The National Football League has announced that it will launch professional flag football leagues for both men and women beginning in 2027, featuring combines, drafts and elite competition.
Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, outlined the vision on the “Up & Adams” show, emphasizing that flag football is being treated as a distinct sport with its own development pathway.
The league notes that flag football already boasts roughly 20 million participants worldwide across youth, adult and women’s divisions, and the sport is sanctioned in 39 U.S. states, with 17 official state championships and 22 pilot programs.
Its Olympic debut is slated for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, a milestone that has already seen Team USA defeat a roster of NFL stars in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, and the NFL’s owners have cleared the way for active players to try out for national teams.
A Strategic Partnership
TMRW Sports, the league’s partner, brings experience from its primetime golf league TGL, and the collaboration is expected to accelerate the sport’s global reach.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has voiced strong support, while star quarterbacks such as Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels have expressed enthusiasm, and Tom Brady has joined the conversation as a vocal advocate for the new format.
The upcoming spring league meeting in Orlando will discuss the rollout details, with league officials describing the future of flag football as “limitless” and accessible to a worldwide audience.