Team Austria Open European Flag Football Campaign With Four Wins in Italy
At the IFAF Flag Youth European Championships 2026 in Lido Delle Nazioni, Italy, Austria’s youth national flag football teams opened tournament play by securing four victories across six matches on Day 1, according to the American Football Bund Österreich (AFBÖ). While the U17 boys’ and girls’ squads split their opening fixtures with one win and one loss apiece, the U15 mixed team delivered a flawless performance with two dominant group-stage victories.
U15 Mixed Squad Sets the Pace With Flawless Opening Day
Austria’s U15 mixed national team established early momentum in Italy by sweeping both of its opening fixtures. Coached by Cameron Frickey, the young squad opened with a commanding 48-13 defeat of Finland before returning to the field to outlast Slovakia in a high-scoring 54-39 affair. Reporting from Vienna Vikings All In indicates that the U15 side carried that sharp form into Day 2 action, defeating Czechia 48-47 in a postseason thriller to punch their ticket to the semifinals and secure an opportunity to play for a medal against Spain.
U17 Boys and Girls Face Competitive Group Openers
The U17 divisions presented mixed fortunes during Thursday’s group stage. The U17 boys’ team, guided by head coach Andreas Tesar, opened their tournament with a high-scoring 60-32 victory against Poland before dropping a 48-33 decision to Finland. Tesar’s squad rebounded on Day 2 by defeating Czechia 48-32 to advance to the quarterfinals, where they faced host nation Italy. Meanwhile, the U17 girls’ squad, led by head coach Holly Kellner, dropped a 42-14 contest to Germany before bouncing back to edge Finland 24-18. The U17 girls advanced to face Spain in their respective quarterfinal bracket.
Coaching Staffs and Tournament Rosters
Team Austria’s campaigns in Italy are supported by extensive coaching and medical staff across all three divisions. The U17 girls’ roster features Marie Brugger, Jana Cencic, Zoe Ehrenritter, Matilda Fiegl, Alyssa Louise Frickey, Hanna Kandlbauer, Elina Kreissl, Katja Lamprecht, Lenia Leutschacher, Martha Mair, Elena Chiara Pordes, Lea Pürkfellner, Sophia Rusitovic, Julia Vlna, and Laura Winkler. They are supported by head coach Holly Kellner, offensive coordinator Stefanie Hirscher, defensive coordinator Gregor Slavik, assistant coach Annika Wendschlag, physiotherapist Cornelia Pripfl, mental coach Carl More, and delegation manager René Holzer.
The U17 boys’ roster includes Felix Aigner, Laurenz Baumgartner, Jakob Benda, Jan Dolenga, Moritz Fleischhackl, Vincent Forster, Fabian Gabrielian, Clemens Grosinger, Felix Hartmann, Ralf Hofer, Daniel Kopp, Daniel Nagy, Johann Resetarits, Lennard Seban, and Valentin Walker. The coaching staff comprises head coach Andreas Tesar, offensive coordinator Tizian Scherbaum, defensive coordinator Severin Bancalari, assistant coaches Leonie Strasser and Henry Koran, physiotherapist Lukas Gaszo, mental coach Carl Mohr, and delegation manager René Holzer.
The U15 mixed squad features Theres Aigner, Paul Barina, Alexander Böhm, Janine Brauner, Julian Fliedl, Felix Höbinger, Neva Koca, Fabio Mikula, Max Ortner, Victoria Perl, Timo Pürkfellner, Flora Tabea Rothleitner, Nora Kristin Seban, Venecia Teubl, Lia Wegerer, and Alex Zhou. The team is directed by head coach Cameron Frickey, offensive coordinator Viktoria Troniorsky, defensive coordinator Fuat Rusitovic, assistant coach Lena Mayrhofer, physiotherapist Andrea Strasser, and delegation manager René Holzer.
Playoff Schedule and Bracket Progression
Following Friday afternoon’s playoff schedule outlined by Vienna Vikings All In, the U17 boys met Italy on Field 1 at 15:15 local time in the quarterfinals. The U15 mixed team squared off against Spain in the semifinals on Field 2 at 16:30 local time, while the U17 girls contested their quarterfinal against Spain on Field 5 at 17:45 local time. Real-time updates and schedule adjustments are distributed via the official Instagram account of Touchdown Austria (@touchdownaustria).
