Will Flag Football Be In The 2028 Olympics?
- May 31, 2023
Flag football was one of the two inaugural sports when i9 Sports® started in 2003. Our flag football program has seen over 1.2 million registrations in the last 20 years. But it’s not just i9 Sports® seeing this trend. Since the early 2000’s, flag football has gained traction nationwide. That includes boys’ and girls’ leagues.
In 2002, Florida became the first state to make girls flag football a varsity sport with 103 schools participating. Today in Florida, 320 schools participate in varsity girls flag football. With the growing participation, many are wondering if it will be an Olympic sport in 2028.
Will Flag Football be in the 2028 Olympics?
The IOC Executive Board recently proposed that the (IFAF) should be approved by the IOC. The official vote won’t happen until October when the IOC holds its next full session, but it’s a good sign for the future of flag football. This also happens to be when the final decision will be made for additional sports in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, California.
Flag football is only one of nine sports on the list to be voted on. The other sports are motorsport, cricket, karate, baseball and softball, lacrosse, break dancing, and kickboxing. The question is, will flag football have the push to make the cut against these other possible sports?
It would be great timing to introduce the world to a new American based Olympic sport while the Olympics are being held in America. Unfortunately, we won’t know for sure until October, but one thing is certain. Flag Football has made a lot of strides in the last 20 years and it’s going to continue to grow.
Signs of Growth
Flag football has made a lot of strides in recent years. This includes replacing the NFL Pro Bowl with a flag football competition. Flag football also made its debut at The World Games in Alabama in 2022, a global multi-sport competition.
USA Football will be hosting the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) 2023 Americas Continental Flag Football Championship in Charlotte, NC this July. This championship will include the best men’s and women’s flag football teams from both North and South America. This will be the first of three global championships leading up to the 2024 World Championship in Lahti, Finland. The World Championship in Finland will be the first fully gender equal and the largest global flag football competition to date.
Join the Flag Football Movement
Don’t miss out on this popular non-contact sport! Register for an i9 Sports® flag football program near you! We offer once-a-week programs for ages 3 and up that focus on sportsmanship and age-appropriate instruction. Visit our flag football page to learn more about our flag football leagues.
Update as of October 16, 2023: Baseball and softball, lacrosse, cricket, and squash will be joining flag football in LA 2028! Congrats to all these sports, their organizations, and to our partners USA Football for achieving their goal of being added to the Olympics.
