Team USA — perennially in contention for both most gold medals and total medals at the Olympics — had to be thrilled when the International Olympic Committee announced that flag football would be making its debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
After all, few sports are more resonant with Americana than football.
(In fact, “fútbol” doesn’t even mean football outside of America.)
The IOC announced the addition of flag football in late 2023, per CNN, and fans immediately wondered who would be representing the country.
Would the USA be sending the NFL’s very best players, tilting an already seemingly lopsided scale in its favor, or would it be more of a 1980 Team USA hockey team at Lake Placid situation?
After the NFL’s decision on Tuesday, it appears that the scale had better get ready to slide.
NFL owners voted to approve a proposal that would allow NFL players to represent the country at the 2028 Olympics in the flag football event, as reported by ESPN.
“It’s an incredible honor for any athlete to represent their country in the Olympics, which is the pinnacle of global sport,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “I know firsthand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage.”
He added, “We are thrilled that they will now have that chance.”
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The league also announced the news in an X post:
OFFICIAL: NFL players will be allowed to compete in Flag Football at the LA28 Olympic Games pic.twitter.com/Ki4ryK2FtY
— NFL (@NFL) May 20, 2025
There is one key wrinkle to this agreement: Only one representative per NFL team can be selected for Team USA.
That means superstar NFL duos — like Cincinnati Bengals receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — will have to be broken up, but that should be little issue given the wealth of talent in the NFL.
Another wrinkle that will need to be hammered out is that the flag football schedule cannot “unreasonably conflict with an NFL player’s league and club commitments.”
Flag football officials will also have to provide proof that they’re deploying medical and training staffs that meet NFL standards.
Despite those lingering issues, the IOC seems thrilled with the NFL owners adding their players’ star power to the 2028 games.
The IOC welcomes the decision by the National Football League @NFL and its clubs to support NFL players in their desire to compete in flag football at the Olympic Games @LA28. 👇 pic.twitter.com/NujqDWuHSX
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) May 20, 2025
“The IOC welcomes the decision by the National Football League (NFL) and its clubs to support NFL players in their desire to compete in flag football at the Olympic Games LA28 and very much appreciates the overall backing NFL is giving to flag football and the Olympic Games LA28,” the statement said.
After describing the decision as “landmark,” the IOC noted that work “continues” with various entities — likely to address some of those aforementioned wrinkles.
The 2028 Summer Olympics runs from July 14 to July 30, and will be one of the last major American-hosted events to be overseen by the administration of President Donald Trump.
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