A three-way partnership between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Federation of Flag Football (IFAF), and American football's NFL, has been struck.
A promotional deal was unveiled over the weekend in Dusseldorf, Germany (where the IFAF World Championship has just taken place), around the debut of flag football as an Olympic sport at the Los Angeles Summer Games in 2028.
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All of the bodies have now committed to "leverage their platforms to help connect audiences with flag football and the Olympic Games."
'Tentpole' NFL events, such as the iconic end-of-season Super Bowl and the annual International Games series, are covered by the deal, as are major IFAF competitions.
A new logo and visual identity for flag football at the Olympics has also been created.
This tie-up builds on an existing one between the IOC, IFAF, and the NFL.
At LA28, six men’s and six women’s national teams will compete in flag football. In May 2025, the NFL voted to allow its teams to send one US player each.
Pierre Trochet, IFAF's president, commented: "IFAF is proud to convene this collaboration with two of the world’s pre-eminent sports brands in support of our efforts to drive engagement with flag football around the world. The time is now for flag football."
France-based IFAF's global network now includes national federations spanning more than 80 countries across five continents, with the top 16 men’s and women’s teams competing at this year’s World Championship.
The governing body claims more than 20 million people currently play flag football globally, with approximately 4.1 million youngsters playing the sport in the US alone.
Mid-June saw the IFAF announce a strategic partnership with TMRW Sports, the company founded by golf legends Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, to support the development of the sport.
The NFL had already unveiled TMRW Sports as its operating partner for a new professional flag football league, scheduled to launch in 2028.
Flag football was also heavily involved at the NFL Pro Bowl event in San Francisco, in February.
Peter O'Reilly, executive vice president for club business, major events, and international, at the NFL, added: "The NFL is proud to work alongside IFAF and the IOC to help build momentum toward 2028, leveraging the reach of our league, clubs, and major events to showcase the game, its athletes, and our partnership on a global stage."
