2026 Gridiron Nations Championship Championship
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host nation | Panama |
| Dates | 12 December 2026 – 19 December 2026 |
| No. of nations | Three |
← 2025 GNC 2027-28 → | |
The 2026 Gridiron Nations Championship is a planned men's international tackle football competition scheduled to take place in Panama City, Panama, from 12 to 19 December 2026, during a designated event window branded as GNC Week.[1] Canada, Mexico, and Panama have confirmed participation. The event is scheduled to be hosted at Estadio Emilio Royo in partnership with the Asociación de Football Americano de Panamá (AFFP).[2]
Background
Organizers described the early announcement on 1 March 2026[3], as intended to support advance planning related to sponsorship development and broadcast partnership discussions, and to continue to position the championship as an annual platform for men's international tackle football.[4]
Host venue
The 2026 event is scheduled to be played at Estadio Emilio Royo in Panama City, with the AFFP serving as host federation.
Teams
Three national teams have been confirmed for the 2026 edition[5]:
Format
The tournament format and match schedule have not yet been announced.
Commercial and broadcast
According to organizers, the early confirmation of dates was intended to allow participating federations to begin commercial planning, including sponsorship development and broadcast partnership discussions.
Previous edition
The 2026 tournament follows Canada's results in the inaugural GNC competition window held in Europe, where Canada recorded wins in Italy (20–17) and Germany (25–10) and was crowned the first GNC title winner.[6]
References
- ^ AFI Staff (3 March 2026). "GNC returns in 2026 with GNC week set for Panama City". American Football International.
- ^ GNC Editorial, nationschampionship.com (1 March 2026). "Panama to host 2026 Gridiron Nations League".
- ^ Hodge, John (2 March 2026). "GNC Returns for 2026 with Canada, Mexico, Panama". 3 Down Nation.
- ^ Ralph, Dan (2 March 2026). "Canada Set to Defend Title in Second Annual Gridiron Nations Championship". The Canadian Press via Nanaimo News Now.
- ^ Canadian Press (2 March 2026). "Canada to Defend Title in Second Annual GNC". TSN.ca.
- ^ Football Canada (17 November 2025). "Canada's National Senior Men's Team Wins First GNC".