NFL and TMRW Sports announce new pro flag football league for 2027

The NFL and TMRW Sports announced on Monday the creation of Premier Flag, a new professional league for men and women that will begin play in the summer of 2027. The league aims to provide elite flag football players with a full-time career, allowing them to leave other jobs to focus entirely on the sport.

Premier Flag is scheduled to launch one year before flag football makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Brian Flinn, the NFL's senior vice president of global flag football, stated that the league establishes a professional standard for the sport's growing global pathway.

The organization is currently finalizing the number of teams and the specific salary structure for players. The league will operate in a U.S. city that has not yet been announced. Players will receive coaching, conditioning support, and health benefits as part of their professional contracts.

Several top athletes have already joined the league as ambassadors. These include Ashlea Klam and Izzy Geraci from the USA Football women's national team, and Darrell “Housh” Doucette III from the men's side. Doucette described the opportunity as a major milestone for the athletes.

“Means the world to us as flag players,” Doucette said. “We can finally be paid for the sport we invested so much money and time in. The sacrifices we had to make to be great players have finally paid off, and we are excited for the new opportunity.”

TMRW Sports, which previously launched the indoor golf league TGL with backing from Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, is applying its data-driven approach to flag football. Brendan Donohue, president of flag football for TMRW Sports, said the league is working with IFAF, the international governing body, to test rules, formats, and equipment.

The company held a combine at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London last month to identify top talent. Athletes who advanced from that event will participate in a Premier Flag Combine next year. Another talent identification event is planned for November in Mexico City.

A Premier Flag Showcase is also scheduled to take place during Super Bowl week in Los Angeles. Scott Hallenbeck, CEO and executive director of USA Football, called the new league a welcome addition to the sport. He noted that the professional league provides a clear path for athletes from national team members to young players.

“This is an exciting opportunity for everyone from our national team athletes to the kids who dream of playing at the highest level,” Hallenbeck said. “It’s another sign that flag football has arrived, with a professional league and a place at the pinnacle of global sport, the Olympics. It’s great for the growth of our game.”

The formation of the league comes as flag football continues to expand in the United States. The sport is currently a sanctioned varsity activity in more than 20 states. The NCAA will vote in January on making flag football a championship sport, with a title game potentially held in spring 2028.