Wild Card Round IFL 2025

After the end of the regular season, the Italian Football League playoffs have finally started. The second Road To Toledo sees six teams on the field competing for a ticket to the United States of America.

Dolphins Ancona (9-1) and Guelfi Firenze (10-0) are the two best teams in the league after the regular season, so they will skip the Wild Card round and will directly play in next week’s Semifinals, while Frogs Legnano (8-2), the two time defending champions Panthers Parma (7-3), Skorpions Varese (6-4) and Giaguari Torino (5-5) have started their journey this past weekend.

The Parma Panthers only lost against their group rivals,, and their away game against the second best team in Group B, the Skorpions. Which is kind of a punishment for them. With two TDs from former Seamen Milan Carlo Tassan, Dominick Fiscelli, Robbie Patterson, a pick six from Alemanno, and two field goals scored by Matteo Felli (36 and 29 Yards). The defending champs paved their way to the semifinals, while the home team, led by former NFL player Billy Volek and Calvin Brownholtz as their Offensive Coordinator, scored with a couple TDs from young talent Andrea Volonnino, Matteo Rai, Luca Tovaglieri, and including a 39 yard Field Goal by Stefano Granelli. But that was not enough for them to avoid the early exit from the final phase.

The Panthers start their quest for a third straight title with a great win, confermating a myth about them: Just like last year, Parma didn't end their regular season in a great way, but climbed to the top of the mountain reaching the title by dominating the final against Guelfi Firenze in Ravenna. Meanwhile, the first year after the Nick Holt era for the Skorpions starts with a playoff appearance despite a season full of ups and downs. Their young core was, as always, a key part of the journey, but not enough to avoid another exit.

Now let’s talk about the second IFL wildcard match up. The home team, second place Legnano Frogs, faced the third place Giaguari from Turin. Respecting the home field advantage by winning 28-7 at Velodromo Vigorelli, the Mecca of Italian Football. Two TDs scored by Nicolò Pulsinelli, one for both Luke Zahradka and Federico Maffi. Was enough for the Frogs to secure the win, while Tommaso Tenconi's score reduced the point difference between the two teams.

Are the Frogs one of the favourites to win it all in Ohio? This win looks like a statement for Davide Donnini's side, after a great offseason campaign starting to look like a party in the 1980s. While another disappointing season ends for the Black and Yellow team, that saw some ghosts from 2024 during their four loss streak in the regular season.

After a wrap up of both games played this week, it's time to reveal the two semifinal games that will be played on the weekend of June 14-15th.

The Parma Panthers will face the Ancona Dolphins in a third game of the year between the two teams. Ancona won both games (24-21 in Week 5 and 33-17 in Week 13), and Rik Parker's side has the best defense in the Italian Football League with just 94 conceded points. But you can never count out the Panthers. They’re still hungry and want to conquer the mighty IFL jungle once again.

In the second semifinal, the Frogs will travel to Florence to face the first seed from Group B, Guelfi Firenze. This will be the first game of the season between the two teams. Many around the league have considered this game as the Italian Bowl itself, as two of the most talented teams in the league face each other in a highly anticipated matchup.

Unlike Group A, where the teams gave it all to conquer to reach the playoffs, Guelfi did not have serious rivals during the regular season. They are on a quest to end the year with a perfect season.  It will also be a battle between two of the most electrifying offenses in the league. Andrea Fimiani and Luke Zahradka, two of the best QB’s in the Italian scene, ready to fight for a spot in the Grand Final.

This year is a little different in the IFL, as all of the four remaining teams have the right qualities to win it all in Toledo on June 28th, when the Gionni Colombo Trophy will be raised to the Ohio skies.