BELO HORIZONTE, BRAZIL — Receiver Klaus Pais and linebacker Luis Polastri Neto have become the first Brazilian players to be extended invitations to showcase their skills for Canadian Football League (CFL) general managers, coaches and scouts at the CFL Combine presented by New Era.

This year’s event will take place in Toronto from March 26-28. Pais and Polastri Neto were among 18 players who participated in the CFL Global Combine in Brazil, conducted in partnership with the nation’s football federation, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol Americano (CBFA).

“Our first global combine in Brazil was a tremendous success. Our partners at the CBFA organized a great event and we were able to meet a number of the country’s most talented players. It is our hope that this combine helped introduce the sport to more Brazilians and that our partnership helps pave the way for football to grow and develop across South America,” said CFL Chief Financial Officer and Head of Football Operations, Greg Dick.

“The CBFA is honoured to host the first-ever CFL Global Combine in South America,” said Felipe Pereira, Chief International Relations Officer of the CBFA. “We are thrilled at the prospect of one day seeing our players make their mark in Canada. We are confident that our partnership will bring many great opportunities to the Brazilian football community and will deliver impressive talent to the CFL.”

During the 2019 season, CFL rosters featured, for the first time ever, one designated ‘global player’ from outside the U.S. and Canada on each team’s active roster and as many as two more on their practice rosters. In 2020, the number of global players per team will increase to two on the active roster and up-to-three on the practice roster, with as many as 45 global players competing in the league.

Following the final CFL Global Combine in Mexico on March 15, the full list of global players invited to Toronto will be announced. Information regarding media availability during the CFL Combine can be found here. The 2020 CFL Global Draft will take place on April 16.

GLOBAL PLAYERS INVITED TO THE CFL COMBINE PRESENTED BY NEW ERA

Name Position Country League/NCAA School Aguemon, Jason RB France LEFA (France) Aiolupotea-Pei, Misiona DL New Zealand Washington State Anderson, Tony * DB France NAIA Billy, Bryan DB France LEFA (France) Bombek, Jan-Phillip DL Germany Colorado State Breidenbach, Sven * OL Germany GFL (Germany) Dalle Piagge, Lorenzo * DL Italy FIDAF (Italy) Donkor, Aaron DL Germany Arkansas State Engstrom, Malcolm DL Sweden Superserien (Sweden) Ford, Jake P/K Australia Ouachita Baptist Illetschko, Dustin 1 LB Austria GFL (Germany) Izinyon, David * LB Great Britain GFL2 (Germany) James, William * DB Sweden GFL (Germany) Kensy, Marius LB Germany GFL (Germany) Konate, Michel ‘Junior’ RB Denmark Nationalliga (Denmark) Krafft, Leo * 3 DL Norway NAIF (Norway) Kyei, Micky * WR Finland GFL (Germany) Lee, Taku * RB Japan X-League (Japan) Liesen, Niklas * LB Germany GFL (Germany) Machino, Tomoya * OL Japan KCAFL (Japan) Madin Cerezo, Jean-Claude 1 WR Spain GFL2 (Germany) Mahoungou, Anthony * WR France GFL (Germany) Mbeleg-Toonga, Glen RB Great Britain GFL (Germany) Meskell, Ryan K Australia Hawaii Milanovic, Aleksandar 2 OL Austria AFL (Austria) Nielsen, Steve OL Denmark Eastern Michigan Omi, Yoshihito WR Japan X-League (Japan) Pais, Klaus WR Brazil BFA (Brazil) Polastri Neto, Luis LB Brazil BFA (Brazil) Posunko, Oleksandr 1 DB Ukraine GFL2 (Germany) Rodney, Justin RB Germany GFL (Germany) Sagne, Sebastien * WR Finland GFL (Germany) Schenderlein, Jonas K Germany Concordia-Saint Paul Takaya, Ryota DL Japan X-League (Japan) Vrede, Tyron LB Netherlands North Dakota Whitford, Joel P Australia Washington Yamagishi, Akio LB Japan X-League (Japan) Yamasaki, Takeru P/K Japan X-League (Japan) Zema, Joseph P Australia Incarnate Word

* Recipient of a direct invitation following a CFL Global Combine

1 Attended the CFL Global Combine in Frankfurt, Germany

2 Attended the CFL Global Combine in Florence, Italy

3 Attended the CFL Global Combine in Copenhagen, Denmark