NFL Flag Sporting Schools grants open for Term 1 2027
Primary schools and secondary schools with Year 7 and 8 students across Australia can now apply for Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Sporting Schools funding to run NFL Flag in Term 1, 2027, with applications open until 5:00pm AEDT Friday 13 November.
NFL Flag is the 5-a-side, non-contact form of American football, which can be delivered on any school oval or grass field with flag belts, footballs and cones. American Football Australia (AFA) delivers the program in partnership with the NFL, giving schools the choice of coach-led sessions or delivery by their own teachers.
Grant amounts are set by the ASC based on school type and student numbers.
Schools can include up to three sports in one application, with NFL Flag sitting under American football in the portal.
Funding is limited each term. AFA encourages schools to apply early in the window to give themselves the best chance of securing a grant before applications close at 5:00pm AEDT on Friday 13 November.
Full funding breakdowns are available on the ASC's primary school and secondary school grant program pages.
HOW TO APPLY:
Log in to the Sporting Schools portal, or register your school if it's your first time.
Open the Grants tab and select “Apply for a primary/secondary school grant”.
Click "Add sport to plan" and choose American football, which is where NFL Flag sits.
Enter your student numbers and sessions, then choose whether a coach or your own teachers will deliver the program.
Submit as early as possible, applications close 5:00pm AEDT Friday 13 November.
If your grant is approved, book the program via the portal.
Need help or missed out on a grant?
AFA can help schools choose the NFL Flag program and resources that best suit them. Schools that miss out on a grant, or want to start sooner, can still run NFL Flag programs throughout the rest of 2026 and beyond.
To get started, contact sportingschools@americanfootball.org.au or call 0420 975 970.
For many children, school is their first opportunity to play NFL Flag, making it the first step in AFA's player pathway.
Students can then progress to playing flag football in their community, representing their state at the AFA Junior Flag Nationals and becoming eligible for selection in Australia's U15 and U17 national squads.
The NFL Flag national school program, a state and national tournament pathway program, also operates across all states and territories at U13 (primary) and U15 (secondary) level, with national winners going on to represent Australia in the US at International Championships each year.
Australia's Men's squad are the reigning Asia-Oceania champions while the Women's squad hold the silver medal, with both teams working towards qualification for the sport's Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
As part of the Olympic push, AFA and NFL are also advocating for flag football's inclusion at Brisbane 2032, which could put a home Olympics within reach of students who start playing at school today.
Wade Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of American Football Australia, said:
"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."
Visit the ASC's website for more information on program details for American football.
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For more information on American football in Australia, visit americanfootball.org.au
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Media contact
Brock Bentley Chief Marketing Officer, American Football Australia
American Football Australia
American Football Australia (AFA) is the national governing body for American Football in Australia, recognised by the Australian Sports Commission and a full member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). AFA is responsible for national competitions and the development of Australian national teams across both tackle and flag football.
