Great Britain Women Face Finland in High-Stakes IFAF European Championship Finale

As the final whistle looms for the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) European Championship for Women’s Tackle Football, all eyes turn to Sixways Stadium in Worcester this Saturday, August 17th. At 5 pm, Great Britain’s Women’s team will take on Finland as a crucial fixture determining the tournament's final standings.

The stakes couldn't be higher for both teams. Finland, currently holding a 2-1 record, has the chance to secure the silver medal with a victory. They come into the game riding the momentum of recent wins against Sweden (10-0) and Germany (20-7), though their earlier loss to Spain (12-0) shows they are not invincible. With Spain already crowned European champions, Finland’s focus is on ensuring they finish second, which they can achieve outright with a win.

Great Britain, however, is determined to disrupt Finland’s plans and improve their 1-2 record by repeating the victory they secured against Finland in the World Championships. Ranked second in the IFAF World Rankings, just ahead of Finland in third, GB will be keen to show why they deserve to stand on the podium. Their campaign has been mixed, with a dominant 40-0 victory over Sweden earlier this year followed by narrow losses to Germany (23-22) and Spain (21-16). A win on Saturday would complicate the standings, with various scenarios determining whether GB takes home silver, bronze, or finishes just off the podium.

Explainer:

If GB win by 7 points or more they will secure the Silver Medal, Finland the Bronze
If GB win by less than 7 points they will secure the Bronze Medal, Finland the Silver
If GB win by more than 26 points they will secure the Silver Medal, and Germany the Bronze.

The key to the game may lie in the strategic adjustments made by GB’s coaching staff. The inclusion of tight ends Anna Akinyosoye and Amie Walker signals a potential shift in offensive strategy, adding flexibility to a unit that struggled to adapt when the running game faltered against Spain. With the return of Siobhan Walker, whose speed and special teams’ prowess were on full display with a kick-off return touchdown against Spain, GB could have the dynamic edge they need.

Finland, though, will not be easy opponents. Their defence has proven formidable, shutting out Sweden and limiting Germany to just seven points. However, Great Britain’s defence, bolstered by the likes of Phoebe Schecter, Sydney Green and the return of Rachael Moody to the defensive line, is equally resilient, and the home crowd at Sixways Stadium will be backing them to deliver a performance worthy of their world ranking.

In what promises to be a thrilling finale to the European Championship, the margin for error is slim, and the reward for success is significant. Whether Great Britain can seize the moment and claim a place on the podium—or whether Finland will solidify their position as the tournament’s second-best team—will be decided on the field this Saturday.

Quarterbacks
Rachael Tumelty	Vicki Lucas
Running Backs
Eilidh Currie	Stephanie Wyant	Ruth Matta
Grace John
Wide Receivers
Oli Davies	Sophia Klair	Siobhan Walkers
Kenya Peters	Samantha Read	Jessica Anderson
Abbie Medlar
Tight Ends
Anna Akinyosoye	Amie Walker
Offensive Line
Lou Robbins	Iesha Martin	Polly Grimsley
Alexandria Martin	Yasmin Cazeau	Jakki Duncan
Ruby Watson	Maz Hughes	Tara Minto
Defensive Line
Becky Martin	Ibernia Fraser	Sarah-Jane Brain
Zoe John	Victoria Ware	Emma Cook
Rachael Moody
Linebackers
Sydney Green	Tanya Dales	Sophie George
Beth Pilkington	Georgia Teague	Jules Robinson
Defensive Backs
Emily Moriarty	Emily Mullen	Rachel Walters
Candice Simon	Lucy Peaty	Phoebe Schecter
Abi Coleman	Josie Symonds

You can buy a ticket for the game here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/great-britain-women-vs-finland-women-tickets-941221848887 all profits go back into the programme to reduce costs for the players. Support our GB Women!

The game will be Live Streamed by Onside Productions. Keep an eye out on our social media platforms for further details when they arrive.