The Ghana American Football Senior National Team participated in their maiden international flag football tournament in the Philippines, facing off against teams from Korea, Hong Kong , Vietnam and the Philippines.
The tournament which took place on 31st August, 2024 in Philippine was part of their preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where American Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport.
Despite being their first international appearance, the team showed remarkable performance, winning against Team Vicious (22-02) and Eagle 25 (13-12). They ended their group stage matches with scores against Bayside Bayhawks (20-12), Korea Dokkaebis (13-06), and Hong Kong Nightmarez (18-06).
Mashqur Omari Ali from Ghana was awarded the most energetic player and highest touchdown scorer for the team.
Coach Mohammed, co-founder of Titans of Africa, a sports firm sponsoring the team, expressed his pride and satisfaction with the team’s performance.
“This is an awesome performance, this is the first, but I am pleased and proud of my players. We came from far. We have learnt from our mistakes and we know what to fix when we get back to training. The next one, we will bring the trophy home.”
The team was also sponsored by the NKWA foundation, founded by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, a prominent Ghanaian NFL player and global flag football ambassador. The inclusion of American Flag football in the 2028 Olympics has generated excitement, and Ghana aims to make a mark in this new Olympic sport through international friendlies.
The tournament was hosted by the Manila Flag Football League at Circulo Verde Stadium.