NFL clubs voted this Tuesday, during the League’s Spring Meeting in Eagan, Minnesota, in favor of allowing NFL players to participate in the flag football discipline at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The approved resolution authorizes the league to collaborate with the NFL Players Association, the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), and relevant Olympic authorities to establish the rules governing NFL players’ participation in this discipline, which will make its Olympic debut in 2028.
NFL players’ enthusiasm for the Olympics
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell highlighted the importance of this decision: “It is an incredible honor for any athlete to represent their country at the Olympic Games, which are the pinnacle of global sports. The inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has generated tremendous excitement among NFL players, who are eager for the opportunity to compete for their country on the world stage. We are thrilled that they now have that chance.”
Olympic rosters will be selected by each country’s National Olympic Committees based on proposals from their respective National Federations.
IFAF’s support for flag football’s Olympic debut
IFAF President Pierre Trochet celebrated the outcome of the vote: “I warmly welcome this result, which promises to add another dimension to what is already shaping up to be a game-changing debut for flag football at the Olympic Games. The National Football League is home to the biggest stars in American football, many of whom come from an increasing number of countries, and now they have the opportunity to shine on the world’s biggest sports stage.”
Trochet also thanked the NFL for its commitment to flag football within the Olympic movement and assured that they will work together to ensure that this sport becomes a key element of the success of Los Angeles 2028.
Flag football format at Los Angeles 2028
The Olympic flag football competition will feature six men’s teams and six women’s teams, each composed of 10 players. The games will be played in a five-on-five format.
Under the agreed terms, NFL players’ participation in their national flag football teams will begin with a trial or qualification process prior to the Olympic competition.
