Flag football is coming to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles – and NFL players can participate.
“It’s an incredible honor for any athlete to represent their country in the Olympics, which is the pinnacle of global sport,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “I know first-hand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage. We are thrilled that they will now have that chance.”
The ratification required at least 24 out of 32 NFL owners to vote in favor of allowing players to participate in flag football.
Flag football will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee announced in October 2023 that flag football would be included on the 2028 Olympics sports program.
The Olympic flag football competition will consist of six men’s teams and six women’s teams composed of 10 players per team, with the game itself a five-on-five format. According to the NFL, NFL player participation with their countries’ national flag football teams will begin with a tryout or qualification process in advance of the Olympic competition.
Olympic flag football will be held at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The 22,000-seat soccer stadium is adjacent to the LA Memorial Coliseum.
“There is no question that the 2028 Flag Football tournament at the LA28 Games will be one of the most exciting competitions in Olympic history, and the inclusion of NFL players will bring it to new heights,’ Los Angeles Olympics chairperson and president Casey Wasserman said in a statement. ‘This milestone would not have been possible without the support of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL Players Association, its club owners and most importantly, the athletes, who we’ll look forward to watching on the field in 2028.”
This story has been updated.
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