We're less than three years away from theSummer Olympicsin Los Angeles. The 2028 games mark the first time the U.S. has hosted an Olympics since 2002 in Salt Lake City.
The International Olympic Committee approved five new sports to be added to the games in 2028: lacrosse, squash, baseball-softball, cricket and flag football.
NFL owners approvedplayers to participate in flag footballin the 2028 Olympics earlier this year. They'll have to try out for the 10-player team to represent the U.S. on home soil. Ahead of those tryouts, the NFL announced today they're making an investment in the sport.
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NFL teams will invest up to $32 million in launching a professional flag football league, according to a statement from the league. This move will be done through 32 Equity – the league's collective investment arm which focuses on growing the sport.
"Today's vote represents a critical step in establishing flag football as a premier global sport," Troy Vincent Sr., NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, said in the statement. "We are developing the infrastructure to accelerate the game's growth to new heights by creating a clear pathway for aspiring athletes to progress from youth and high school programs through college and now to the professional level.
"We look forward to forming a partnership to bring this vision to life and deliver a world-class professional flag football experience for elite athletes and fans alike."
The NFL aims to make this professional league a way for top athletes in the sport to compete and provide a path to the Olympics. Flag football is already offered at the high school level in 38 states, per the NFL, and this offers another step as colleges also begin investing in flag football as well.
Here's what we know about the professional league:
Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Best images of the 2025 NFL season
Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
When will the flag football league debut?
A flag football league will likely require slightly less infrastructure than a spring football league like the United Football League (UFL). Still, it's unlikely the league will debut in 2026 as time is needed for these investments to bear out. The NFL did not state when the league will debut but 2027 – a year ahead of the games in Los Angeles – could be a target to build anticipation for the sport's debut on the Olympic stage.
How many teams will be in the flag football league?
The NFL's statement did not specify how many teams will be included in this future league.
Looking at the history of other non-NFL football leagues, it is likely to be less than 10 teams to begin. The UFL has eight teams from across the country and came from the merger of the United States Football League and the XFL which had eight teams each prior to the merger.
Where will the flag football teams be?
There is no word yet on where these teams will be.
The NFL could opt to pair them with existing franchises in larger markets or follow in the steps of the UFL and include teams in markets without an NFL franchise currently in them (e.g. Birmingham, Alabama and San Antonio).
How much will flag football players make?
The NFL is investing up to $32 million into the league, which is a fraction of the salary cap for each team in 2025 ($279.2 million). There will likely be other investors beyond just the NFL, but do not expect multi-million dollar contracts for top athletes in the early years of this league, even if there are few teams to start.
Will the flag football league be co-ed?
The NFL mentioned both men and women athletes in their statement but did not specify if that meant co-ed teams. That could be the case or the league could have men's and women's teams, similar to the format for sports clubs in Europe, or separate teams in separate cities.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL announces $32 million investment in flag football league
