The National Football League and American Football Australia (AFA) announced today a first-of-its-kind agreement in Australia which will see the two organizations come together to deliver a nationwide Sporting Schools program.
As part of the partnership, flag football school programs across the country currently run by the AFA and NFL concurrently will all become NFL Flag-branded and will enter the Australian Sports Commission's (ASC) National Sporting Schools program. The partnership highlights the strong alignment between AFA and the NFL during an important period of growth for flag football in Australia.
The announcement is a win for the sport and for Australian schools. Introduced in 2015, the Australian Government initiative is designed to give primary and secondary school students the opportunity to learn new skills, build confidence and enjoy the benefits of being active through sport.
"Australia has emerged as one of the most exciting growth markets for flag football globally, and partnering with American Football Australia allow us both to accelerate that momentum," said Charlotte Offord, NFL general manager -- Australia and New Zealand. "Together, we are creating a pathway that introduces more young people to the sport, strengthens participation in schools and communities, and supports the next generation of athletes. As interest in flag football continues to rise around the world ahead of its Olympic debut in 2028, this partnership provides a strong foundation for the long-term growth of the game in Australia."
"American Football Australia is thrilled to be partnering with the NFL to deliver flag football through the Australian Sports Commission's Sporting Schools program -- a partnership that puts the world's biggest football brand behind our grassroots ambitions," said Wade Kelly, chief executive officer of American Football Australia. "This is another huge step in the exponential growth of flag football across Australia, opening the game up to boys and girls in schools in every corner of the country. Sporting Schools is the foundation our flag football programs are built on, and we have no doubt Australia's future Olympic flag football players will come through it."
Flag football is played by more than 20 million people in over 100 countries worldwide and continues to see rapid growth, particularly among young and girls' participation. The sport will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, with aspirations for its long-term inclusion in future Olympic programs.
The NFL has continued to invest in international growth through grassroots participation, youth development and strategic partnerships, with Australia representing a key market in the league's global expansion efforts. Started as a pilot program in 10 schools in 2022, the NFL's national flag competition has now expanded to more than 500 schools and over 100,000 students participating in state, national and international flag football tournaments.
The sport's momentum continues at IFAF World Flag 26, taking place next week in Düsseldorf, Germany from Aug. 13-16, where the world's top men's and women's national teams will compete in the premier international flag football tournament and the first direct Olympic qualifying event for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Australia's national flag football teams are ranked among the best in the world, with the men sitting eighth and the women 10th in the global standings. In 2025, the men's team claimed gold at the IFAF Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships, with the women's winning silver at the same tournament.
In partnership with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and American Football Australia (AFA), the NFL continues to showcase efforts to increase participation and inspire the next generation of flag footballers.
Today's announcement comes as the NFL continues its preparations for Australia's first-ever regular-season NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams live from the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, Sept. 11 at 10:35 a.m. AEST (Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8:35 p.m. ET in the United States). For more details about the game or tickets to the NFL Kickoff Festival, visit ticketmaster.com.au/nfl or download the NFL OnePass app.
To stay up to date on all things NFL Australia, follow @NFLAUNZ on Instagram, X and TikTok.
For more information about flag football, visit NFLFLAG.com.
