Tua Tagovailoa’s Brother Just Did Something Nobody Had Done In 14 Years

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

The U.S. men’s national flag football team finally found an opponent it could not beat. And Taulia Tagovailoa was at the center of it all. 

American Samoa stunned Team USA 38-32 on Friday at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany. The result ended an unbeaten run dating back to the 2012 world championship final. The Americans had won five straight world titles since then.

Taulia played the role of spoiler. Tua Tagovailoa’s younger brother completed 29 of 36 passes for 213 yards and five touchdowns. His performance helped American Samoa pull off one of the biggest upsets in the sport’s history.

American Samoa entered the tournament ranked No. 33 worldwide. The territory has a population of roughly 45,000 people.

The defeat snapped a run of dominance that had made Team USA the sport’s gold standard. USA Football confirmed the men’s team had won five consecutive world championships entering this year’s tournament.

Taulia Tagovailoa Delivered A Historic Upset For American Samoa

Tagovailoa’s performance came against a Team USA squad that entered Düsseldorf as the reigning world champion. The Americans had also opened the tournament with a 50-38 victory over Israel on Thursday.

That victory made Friday’s result even more surprising. American Samoa repeatedly answered Team USA, while Tagovailoa produced five touchdown passes.

The younger Tagovailoa began his college career at Alabama before transferring to Maryland. He went undrafted in 2024 but continued pursuing opportunities in football.

Now, he has notched one of the biggest wins of his career.

Team USA still has a path forward. The Americans face Australia later Friday, and a victory would secure a quarterfinal berth.

Team USA’s Olympic Future Just Got More Interesting

Flag football will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The International Olympic Committee approved the sport for LA28 in 2023, creating a new spotlight for the American program.

That Olympic debut has already fueled debate about whether NFL stars should join the national team. Current and former NFL players faced Team USA during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in March, with the national team winning that exhibition.

Friday’s upset gives critics another reason to question whether the current roster should remain intact for Los Angeles.

Team USA must now recover quickly and avoid another stumble. A deep tournament run would soften the impact of the loss.

A championship would do even more. It would restore the Americans’ standing before the Olympic roster debate intensifies.

For now, Taulia Tagovailoa owns the headline. He helped American Samoa do something nobody had managed against Team USA in 14 years.