IFAF, the NFL, and USA Football, responsible for governing American football in the United States, are celebrating the IOC Session’s recent vote in Mumbai, India. This vote marks a historic moment as it allows American football to be included in the official Olympics program. For the first time ever, flag football will make its inaugural appearance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The decision made today is in line with previous recommendations by the IOC Executive Board, IOC Olympic Program Commission, and Los Angeles 2028 Organizing Committee. This marks the conclusion of a two-year evaluation process.
Flag football has been placed at the heart of shared global sport development goals following the formation of Vision28. This unique joint venture and partnership model was created by IFAF and the NFL.
Flag football, recognized for its short, swift, non-contact, and gender-neutral format, is leading an impressive global rise in participation in American football. This format, known as the most accommodating and inclusive version of the game, is particularly gaining popularity among women and girls.
An estimated 20 million people across over 100 countries are currently engaged in the discipline, which is experiencing growth in parallel with the surging international popularity of the NFL. As the favorite spectator sport in America, it continues to expand its global fanbase, which currently stands at 340 million.
This year, 65 national representative teams will be participating in the IFAF continental flag football competition. This event is a build-up to the largest-ever IFAF World Flag Football Championships, which will take place in Lahti, Finland in August 2024.
The President of the International Federation of American Football, Pierre Trochet, stated:
This is a monumental time for our sport and the worldwide American football community. We’re thankful to all who have contributed to this truly collective journey. The journey will now proceed in collaboration with LA28, to whom we express our gratitude for their vision and leadership.
We firmly believe that introducing flag football to the Games will bring an exhilarating new aspect, merging them with America’s top sport in its most approachable and inclusive form. This form is already leading remarkable growth, especially among young people, women, and girls, and in new countries globally. We are certain that its inclusion in the Olympic Games will further speed up this momentum.
Gold medalist of The World Games and Chair of the IFAF Athletes’ Committee, Diana Flores, stated:
Every athlete’s ultimate dream is to compete in the Olympic Games. Tonight, millions of flag football players worldwide will be dreaming of Los Angeles 2028. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has made this possible — especially to my fellow athletes and ambassadors who have been instrumental in advancing this project.
As a united front, we are resolved to utilize this remarkable platform to highlight the excellence of flag football – its velocity, athletic prowess, and innovation, as well as its capacity to change lives and integrate fresh communities into sports. As a community of athletes, we take pride in spearheading this movement. However, our ultimate objective is to utilize this chance to motivate, elevate, and empower a new global generation.
National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell stated:
Kudos to the International Federation of American Football for this monumental accomplishment in flag football, greatly impacting the international community that cherishes and participates in our game.
Representing their country at the Olympics is an immense honor for any athlete. We firmly believe that this decision will serve as inspiration for millions of young individuals worldwide to participate in this game in the forthcoming years.
The NFL is dedicated to collaborating on enhancing the position of flag football within the Olympic movement over the long term. We are eager to carry on this thrilling journey with IFAF, the LA28 Organizing Committee, the International Olympic Committee, and USA Football.
The CEO of USA Football and IFAF Vice President, Scott Hallenbeck, stated:
Today marks a significant milestone for American football. We express our profound gratitude to the IOC and LA28 Organizing Committee for acknowledging the merit of flag football for inclusion in the Olympic Games. We join in the excitement and commemorate this historic event with the millions of flag football enthusiasts nationwide.
The choice to include flag football in the 2028 Summer Olympic program in Los Angeles is a recognition of the sport’s impressive global expansion and allure as a swift, thrilling, and competitive sport.
USA Football is committed to promoting the rapid growth of the sport at all levels by fostering more opportunities to play and seeking its inclusion in the Olympic Games. This will bring about significant changes in our sport, starting from the grassroots level to our top-tier US National Teams.
As the authoritative entity of American Football in the United States, our commitment to collaborate closely with IFAF, the USOPC, and the NFL is unwavering. Our shared goal is to expand the game for both existing and upcoming generations.
