Coming to the Olympic Games after Paris 2024 is Flag Football, one of six new Olympic sports announced in 2023 for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Sharing many similarities with American football, the aim of Flag Football is to move the ball into the opposition’s ‘endzone’ to score points. It is however a non-contact sport, with tackles replaced by removing one of three ‘flags’ that are attached to a fabric belt on each player’s waist.
There are five players on each team on the field at one time from the 12-person squads. Players often specialise in either offence or defence.
A Flag Football field is 70 x 30 yards (64m x 27.4m) with 10 yards (9.1m) allotted to each of the two endzones. Each match consists of two 20-minute halves and if the scores are tied after 40 minutes, sudden-death overtime is played until points are scored.
Australian Flag Football history was made in October 2023, when Australia competed in an international event for the first time. Both an Australian men's team and women's team competed at the Flag Football Intercontinental Cup in Malaysia.
Flag Football started out as a means of recreation for American soldiers during World War II, who then brought the game back with them.
National Football League icon Tom Brady played Flag Football as a primary school student.
Olympic History
Flag Football will make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
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Flag Football
