International Football Alliance

The International Football Alliance (IFA) is a semi-professional, outdoor, 11-man American football summer minor league that operates internationally in both Mexico and the United States.

The IFA's inaugural season began play in 2025; initially intending to have six teams, the four teams that have played at least one game in the inaugural season are playing under independent schedules.

As of June 2025, the IFA has only 2 active teams: Huntsville, which was hastily formed following the departure of the Alabama Beavers and retained the much of the same coaching staff and players; and Ohio Valley, which merely claims to be “affiliated” with the IFA.

Premise

The IFA's aim is to "deliver the highest level of American football," and "build a unified and solid American football ecosystem in Mexico," while the league mission statement reads: "The International Football Alliance mission is bridging the gap in international professional football by delivering the highest level of American Football within the locations of Mexico and the United States, implementing NFL based standard rules of play, and creating an international alliance. Together with our team ownership, teams, players, and fans, we will work to build a unified and solid football ecosystem to grow American football in Mexico".

History

The IFA was announced on January 25, 2023, in a press conference held by commissioner Juan Manuel Bladé. Bladé revealed that the league will consist of 6 teams—3 in Mexico and 3 in the United States. It was later revealed that 4 of them are derived from the now-defunct Fútbol Americano de México league ( Guadalajara Tequileros, Chihuahua Rebellion, Cancun Sharks and Pioneros de Querétaro who moved to Dallas and were named "Dallas Pioneros"). Dallas was the only American city announced, although the commissioner mentioned a potential additional team in El Paso. In August 2023, ESPN reported that San Diego will be the sixth location, and that Art Briles and Noel Mazzone were the first coaches to be assigned to a team ( Dallas Pioneers and Tequileros de Jalisco, respectively) while the league also hired Nick Rolovich and Hal Mumme. In October 2023, El Paso, Texas, was removed from the official website. On November 29, 2023, the league announced Las Vegas as its second US location after the Las Vegas Kings joined from the American Indoor Football Alliance. On December 19, 2023 the league announced its sixth team - the Gulf Coast Tarpons, but a month later the team was removed from the league website, while adding Mexico City as "targeted Location".

League "Commissioner" Juan Manuel Bladé no longer appears to be associated with the IFA.

The league announced tryouts for its first season in San Diego, California (July 29, 2023); Melissa, Texas (August 20, 2023); Riviera Beach, Florida (September 9, 2023); Cincinnati, Ohio (October 7, 2023); Fort Lauderdale, Florida (October 21, 2023); Atlanta, Georgia (November 11, 2023); and internationally, in Cologne, Germany, on December 10, 2023 (moved from Birmingham, England). The IFA Mexico Combine was held on December 3, 2023, in Mexico City, at Patriots Field (was open to all Mexican nationals).

In January, 2024 the league announced their plans to push the inaugural season to 2025, after securing only 5 teams for 2024. The IFA also announced 4 more teams for 2025 in Tampa Bay, Florida (Tampa Bay Tornadoes), Huntsville, Alabama ( Alabama Beavers), Portland, Oregon (under the name PDX) and Louisiana ( Gulf Coast Tarpons), while the later 2 would be removed from the website on later date. In June, 2024 San Antonio was announced as the league eighth team. Las Vegas withdrew from the league in October, 2024 and began pursuing an Arena Football One franchise. On October 25, 2024, after months of speculations, the IFA announced the 6 teams to be playing the 2025 season: Alabama, Baltimore, Dallas, San Antonio, Tampa and Chihuahua. Five days later, a seventh team named the Ohio Valley Ironmen was added, without mentioning where the team will play.

Both the Baltimore Lightning and the IFA issued separate statements in early January 2025 mutually announcing the Lightning were out of the IFA, but differed on who initiated; the IFA stated that the teams had voted the Lightning out of the league, while the Lightning stated it had left voluntarily. One month later, Baltimore Lightning owner Will Hanna sued the IFA and owner Jason Adams seeking, among other things, an injunction against the league and accusing Adams of defrauding other franchises, including those that had departed or folded prior to the season, with Adams responding that it was the Lightning who were defrauding the leagues in which it was a member and that the suit had no merit. On February 25th, United States District Judge Russell denied Mr. Hanna's Motion for Preliminary Injunction against the IFA.

Both the Alabama Beavers and the IFA issued separate statements on April 14, 2025 mutually announcing the Beavers were out of the IFA. Like the situation with the Lightning, the sides differed on who initiated, with the IFA issuing a cease and desist order alleging felony fraud and unpaid bills in the tens of thousands of dollars that had caused the IFA to be permanently banned from Embassy Suites hotels; the Beavers responded that it had left the league April 10 after unsuccessfully attempting to negotiate a better deal and would play in another league in 2025. The next day, in an interview with X Fan Show, IFA representative Mark Lozano indicated that only three teams were still committed to the 2025 season: Ohio Valley, Tampa and Chihuahua; the Pioneros had suspended operations until 2026 and San Antonio had not decided whether or not to continue (it ultimately would not). Ohio Valley's revised schedule consisted mostly of midwestern teams in Michigan and Cincinnati along with the Erie Express, with San Antonio the only other IFA team on the Ironmen's schedule; a statement on the IFA Facebook page described the Ironmen as being "affiliated" with the IFA. Chihuahua's schedule was released April 30, a six-game, mostly home-based schedule against teams in the southern United States with the only IFA opponent (and only road game) being a home-and-home series with Tampa.

Three weeks before the start of the season, the IFA announced that an Alabama franchise would indeed play that season, as Anthony Richardson agreed to take over the Beavers' franchise, coaches and player contracts and dubbed his team the Huntsville Astros. Richardson's attempted purchase of the Beavers from its owner formed the basis of the IFA's expulsion of the Beavers.

Three days before the start of the season it was reported that the San Antonio Caballeros would cease operations.

Six days after their first game, the Chihuahua Rebelión announced via the team's Instagram account that the primary investors of the team were "disassociating" themselves from head coach Mauricio Balderrama and general manager Diógenes Guzmán due to claims of "misconduct and abuses by these individuals." Coach Balderrama responded to this on the team's secondary Facebook page and claimed that the Instagram account had been hacked. The IFA did not release a statement verifying either account.

On June 13th, one day before their first game of the season, the Tampa Bay Tornadoes announced that they were leaving the IFA to be an independent team, but would still play the IFA teams on their season schedule.

On June 13th, the IFA released a statement on Instagram announcing that they had suspended the Chihuahua Rebelión's planned games due to an unspecified issue and that the team would resume games on July 5th. The league's official statement was that head coach Mauricio Baldarrama had taken undisclosed actions against the team's investor group, which "caused significant financial and moral harm." Along with temprarily suspending games the IFA fired Baldarrama & hired Les Koenning as the new head coach. Later that day, the Rebelión announced on their secondary Facebook page that they were leaving the IFA to go independent. In their official statement they claimed that their decision was due to "...multiple administrative, financial and ethical irregularities within the organization of said league, as well as to the direct relationship of its high command with individuals currently under international investigation by the FBI, which generates an environment of uncertainty for our team and its members.".

Teams

The IFA had announced 6 founding member cities, 4 of which were derived from the now-defunct Fútbol Americano de México league (with the Pioneros relocating to Dallas), one "El Paso team" and additional unspecified US-based team. Commissioner Juan Manuel Bladé Cavazos stated the IFA would like to have a team in Mexico City upon procurement of a suitable ownership group. Cavazos further stated the plan is to have 10 teams by 2025, split between the 2 countries, while California and Florida are states with prospective member cities.

The number and location of teams changed multiple times, which the IFA attributed to problems with finding "viable ownership;"🚨 Big News! We’re thrilled to welcome the Ohio Valley Ironmen into the International Football Alliance for the 2025 season!
''International Football Alliance'' via Facebook. Retrieved October 30, 2024. the six teams were eventually finalized by early January, with future teams (including an Arkansas team announced in February) not beginning play until 2026.

Teams included in the 2025 schedule

* Huntsville Astros (Huntsville, Alabama)
*Ohio Valley Ironmen (Moundsville, West Virginia) - coached by Manny Matsakis
* Tampa Tornadoes (Tampa, Florida) - withdrew after start of the season
* Chihuahua Rebelión ( Chihuahua, Mexico) - suspended/withdrew after start of season

For the 2025 season, team schedules also included independent & semi-pro teams that were referred to as IFA Showcase Teams. These teams included:
*Cincinnati Dukes (Cincinnati, Ohio) - play in the Blue Collar Football League
*Dallas Prime (Dallas, Texas)
* Erie Express (Erie, Pennsylvania) - play in the Premier Amateur Football League
*Michigan Bills (Monroe, Michigan) - play in the Players Football Association
*Mississippi Brawlers (Woodville, Mississippi)) - play in the Next Level Football Alliance
*Tennessee Hornets (Winchester, Tennessee)
*Texas Herd
*Up 1 Athletic Showcase (Atlanta, Georgia)
*Washington Hawks (Washington, Pennsylvania)

Expansion teams

Players

Each team will carry a 53-man roster (40 active on game day) and seven players on the practice squad, with a maximum of 20 American players (similar to the Canadian Football League), with a goal of attracting international players. The players will be selected after participating in IFA-organized combine tryouts. Each team must carry two quarterbacks on the active roster and one on the practice squad. Players with dual citizenship (United States + 1 country) may be submitted against either the 20 American player cap or the 33 International player cap (per team). For the 2025 season, each team will carry 53 man roster with a minimum of 5 international players.

Compensation

Salaries were first reported as "similar" to the ELF, XFL, and USFL. The league later announced that "player pay will be determined per team, with league standards are $400–$1500 per game," but the league would later stated that all players will get paid $400 per game, while only active QB's making $1500 per game. During training camp the players will make $100 per-week, plus room and board.

Draft

The Inaugural Draft was held March 21st, 2025 in Huntsville, Alabama, at The US Space and Rocket Center. The draft consisted of six rounds total. The draft pool included recent college graduates, professional players who received an invite after league tryout and players with experience in other professional football leagues.

Coaches

In August 2023, ESPN reported that the IFA hired former Baylor coach Art Briles as the head coach of Dallas Pioneers and the league confirmed that report later that day. The same report also mentioned that Noel Mazzone will coach Tequileros de Jalisco, while Nick Rolovich will coach one of the American teams and Hal Mumme will coach one of the Mexican teams. Rolovich later signed with the XFL's Seattle Sea Dragons, but was let go amid the XFL-USFL merger, and was interviewed for the IFA Portland position. On January 19, 2024 Adam Rita was interview for the Cancun Sharks head coaching position. In January, 2024 Noel Mazzone was announced as the Head Coach for IFA Portland. (Mazzone would depart for the Memphis Showboats when the Portland team failed to materialize.) In June, 2024 Hal Mumme was announced as the head coach for IFA San Antonio. In August 2024, Eric Marty announced he had accepted the head coaching position of a theretofore-unannounced IFA member, the Baltimore Lightning of Baltimore, Maryland, which had played the 2023 season in the Gridiron Developmental Football League. In late October, 2024 Manny Matsakis was announced as the General Manager and Head Coach of the newly joined Ohio Valley Ironmen.

Notwithstanding the foregoing announcements, Art Briles, Noel Mazzone, Nick Rolovich, Hal Mumme, Adam Rita, and Eric Marty are not serving as head coaches within the IFA.

Season structure

As of October 2024, the league has released schedule information indicating the season will kickoff on May 31, 2025, with the regular season concluding on August 2, 2025. The postseason will consist of two semi-final matchups between the top two ranked teams in each division, scheduled for August 9, 2025, and the IFA Championship will be held on August 16, 2025. Locations for the postseason are to be determined.

All games are scheduled for Saturday evenings at either 6 pm or 7 pm local time. All teams will play 4 home games and 4 away games, and all teams will have at least one bye week (the Alabama Beavers and the Tampa Tornadoes will have two bye weeks during the regular season). Venues and times are still to be confirmed for some matchups.

Media

The IFA previously represented they secured non-exclusive broadcast agreements with multiple outlets prior to its 2025 launch.

In September they announced that league games will be available in the US through Roku and Tubi. In January 2024 the IFA announced they reached broadcast agreement with Right Now TV for over-the-air and streaming broadcasts. On October 11, 2024 the league announced streaming partnership with Shawne Merriman's Lights Out Sports. In March 2025, the league announced additional agreements with Unbeaten Sports, a free ad-supported streaming television channel, and Inverleigh, an Australian production company, with the league stating that it would also be streaming games on its YouTube channel.

Notwithstanding the foregoing representations, there have been no broadcasts of any IFA games to date on either Roku or Tubi. To date, only a single game—the Huntsville Astros versus the Tennessee Hornets on June 1, 2025—has been made available via Right Now TV’s YouTube channel. However, Right Now TV currently contains no references to, or promotional material for, the IFA on its official website. Furthermore, there is no evidence of any formal partnership or affiliation between the IFA and Shawne Merriman’s Lights Out Sports, Unbeaten Sports, and/or Inverleigh, as no IFA content has ever been broadcast on said media outlets.

The Ohio Valley Ironmen will have all of its games telecast on WTRF.

External links

IFA Official YouTube

References

{{Professional gridiron football leagues in North America

2023 establishments in Mexico
Sports leagues established in 2023
American football leagues in the United States
Professional sports leagues in the United States