will trim both rosters from 24 to 18. Those 18 will advance to a third training camp in June, after which USA Football will name final 12-athlete rosters and alternates for both teams. Those 24 athletes will represent the United States at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany, scheduled for August 13-16, where 32 teams across both genders will compete at the Bezirkssportanlage Koblenzer Strasse, a dedicated flag football complex opened in partnership between the City of Dusseldorf and the NFL's New England Patriots.
Both U.S. teams enter as defending world champions. The men captured their fifth consecutive world title at the 2024 championships in Lahti, Finland, defeating Austria 53-21 in the gold medal match with a perfect 7-0 record. The women claimed their third straight crown with a 31-18 victory over Mexico, going 8-0 through the tournament. But the stakes in Dusseldorf extend well beyond the medal stand: the top two finishers in each gender (excluding the United States, which automatically qualifies as host) earn direct berths to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where flag football will make its debut as a medal sport with six teams per gender.
2026 U.S. Men's Flag Football National Team Roster
The 2026 U.S. Men's National Team features a mix of seasoned international competitors and newcomers, headlined by the addition of former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III. Head Coach Jorge Cascudo, himself a legendary flag football quarterback who won gold medals in 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018 before transitioning to coaching, leads the squad alongside assistants Willy Perez and Rudy Fernandez.
Named team captain alongside Darrell Doucette for 2026. Brown recorded a pick-six off Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts at the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic in March 2026, where Team USA went 3-0 against teams of NFL stars. A veteran of multiple national team cycles, Brown is one of the roster's most dependable two-way players.
An Oak Ridge High School product from Orlando, Brown has been a national team mainstay since 2023, when he helped the U.S. win the first IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship with a 40-36 victory over Mexico. Known by the nickname "Boomin" for his ability to create explosive plays, Brown is a cousin of Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph.
A gold medalist and defensive playmaker, Calhoun picked off Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow at the 2026 Fanatics Flag Football Classic. He began playing flag football approximately three years ago and has rapidly established himself as one of the sport's most cerebral defenders.
A product of Palmer Trinity School in Miami, Casares is a two-time Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Second Team All-Dade selection who transitioned from tackle football to flag. At the 2026 Fanatics Flag Football Classic, he completed 24 of 27 passes for 332 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Casares was a 2024 national team alternate before earning a spot on the active roster for 2026.
Daniels played college football at West Virginia University, appearing in eight games in 2017 with 31 tackles and seven pass breakups before earning an invitation to the Cleveland Browns' rookie minicamp. He has been a national team member since 2024. Daniels currently works as a personal trainer in Miami.
Davis brings one of the most unconventional paths on the roster. Born in Oakland, he launched his professional football career overseas with the Munich Cowboys of the German Football League in 2014, then earned GFL MVP honors with the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes in 2015. Davis transitioned to flag football through a local Austin league and caught the eye of national team coaches at a Nashville tournament in 2024, which led to a roster spot with the Dallas Ocelots of the AFFL.
A Sandalwood High School product from Jacksonville, Davis has been a national team fixture since 2023 and is pursuing his third gold medal with Team USA. He was part of the 2024 championship squad that dominated in Lahti.
The co-captain (alongside Aamir Brown) is the emotional and competitive heartbeat of the men's program. Nicknamed "Housh" for his resemblance to NFL receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Doucette led the amateur team Fighting Cancer to the first American Flag Football League championship in 2018, earning MVP honors in a 26-6 final victory over a team of professional athletes and NFL players. He is a multi-time world champion (2021, 2022 World Games, 2024) and was named MVP of the 2026 Fanatics Flag Football Classic.
A former Texas Tech wide receiver, High put up 509 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in seven games at the 2024 World Championship in Finland. He added five receptions for 62 yards and two scores in the USA vs. Mexico exhibition at Super Bowl LX in February 2026. High currently works as an 18-wheeler truck driver in the Lubbock area and uses paid time off to compete in flag football, a detail that underscores the grassroots commitment of these athletes.
Originally from Pompano Beach, Kennedy has been on the national team since 2023 and holds three gold medals. He and childhood friend Laderrick "Pablo" Smith, who he met in little league, have been undefeated together in international competition.
A Blanche Ely High School product who played at Northwest Missouri State (2013-2015), Smith is a reigning world champion and three-time gold medalist. He plays for Kingz Of Vibez in the club circuit and is the player who first introduced Kennedy to competitive flag football.
Known as "Flash," Theard made his national team debut in 2025 and competed at the 2026 Fanatics Flag Football Classic. He continues to build his international resume heading into his second year with the program.
Bickley began playing flag football in March 2024 and developed rapidly under the coaching of Pat Alley, learning from gold medalist Isaiah Calhoun along the way. He earned an alternate spot on the 2025 roster and has now advanced to the 24-person training camp squad.
A 2025 alternate, Coleman brings quarterback versatility to the training camp roster. He will compete for one of the limited signal-caller spots against Casares, Doucette, Griffin, and Price.
A Chowan University product, Hernandez is a two-year national team veteran who won the 2023 USA Football Sportsmanship Award. He earned gold at the 2023 IFAF Americas Continental Championship and returns to compete for a spot on the final 12.
Howard played at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California, where he won the 2019 Northern League Championship. A Miami Palmetto Senior High School product who transitioned from running back to wide receiver, Howard was a 2025 alternate now competing for a full roster spot.
The highest-profile addition to either roster, Griffin is the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner out of Baylor University and the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by Washington. He won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and set league records for highest rookie passer rating before injuries altered his NFL trajectory. Griffin has publicly committed to pursuing Olympic gold in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Cascudo is one of the most accomplished figures in flag football history. As a player, he won gold medals at the 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018 IFAF Flag World Championships during a legendary career that spanned from 1996 to 2018. As head coach since 2022, he has led the men's program through an undefeated international stretch that includes gold at the 2022 World Games, the 2023 Americas Championship, and the 2024 World Championship (53-21 over Austria). He previously coached Panama's men's team to a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships in Jerusalem.
McMullen played cornerback at Western Carolina University after attending Booker T. Washington High School in Miami. He brings college defensive back experience to a roster that values versatility at the center and defensive back positions.
A new addition to the national team, Oquendo earned his roster spot through the March 2026 trials process.
Powell is a new selection from the trials process, adding depth to the rush and wide receiver positions from the South Florida flag football scene.
Despite being new to the 2026 cycle, Price is a three-time gold medalist who won at the 2021 World Championships in Jerusalem (44-41 over Mexico), the 2022 World Games in Birmingham (46-36 over Italy), and the 2024 World Championships in Finland. He works in residential construction and serves as a strength and conditioning coach for the baseball team at West Nassau High School near Jacksonville. His nickname "Bobo" was given to him by a baseball coach at Nassau High School.
Smith played wide receiver at the University of Missouri before attending the Kansas City Chiefs' 2022 rookie minicamp. He starred in arena league football with the KC Goats, recording 11 receptions, 133 yards, and six touchdowns in his first game while earning Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Blair is a new addition from the Kansas City flag football scene who earned his training camp invitation through the March 2026 trials.
2026 U.S. Women's Flag Football National Team Roster
The 2026 U.S. Women's National Team is coached by Saaid Mortazavi (Miami, Fla.) with assistants Mary Kate Beach (Charlotte, N.C.) and Matthew Hernandez (Tampa, Fla.). The roster features a core of world championship veterans alongside college stars and elite multi-sport athletes making the transition to flag football.
One of the roster's most decorated and experienced players. She holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (2020) and has competed on the national team since her debut at the 2021 World Championship. She is a three-time gold medalist and one-time silver medalist in international play, and she played club flag football at both the University of South Florida and Florida A&M University. Off the field, she founded the Camp13 non-profit organization and serves as an assistant flag football coach at Robinson High School in Tampa.
Bryan transitioned to flag football from college basketball at the University of New Mexico. She tried out for the national team in 2023 and made the roster for the 2024 World Championship in Finland, where she recorded an interception in the 31-18 gold medal victory over Mexico.
A two-time gold medalist, Clark-Robinson recorded five interceptions and 18 passes defended at the 2024 World Championship. She previously played for the Atlanta Steam of the Legends Football League from 2016 to 2019 before finding flag football. She currently serves as head women's flag football coach at the University of Saint Mary in Kansas.
Edwards has been on the national team since her 2023 debut and won gold at the 2024 World Championship. She also competed at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, where the women's team earned a silver medal in a 26-21 loss to Mexico on the game's final play.
Originally from Concord, North Carolina, Fulford competed in NCAA Division II track and field at Limestone University before joining the national team in January 2022. She recorded 33 receptions for 578 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023, including four scores in the gold medal game at the Americas Championship. She founded MAD Skills Training in 2023, a youth flag football skills development program, and has spoken publicly about her aspirations for the 2028 Olympics.
Geraci played basketball at Cleveland State and USC Upstate before transitioning to flag football, which she first picked up at age seven. She debuted with the national team at the 2024 World Championship in Finland, catching six passes for 45 yards and a touchdown in the championship game. At the 2025 World Games, she co-led the team with Fulford at 10 touchdowns.
Born April 13, 1999, in Las Vegas, Hernandez-Silva had her high school jersey (#16) retired at Bonanza High School. She was a two-time KCAC Offensive Player of the Year and Co-Player of the Year at Kansas Wesleyan University before transferring to Keiser University. She made her international debut at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu on the final 12-woman roster.
The youngest player on either roster, Jenkins is a Fleming Island High School standout who was named 2024 Jaguars PREP Player of the Year after a senior season that included 14 interceptions, 780 rushing yards, and 440 receiving yards. She currently plays at Florida Gateway College (NJCAA), where she earned FCSAA Defensive Player of the Year honors as a freshman with 61 tackles, 18 pass breakups, nine interceptions, and four defensive touchdowns.
One of the most dynamic players on either roster, Joncich became the youngest player in U.S. Women's National Team history when she debuted at the 2024 World Championship at age 17. Her stat line in Finland was remarkable: 26-of-32 passing for 239 yards and six touchdowns, 12 catches for 99 yards and three touchdowns, and 113 rushing yards with three more scores. She currently plays at the University of Florida, where she has won back-to-back NIRSA National Championships (2024, 2025) and was named 2024 NIRSA Championship MVP with 12 catches and three touchdowns in a 32-0 title game.
Klam became the youngest player on the women's national team at age 19 in 2023 and has been named to the roster three consecutive years. She is currently a Sports Management major at Keiser University, where she recorded 17 solo flag pulls and seven interceptions across 19 games in 2024 while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She won gold in the 31-18 championship game over Mexico at the 2024 Worlds.
The most decorated player on either roster, Krouch holds an international record of 33-1 and four gold medals (2018 and 2021 World Championships, 2023 Americas Championship, 2024 World Championship). A PE teacher at La Villita Elementary School in Irving, Texas, Krouch has been called "the Tom Brady of flag football" and was a finalist for 2025 World Games Athlete of the Year. She has been playing flag football since 2006 and serves as captain of the women's national team. She has collaborated with the Dallas Cowboys on girls' flag football league development and serves as a brand ambassador for Gridiron Football.
Orsborn has been named to the national team three consecutive years (2023, 2024, 2025) and won gold at the 2024 World Championship in Finland as part of the final 18-athlete roster. She currently plays at Ottawa University in Kansas, where she earned First Team All-KCAC honors at running back. In 2025, she recorded 22 receptions for 219 yards and three touchdowns with 68 rushing yards.
A sophomore at Keiser University, Fanetti has been named to the national team three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026). She was MVP of the 2024 NFL FLAG Championships 18U Girls division as a member of the Staten Island Giants. At Keiser, she has thrown four touchdown passes and added one rushing touchdown this season.
Christopher is a new addition from the South Florida flag football pipeline, earning her roster spot through the March 2026 national team trials.
A sophomore at Warner University, Finley was named 2025 SUN Conference Offensive Player of the Year after recording 103 receptions for 1,185 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding four flag pulls and four interceptions on defense. Before college, she earned 2022 NYC Champion, 2022 Offensive Player of the Year, 2023 MVP, and the 2023 PSAL Wingate Award in New York City high school competition.
A Keiser University product and five-time All-Sun Conference selection who holds the school record with 1,617 receiving yards on 168 receptions. She debuted with the national team in 2023 and won gold at the 2024 World Championship. She currently works as a seasonal assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs' Sports Management department.
Goodwin brings elite multi-sport credentials as a former second-round WNBA draft pick by the Dallas Wings and All-Big 12 honoree in basketball. She played at North Texas, Butler, UTSA, and Oklahoma State before transitioning to flag football. Her brother Jayden plays football at Air Force, and her cousin Marquise played in the NFL.
Gordon was the starting point guard at Florida State University, where she led the Seminoles into the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2024-2025. She is now pursuing a master's degree in business at Warner University while playing flag football, recording six touchdown catches and seven interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) on defense this season.
A Spruce Creek High School product from Daytona Beach, Herb was named Best Defensive Back at Spruce Creek before moving on to Thomas University, where she currently plays as a sophomore.
One of the youngest players on the roster, Higa led Nevada with 5,764 passing yards in her senior season at Desert Oasis High School and holds the school record with 17,755 career passing yards and 292 touchdown passes. She moved from Hawaii to Las Vegas to pursue flag football and plays alongside her twin sister Akiko, her primary wide receiver. Higa was a member of the Under-17 U.S. national team, where she won multiple gold medals. She is committed to Nevada State University.
A Desert Oasis High School product and teammate of Higa's, Hill is part of the Las Vegas APEX Predators flag football program. She currently plays at Nevada State University and has been featured in NFL FLAG promotional content.
McMahan plays for the St. Louis Slam of the Women's Professional Flag Football Alliance and was named 2025 WFA American Conference MVP as a wide receiver.
Meredith earned her spot on the initial roster through the March 2026 trials process, adding depth from the Mid-Atlantic region.
Another product of Nevada's thriving high school flag football scene, Phillips played at Liberty High School in Henderson, where she threw for 5,362 yards and 84 touchdowns as a sophomore and 4,282 yards and 68 touchdowns as a state-championship-winning freshman. She holds a career record that includes over 9,600 passing yards and 150-plus touchdowns. Phillips currently plays at Nevada State University.
The Training Camp Gauntlet
The athletes have already survived the first cut: the March 19-22 national team trials that Brownson described as the most competitive in USA Football history. Now comes the evaluation phase. All 24 athletes on each roster will attend two training camps in April and May at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, the largest Olympic and Paralympic training site in the United States. The 155-acre facility adjacent to Lower Otay Reservoir has hosted training for athletes in archery, beach volleyball, rowing, rugby, and dozens of other disciplines since it opened in 1995 as the first Olympic Training Center master-planned from the ground up.
The coaching staffs and Selection Committees will evaluate not only physical talent but chemistry, football IQ, and versatility. The quarterback competition on the men's side is particularly loaded: Doucette, Casares, Griffin, Coleman, and Price all bring different skill sets and levels of international experience. On the women's side, Krouch's 33-1 international record makes her the clear incumbent, but Fanetti, Higa, Joncich, and Phillips represent a wave of young quarterbacking talent.
After the May camp, both rosters drop from 24 to 18. After a third camp in June, the final 12-athlete rosters and alternates will be named. Twelve athletes per team is the number that will travel to Dusseldorf in August.
From Dusseldorf to Los Angeles
The 2026 World Championships are not just a title defense. They are the first and most direct qualification event for flag football's Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Under the Olympic qualification system, the top two finishers in each gender at Dusseldorf (excluding the United States, which automatically qualifies as host) will earn direct berths to LA. Teams that miss out will have additional qualification opportunities through 2027 Continental Championships and a final Olympic Qualifier Series in spring 2028, but the path through Dusseldorf is the most prestigious.
The Olympic tournament will feature six teams per gender competing at BMO Stadium, home of MLS's LAFC. For the men, the United States enters as a heavy favorite after winning the last five consecutive world titles. Austria, Mexico, and a rising contingent of European programs represent the primary competition. The women's field is more contested: Mexico currently holds the IFAF's top ranking and defeated the U.S. at both the 2025 World Games in Chengdu (26-21 on the game's final play) and the 2025 Americas Continental Championship. Great Britain, Japan, and Canada have also shown rising competitiveness.
The rosters that emerge from this summer's training camps will carry the weight of both defending world championships and building toward what will be the most-watched flag football event in history. For athletes like Ja'Deion High, who drives 18-wheelers in Lubbock between international tournaments, or Vanita Krouch, who teaches PE to elementary schoolers in Irving between gold medal runs, Dusseldorf is not just a destination. It is the proving ground for flag football's Olympic future.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships?
The 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships are scheduled for August 13-16, 2026, in Dusseldorf, Germany. Thirty-two teams across both men's and women's divisions will compete at the Bezirkssportanlage Koblenzer Strasse.
How are the final Team USA flag football rosters selected?
USA Football started with 24 athletes per team following the March 19-22 national team trials. After two training camps at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center (April 16-19 and May 21-24), rosters will be cut to 18. A third camp in June will determine the final 12-athlete rosters and alternates for both the men's and women's teams.
How does the 2026 World Championship connect to the 2028 Olympics?
The top two finishers in each gender at the Dusseldorf World Championships (excluding the United States, which automatically qualifies as host nation) earn direct qualification to flag football's Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Six teams per gender will compete at the Olympics.
Is Robert Griffin III on the USA flag football team?
Yes. Robert Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL first overall draft pick, was selected to the initial 24-person men's roster through the March 2026 national team trials. He will compete for one of 12 final roster spots at upcoming training camps.
Where will flag football be played at the 2028 Olympics?
Flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be played at BMO Stadium, the home of MLS's LAFC. Six men's teams and six women's teams will compete for gold medals.