The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) has selected Jim Mullin to chair the new Global Tackle Football Task Force (GTFTF), which, according to the organization, will evaluate the global state of tackle football and develop a comprehensive strategy to support sustainable growth, competitiveness, and inclusivity.
“We are at a pivotal moment in tackle football’s evolution,” said Mullin in a statement. “Our goal is to maintain its competitive integrity, while ensuring that national federations in every region have the capacity to pursue a clear pathway to international competition.”
“We aim to produce a roadmap that can be adopted by our board and employed by national federations around the world to place all of our elite tackle athletes on a path to global competition.”
According to IFAF, the GTFTF will “evaluate the current state of tackle football among national teams worldwide, seeking to identify structural, financial, and logistical hurdles that challenge the sport’s broader expansion. Insights collected will guide proposals on a refreshed format for international tackle football competitions, striking a balance between growth, inclusivity, and long-term sustainability.”
The task force will be responsible for consulting with stakeholders, evaluating participation rates and best practices, aligning recommendations with each region’s ability to support tackle football programs, update competition formulas to promote more inclusivity and sustainability, and deliver a clear roadmap complete with timelines and guidelines.
A primary interim report will be presented in April, followed by a comprehensive report in July that details the status of national teams, targets across member regions, and proposed frameworks for the sport’s continued growth.
“Many regions have experienced significant success with tackle football, while others face critical economic or logistical barriers,” said IFAF president Pierre Trochet. “We believe this task force will lead the way in bridging those gaps by designing frameworks that respect each nation’s unique capacity and priorities but also uphold the integrity of the international game.”
Mullin, a native of North Vancouver, B.C. who previously served a six-year term as the president of Football Canada, was elected as the vice-president of IFAF in December.
“This (task force) provides a strong platform for exploring how we evolve our structures to support activity in tackle football,” said IFAF director of competitions Fabio Tortosa. “I am delighted that the IFAF executive board have asked Jim Mullin to lead on this important area of work and report to the board the findings of the task force.”
