NFL approves American football players' participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

On Tuesday, the American football league (NFL) announced that its member teams have approved player participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where flag football will make its Olympic debut.

This approval allows the league to begin negotiations with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to establish the regulations.

"It's truly the next step in making NFL football and football a global sport for men and women of all ages and all opportunities across the globe. We think that's the right thing to do, and this is a big step in accomplishing that," commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Tuesday after the announcement.

The competition will feature six teams each in the men’s and women’s tournaments, with ten players per team.

Flag football is a tackle-free version of American football that has been rapidly gaining popularity among young girls in the United States. It is governed internationally by the IFAF, which has 75 national federation members across every continent and is recognized by the IOC.

The United States is the reigning flag football world champion and leads the all-time list with six titles, followed by Austria with three. France and Canada have each won the championship once.

Lloyd Howell Jr., executive director of the NFL Players Association, said they look forward to working with the league, the IFAF, and Olympic officials to finalize participation terms that ensure players compete with full protection of their health, safety, and employment rights.