USA football & American Football Australia reach international sports development agreement to grow Flag Football

U.S. and Australian governing bodies for American football collaborate to lead international growth of flag football for LA28 Olympics and beyond

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. & SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – January 27, 2025 - USA Football and American Football Australia, the governing bodies of the sport in their respective countries, have agreed to collaborate on flag football development through to 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and beyond.

USA Football and American Football Australia will reinforce global competitive opportunities and raise the bar for international flag football as the sport prepares to make its Olympic debut in LA28 and the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane come into focus. Both governing bodies aim to establish standards that strengthen flag football’s case for retaining its spot as an Olympic sport beyond 2028.

“Football is experiencing unprecedented growth worldwide as we draw closer to the 2028 Olympics,” said USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck. “USA Football and our world champion U.S. National Teams are helping to lead the global growth of flag football by setting new standards and assisting other governing bodies as we collaboratively develop robust international competition.

“Wade Kelly and his team at American Football Australia have invested the time and resources to develop an exemplary program. As the U.S. prepares for LA28 and Brisbane looks forward to 2032, we plan to strengthen flag football’s position as an Olympic sport by collaborating with American Football Australia and building a united global football community.”

Interest in flag football across the globe is skyrocketing following the announcement in 2023 that flag football will be an Olympic sport when the games come to Los Angeles. The decision served as rocket fuel for the already increasingly popular game. Many countries with significant football fanbases, including Australia, are scaling their programming to meet the demand for elite competitive opportunities.

“USA Football, under Scott Hallenbeck and his team, are the global benchmark in both performance and professionalism. Bringing our two nations together to build towards LA28 and beyond is an exciting venture we feel privileged to be a part of,” said American Football Australia CEO Wade Kelly. “The global momentum of flag football since the LA Olympics announcement has been nothing short of phenomenal. With Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, the future of flag football is no doubt one of the most exciting in sport.”

USA Football and American Football Australia will meet in Los Angeles this June when junior and adult national teams from Australia compete in USA Football events. Australia will face the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams as part of a new summer friendly series aimed at sharpening international competition and inspiring global participation in elite events.

The U.S. and Australian Men’s and Women’s National Teams competed in the 2024 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championships in Lahti, Finland this past August. The field featured 32 men’s and 23 women’s teams from six continents, making it the largest IFAF event in history.

Images from the match at the World Championships between the U.S. and Australian Women’s National Teams are available here, courtesy of Lester Barnes/USA Football.

USA Football will hold the fourth annual edition of the Junior International Cup in Los Angeles alongside the adult competition. The event includes 15U and 17U divisions for boys and girls. American Football Australia’s junior national teams will participate in the Junior International Cup for the first time. Last year’s cup included teams from Canada, Japan, Mexico, Panama and the U.S.

USA Football will release more information, including dates, times and venue details, at a later date.

In addition to more competitive opportunities, the agreement between USA Football and American Football Australia paves the way for the two governing bodies to collaborate for data collection and analysis, talent identification and improving athlete performance.

About USA Football:     

USA Football is the governing body of American Football in the United States. As a Recognized Sports Organization of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football, USA Football selects, trains and leads the U.S. National Teams in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways.

About  American Football Australia:

American Football Australia (AFA) is the national governing body for American Football in Australia and is the national sporting organisation recognised by the Australian Sports Commission to develop the sport. AFA is also a full member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). AFA has a commitment to fostering the sport's development at all levels, from grassroots to elite competitions and is responsible for national competitions and the development of Australian national teams across both tackle and flag football. AFA aims to create an inclusive environment where players of all ages, genders, and skill levels can thrive from club competition through to high performance programs.

For more information:     

USA Football Contacts:

Ryan Anderson – randerson@usafootball.com

Sam Teets - steets@usafootball.com

American Football Australia Contacts:

Wade Kelly - wade.kelly@americanfootball.org.au

Pamela Tuft - pamela.tuft@americanfootball.org.au