Four months ago, NFL teams announced a $32 million-dollar investment in flag football.
On March 30, the NFL announced Hall of Fame icons, recently retired stars, current players and prominent women’s sports figures will help oversee a new league for women and men.
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“As the flag football movement continues its explosive global growth, a professional flag league completes the pathway for elite athletes to compete at every level of the game, from youth to high school and college, to the Olympic stage, and now professionally,” said Troy Vincent Sr., NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “This is especially meaningful for girls and young women who are helping drive the sport’s growth worldwide and who can now see their dreams in this game extend all the way to the professional level.”
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In December, the NFL announced the $32 million investment from the 32 teams league-wide through 32 Equity, the league’s collective investment arm which focuses on growing the sport.
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The NFL states that approximately 4.1 million kids play flag football in the U.S., which is up more than 50% since 2020. More than 100 universities and colleges now offer women’s flag football as well.
Ahead of flag football’s debut in the Olympics in 2028, former and current NFL players took on current flag football stars in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. Team USA dominated against former stars like Tom Brady and Luke Kuechly as well as current quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels.
The March 30 announcement moves the NFL one step closer to the goal of creating a flag football league. Here’s what we know.
Who is involved with the new flag football league?
The NFL and TMRW Sports are working with some big names, both retired and current, to help launch the new league, including:
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“Flag football represents so much of what makes this game special, showcasing the skill, creativity, and competitiveness that define this sport,” Brady said. “Flag football’s rapid rise has been incredible, and the extensive list of current and former players supporting this league shows just how strongly athletes believe in its future.”
Former women’s sports stars Billie Jean King, Ilana Koss, Alex Morgan and Serena Williams will be part of the group as well.
“The momentum behind women’s sports has never been stronger, and flag football is poised to play a major role in that continued growth,” King said. “This new professional league will build on that progress by giving elite women athletes the stage they deserve to showcase their skills and shape the sport’s global trajectory.”
When will the flag football league launch?
An official launch date has not been established by the NFL at time of publishing. With the games in Los Angeles set for 2028, the new league will likely launch in time ahead of that.
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Where will the flag football teams play?
The NFL hasn’t specified where the teams will be based or how many teams there will be. If it follows a similar model to the United Football League, there could eight teams with some playing in cities that do not currently have NFL teams.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL launches flag football league with Hall of Famers, icons helping
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