Canada to visit Germany to conclude Gridiron Nations Championship
The contest will be played Nov. 16 in Bochum, Germany.
Canada opened the GNC with a 56-0 win over Italy on April 19 in Cagliari, Sardinia. Max Nixon scored touchdowns on an interception return and blocked punt recovery for the Canadians while quarterback Michael O'Connor, a former CFL player with Calgary, Toronto and B.C., finished 11-of-14 passing for 138 yards with two touchdowns.
Chris Merchant, who won a Vanier Cup with Western in 2017 and was the game MVP, completed 10-of-13 passes for 163 yards and a TD.
The GNC winner will be determined by overall record, with the Canada-Germany contest potentially serving as the deciding game. If all three teams finished with 1-1 records, the tiebreaker will be point differential.
Germany has enjoyed much football success in Europe. It claimed gold at the 2001, 2010 and 2014 IFAF European Championship while having finished second on three occasions.
Canada's senior men's team has made just one appearance at the IFAF world championship, earning silver in 2011. The national junior program has won three straight world titles.
'A championship like this is essential for the growth of the sport,' said Canada head coach Jesse Maddox. 'We're excited to take on a top-tier program like Germany creating a new starting point and championship within a global competition.
'The Nations Championship is exactly what international football needs — regular, meaningful games between national teams. It provides an opportunity for us to go for gold in 2025.'
Germany and Italy will also compete in the 2025 IFAF European championship, which begins Oct. 25. The Germans will take on Austria while Italy faces Finland.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025.
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