History of USA Football in Timeline

USA Football is the National Governing Body (NGB) of American football in the United States, certified by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee on April 17, 2025. This designation marks USA Football as the sport's first NGB.

2002: USA Football Endowed by NFL and NFLPA

In 2002, USA Football was endowed by the National Football League (NFL) and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).

2006: Scott Hallenbeck Joins IFAF Board

In 2006, USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck joined IFAF’s leadership as a member of their board.

2007: Men's Tackle National Team Wins IFAF Gold Medal

In 2007, the men's tackle national team won a gold medal in the IFAF men’s tackle events.

2009: U20 Men's Tackle Team Wins Gold Medal

In 2009, the USA Football U20 men's tackle team earned a gold medal.

2010: Women's Tackle National Team Wins IFAF World Championship

In 2010, the Women’s Tackle National Team won gold at the IFAF World Championships.

2011: Men's Tackle National Team Wins IFAF Gold Medal

In 2011, the men's tackle national team won a gold medal in the IFAF men’s tackle events.

2012: Heads Up Football Beginning

In 2012, Football’s positive cultural change was advanced by Heads up Football.

2013: Women's Tackle National Team Wins IFAF World Championship

In 2013, the Women’s Tackle National Team won gold at the IFAF World Championships.

2014: U20 Men's Tackle Team Wins Gold Medal

In 2014, the USA Football U20 men's tackle team earned a gold medal.

November 6, 2015: USA Football Designated as Recognized Sports Organization

On November 6, 2015, USA Football was designated a Recognized Sports Organization by the USOPC.

2015: Men's Tackle National Team Wins IFAF Gold Medal

In 2015, the men's tackle national team won a gold medal in the IFAF men’s tackle events.

May 2017: IFAF Recognition Split and USFAF Recognition

In May 2017, an IFAF grouping based in Paris stripped its recognition of USA Football and recognized the United States Federation of American Football (USFAF) due to disputes over anti-doping enforcement.

2017: Raymond Odierno Becomes Chairman of USA Football

In 2017, Raymond Odierno succeeded Carl Peterson to become chairman of USA Football.

2017: Women's Tackle National Team Wins IFAF World Championship

In 2017, the Women’s Tackle National Team won gold at the IFAF World Championships.

March 2018: Court of Arbitration for Sport Rules in Favor of IFAF Entity in New York

In March 2018, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) determined that the IFAF entity in New York was the proper governing entity and voided all decisions of the IFAF entity in Paris, including their decision to strip USA Football of its recognition.

2021: Scott Hallenbeck Vice President of IFAF

From 2021 to 2024, USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck held the title of Vice President of IFAF.

2021: USA Football's Football Development Model (FDM) Launched

In 2021, USA Football’s Football Development Model (FDM) was launched.

February 2022: Peter W. Chiarelli Named Chairman of USA Football

In February 2022, Peter W. Chiarelli was named chairman of USA Football.

2022: Women's Tackle National Team Wins IFAF World Championship

In 2022, the Women’s Tackle National Team won gold at the IFAF World Championships.

August 2024: U.S. National Teams Defend Top Ranking at IFAF Flag Football World Championships

In August 2024, the U.S. Men's and Women's National Teams defended their status as the top-ranked teams in the world at the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Lahti, Finland.

2024: Eric Mayes Elected IFAF General Secretary

At the end of 2024, USA Football Managing Director, High Performance and National Teams, Eric Mayes was elected to serve as IFAF’s General Secretary.

2024: USA Football Expands NTDP

In Fall 2024, USA Football announced the expansion of the NTDP for its 2025 cycle to provide more opportunities for athletes to develop alongside and compete against the nation’s best flag football players.

March 2025: Champions Rising: USA Football’s National Team Documentary Released

In March 2025, the documentary film “Champions Rising: USA Football’s National Team” was released. The film profiles the National Teams' journey from training camp to gold medals in Finland.

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April 2025: USA Football's Board of Directors

As of April 2025, USA Football's Board of Directors includes:

April 17, 2025: USA Football Certified as NGB by USOPC

On April 17, 2025, USA Football received formal certification from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, becoming the 38th Summer Olympics National Governing Body and the first NGB for American football.

August 2025: Women's Team to Compete in World Games

In August 2025, the women's team will compete in the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China.

2025: Callie Brownson Joins USA Football

In 2025, Callie Brownson joined USA Football as Senior Director of High Performance and National Team Operations.

2025: Expansion of NTDP Cycle

In 2025, USA Football announced the expansion of the NTDP cycle to provide more opportunities for athletes to develop alongside and compete against the nation’s best flag football players.

2025: National Teams to Compete in IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship

In 2025, the men's and women's teams will compete in the IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship, which serves as a qualifier for the next World Championships in 2026.