By RJ Reid
As the National Football League (NFL) is looking to expand beyond U.S. borders, one league has already accomplished that mission. The International Football Alliance (IFA) is poised to make history with its inaugural draft scheduled for March 21-22, 2025. Set to take place in Huntsville, Alabama, this event marks a significant milestone for the infant league, which aims to bridge the gap between professional football in the United States and Mexico. With a unique structure, an international flair, and a commitment to delivering high-level competition, the IFA’s draft is generating buzz among fans and players alike.
A New Era of Football
The IFA, a professional outdoor 11-man American football summer minor league, which describes itself as a developmental league, is set to kick off its first season in May 2025 after a postponement from its originally planned 2024 debut. The league’s mission is clear: to deliver top-tier NFL-style football while fostering a unified football ecosystem across Mexico and the United States. By implementing NFL-based rules and creating an international alliance, the IFA hopes to appeal to a diverse audience and provide a platform for talent from both nations.
The decision to host the draft in Huntsville is no coincidence. The city is home to the Alabama Beavers, one of the six confirmed teams for the 2025 season, alongside the Texas Pioneros (formally known as the Dallas Pioneros), San Antonio Caballeros, Tampa Bay Tornadoes, Chihuahua Rebelion (representing Mexico), and the Ohio Valley Ironmen. Huntsville’s selection as the draft site underscores its emerging role as a key location in the IFA’s vision. Whether future drafts will continue to be conducted in Alabama, or if it will be on a rotating basis, or if future drafts will even be held, has yet to be determined.
Draft Structure and Talent Pool
The IFA’s inaugural draft will consist of eight rounds, with a distinctive twist unique to any other league in the US to reflect its international ethos. Rounds 1-3 will focus exclusively on international players and dual citizens, emphasizing the league’s commitment to showcasing global talent. Rounds 4-8 will shift to United States-born citizens, ensuring a balanced mix of homegrown and international athletes.
The talent pool is expected to be diverse and competitive, drawing from recent college graduates, professional players who earned invites through league tryouts, and veterans with experience in other pro leagues like the NFL, CFL, XFL, or USFL (now merged into the UFL). This mixture of young prospects and seasoned players promises to create dynamic rosters capable of delivering the high-quality football the IFA has pledged to its fans.
Open tryouts were held throughout 2024 and in 2025 in cities that are in or around host teams cities and have already identified a wealth of potential draftees.
Coaching Pedigree Adds Credibility
The IFA has attracted notable coaching talent, lending credibility to its ambitions. Highlighting the coaching ranks are former Baylor head coach Art Briles will lead the Texas Pioneros, bringing his extensive experience to the sidelines and Hal Mumme, known for pioneering the Air Raid offense, will helm the San Antonio Caballeros squad. Not to be outshone, Manny Matsakis was recently named head coach and general manager of the Ohio Valley Ironmen, rounding out the esteemed and highly respectable group of leaders.
This coaching lineup, with its mix of college and professional football expertise from numerous leagues around the globe, signals the IFA’s intent to compete at a high level from day one. Their involvement will also play a crucial role in scouting and shaping the draft, as teams look to build rosters tailored to their strategic visions.
The Road to May 2025
The draft is just one piece of the puzzle as the IFA prepares for its debut season, which will run from May 31 to August 16, 2025, culminating in the IFA Championship. The league finalized its six-team lineup in February 2025 when it released its final schedule. Despite some hiccups with teams leaving the league, the IFA has stabilized its roster and is now focused on building momentum.
With a regular season concluding on August 2, followed by semifinals on August 9 and the championship a week later, the IFA is positioning itself as a summer alternative to the NFL’s fall dominance. Additionally, the end of the IFA’s season is strategically placed where any team in the NFL in need of filling roster spots due to injury, can easily sign an IFA player that is in prime playing condition. The inclusion of a Mexican team in Chihuahua further sets it apart, offering a cross-border rivalry that could captivate fans on both sides of the Rio Grande.
What to Expect
As March 2025 approaches, anticipation is building for what the IFA’s draft will reveal. Will international stars emerge as first-round picks, signalling a new wave of global talent in American football? Can the league’s mix of veteran coaches and fresh faces create competitive parity out of the gate? And how will the Huntsville event set the tone for the IFA’s broader ambitions?
For rabid football fans hungry for more action beyond the NFL and college seasons, the IFA offers a promising new chapter. The draft will not only determine the league’s inaugural rosters but also serve as a statement of intent – a declaration that the IFA is making international progress that the NFL has yet to do. Yes, the NFL has played outside of the US for years, but they have yet to have a team located outside the borders, something that the IFA has already one in Year 1. Additionally, the IFA is declaring that American football’s next frontier is here and ready to take the field. Mark your calendars for March 21-22, 2025: the International Football Alliance is coming heading your way.