NFL & TMRW SPORTS CREATE NEW ANNUAL PRO FLAG FOOTBALL SHOWCASE TO KICK OFF SUPER BOWL WEEK FESTIVITIES
The National Football League (NFL) and TMRW Sports announced a new annual Pro Flag Showcase to kick off Super Bowl week. As part of the NFL’s commitment to featuring all levels of flag football throughout Super Bowl LXI week in Los Angeles, the Pro Flag Showcase will spotlight the stars of the upcoming professional flag football league in development by the NFL and TMRW Sports. The Pro Flag Showcase will feature the world’s top flagfootball players, highlighting the unique skills and exciting plays that define the sport and have helped make flag football one of the fastest growing sports in recent years.
“With the spotlight that comes with Super Bowl week, the Pro Flag Showcase provides an opportunity to feature the athletes and highest level of competition driving flag football’s future,” said Brian Flinn, NFL senior vice president, global flag football. “Flag football’s momentum continues to accelerate around the world, and bringing many of the sport’s top players together is a powerful way to highlightthe speed, athleticism and excitement of the game to football fans worldwide.”
“We’re thrilled to introduce sports fans to many of the top flag football players in the world as we prepare to launch the new professional league in partnership with the NFL,” said Brendan Donohue, TMRW Sports president, flag football. “The Pro Flag Showcase will be our first opportunity to elevate the sport, from its fast-paced format to the unprecedented broadcast access that will draw fans in and educate them on the unique and exciting sport of flag football.”
The Pro Flag Showcase will be staged at a custom-built venue in Los Angeles with a live broadcast that combines pro-level competition and storytelling that brings the sport’s strategy and distinctiveness to life. NFL Pro Bowl honorees, Hall of Famers and legends will serve as advocates for flag football and the athletes competing in the Pro Flag Showcase, helping to elevate the event as part of Super Bowl week festivities.
The NFL and TMRW Sports previously announced the creation of a new professional flag football league launching ahead of the sport’s Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Fans will experience the league’s fast-paced, elite-level competition and tech-forward presentation from the first, purpose-built stadium for flag football. Ultimately, pro flag football will use data-driven storytelling and technology to immerse audiences in the sport’s speed, agility and athleticism. Adding this pro tier will play an important role in flag football’s broader global pathway, capping an expandingyouth, high school, collegiate, international and Olympic ecosystem with a professional opportunity for women and men.
The league has support from a broad and influential investor pool, including all 32 NFL Club owners, established institutional and strategic investors, and current and former NFL players, reflecting confidence in the sport’s long-term growth potential and increasing global relevance.
More than 20 million people currently play the sport around the world, with participation continuing to increase across all levels. Approximately 4.1 million youth play flag football in the U.S. alone – more than a 50 percent increase since 2020. Flag football is now offered in high school in 40 states, with the number of young women playing on their high school teams increasing by nearly 60 percent from 2024 to 2025. In addition, more than 250 colleges and universities across the country now offer women’s flag football programming. The NCAA recently approved flag football as part of the Emerging Sports for Women program and voted at its spring meeting to recommend that Divisions I, II and III add a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship as early as spring 2028.