Teams from Finland, Mexico and Panama will fly the international flag at the 2018 Pop Warner Super Bowl at the ESPN Wide World of Sports™ from December 1 to 8.
The International Bowl will be played for a ninth time at the Varsity and Junior Varsity levels with games on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
The Finland Blue Lions won the Varsity Division in 2017 on their second visit to the event and this year will play in the JV bracket, opening the international competition at 10am on Monday against Panama then face Mexico Oriente at 1pm on Thursday. The JV bracket will be completed on Saturday when Finland and Panama meet again and Mexico Oriente takes on U.S. team Harmony Longhorns, with both games kicking off at 9am.
In the Varsity bracket, Oriente Mexico and Panama meet at 12pm on Monday, 2016 champions Queretaro Mexico are Oriente’s opponents at 3pm on Thursday, and the competition wraps up on Saturday at 9am when Panama takes on Queretaro.
Global Football founder and president Patrick Steenberge noted, “I am always amazed at the effort our international coaches and leaders make to organize and bring their youth teams to the world’s largest annual American football event, the Pop Warner Super Bowl. Through their vision and commitment nearly 200 international travelers will join in the Orlando celebration of football and youth. This is always a very full, fun week of action.”
The international youngsters 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. While in Florida, they will visit the four Disney Parks, attend the Championship Week Celebration Party and International Super Bowl Event and take part in a Speed and Conditioning Clinic held exclusively for international teams.