The National Football League has teamed up with Australian Football Australia to embed flag football within the country’s National Sporting Schools programme, rebranding the effort as NFL Flag. The collaboration is designed to broaden youth participation, support school‑based development and create a clear pathway toward the sport’s Olympic debut in Los Angeles 2028.
Under the agreement, more than 100,000 primary and secondary students will experience the sport across over 500 schools nationwide, a dramatic expansion from just ten schools two years ago. The programme builds on the existing Sporting Schools initiative, which has been offering students new physical activities since 2015.
Grassroots momentum and global reach
Flag football is one of the fastest‑growing sports worldwide, with more than 20 million players in over 100 countries. In Australia, the national men’s and women’s squads are currently ranked eighth and tenth globally, respectively, after securing gold and silver at the recent IFAF Asia‑Oceania Flag Football Championships.
The partnership also marks a historic milestone for the NFL: the first regular‑season game to be played on Australian soil. The San Francisco 49ers will face the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2024, bringing the excitement of the league to a new audience.
Beyond the headline matchup, the collaboration aims to inspire the next generation of athletes by providing structured youth development programmes and expanding access for girls, who now have clearer pathways from schoolyards to international competition.