Since 2010, Global Football has partnered with Pop Warner to provide American football youngsters from around the world with an opportunity to participate at the youth organization’s annual Super Bowl event.
The international youngsters who drive in Orlando in 2016 will be among the more than 16,000 American football and dance and cheer enthusiasts who will converge on the ESPN Wide World of Sports™ Complex from Saturday, December 3 through Saturday, December 10.
Five international teams will play in the Varsity age bracket with Finland Blue Lions, EAFL Falcons (UAE), Team Canada, Queretaro (Mexico) and Puebla (Mexico) each playing games on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, December 5, 8 and 10 to determine the final standings. The Junior Varsity bracket will feature Finland Blue Lions, EAFL Falcons (UAE) and Puebla (Mexico) playing on December 5, 8 and 10 to produce an overall winner.
Finland’s Blue Lions will make history as the first-ever European nation represented at the Pop Warner International Super Bowl, joining international teams that have made the visit to Orlando an annual highlight of their season.
“When Pop Warner Executive Director Jon Butler and I first met back in early 2010 and discussed the idea of creating and building a Pop Warner International Super Bowl to be played and enjoyed by youngsters from around the world, we dreamed of having teams representing every continent on the globe,” said Global Football Founder and President Patrick Steenberge. “We started small with North American teams, but quickly we expanded to include a Central American representative in Panama, while expanding our numbers across Mexico. Then in 2014 the United Emirates sent a team, further broadening the scope of the event. Now, I am proud to announce that our first European nation, Finland, will bring two teams this December.”