The International Federation of American Football has partnered with the NFL to add flag football to the World Games. The league will also be the presenting sponsor of flag football at the 2022 Games, and will promote the international sports event across league-owned digital platforms for the next two years.
The World Games hosts competitions for sports not included at the Olympics. They have been held every four years since 1981, but the 2021 World Games in Birmingham, Ala., have been shifted to 2022 as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic—when the Tokyo Olympics were rescheduled to next summer, they essentially bumped the World Games out of their July 2021 spot.
The next World Games will be the first to feature flag football. Top adult men’s and women’s teams from across the world will be invited to participate in competitions held at Birmingham’s Legion Field stadium, which can seat up to 70,000 fans and is home to the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s football team.
“The NFL is committed to opportunities for athletes from around the world to participate in all levels of football and has been supportive of IFAF’s work to bring flag football to The World Games, a great step forward in their long-term Olympic pursuits. We will be closely following the qualifying events which determine the top men’s and women’s flag football teams to compete in Birmingham,” Damani Leech, COO at NFL International, said in a press release.
