By Lydia Jane Allison
NFL Flag High School Girls Showcase Presented by Visa Highlights Senior Athletes from Teams Represented in the USA TODAY Super 25 Girls Flag Football Rankings
NFL Flag International Championship and NFL Flag HBCU Tournament presented by Toyota feature coed competition
NEW YORK — Jan. 17, 2025 —The National Football League announced the various competitive flag football tournaments that will be held at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon in Orlando, Florida. A variety of competitions, highlighted by the NFL Flag High School Girls Showcase presented by Visa, the NFL Flag International Championship and the NFL Flag HBCU Tournament presented by Toyota, will take place during Pro Bowl week to highlight the opportunities for boys and girls to play flag football from youth through college.
The NFL Flag High School Girls Showcase presented by Visa will feature the top senior high school flag football girls’ athletes from teams featured in the inaugural USA TODAY Super 25 rankings. The event will include 30 high school athletes, divided into two teams of AFC versus NFC based on NFL clubs who supported sanctioning flag football in their respective states, and four coaches, two per team. The showcase will take place on Pro Bowl Games Sunday, Feb. 2, at Camping World Stadium at 1 p.m. ET. The NFL will air the game live on ESPN during Postseason NFL Countdown, the pregame show for the NFL Pro Bowl Games.
“We’re incredibly excited to have assisted the NFL with selecting the athletes to kick off the inaugural Pro Bowl Showcase as flag football continues to grow across the country,” said USA TODAY Network Sports Senior Content Strategist Rick Suter. “Celebrating these talented athletes on a national stage like this is the perfect way to cap off the excitement created by the Super 25 rankings.”
Returning this season is the International NFL Flag Championship. Young athletes from 13 countries will travel to the U.S. to compete in a multi-day flag football tournament from Friday, Jan. 31 to Sunday, Feb. 2 to showcase their skills and connect with peers from around the world, before watching NFL superstars compete in the sport at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games. This is the largest international flag football tournament to date with participating countries from across five of the seven continents, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, and Spain. New this year, the tournament Championship Game will be held onsite at Camping World Stadium the morning of the Pro Bowl Games.
“These NFL Flag activations at the Pro Bowl Games are amazing opportunities to showcase flag football at multiple levels on the global stage,” said Stephanie Kwok, vice president and head of flag football for the NFL. “Flag football is a key priority for the League and these events give flag football the exposure it needs to continue driving participation around the world and emphasize the importance of sanctioning the sport in all 50 states.”
The NFL Flag HBCU Tournament presented by Toyota will celebrate the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in growing flag football and spotlighting the sport to drive awareness around colleges starting varsity programs. The two-day tournament, held at the University of Central Florida on Friday (Jan. 31) and Saturday (Feb. 1), will feature 11 teams across co-ed and girls only divisions.
HBCUs have played an important role in growing flag football, such as Alabama State University becoming the first NCAA DI university and HBCU to offer a varsity program for girls flag football. Also, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, composed entirely of HBCUs, recently added varsity flag football among seven of its member schools.
One of the NFL’s priorities is to develop a pathway for girl’s flag football by creating more opportunities in the game. At the high school level, 13 states have officially sanctioned girls flag football as a varsity sport. Over 50 colleges across the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA have varsity women’s flag football programs. Played by an estimated 20 million people in more than 100 countries across six continents, flag football is a short, fast, non-contact and gender-equal format. It is the most inclusive and accessible format of football, played by people of all ages and genders, with women and girls driving some of the sport’s fastest growth.
On Oct. 16, 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to include flag football in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This historic decision will continue to legitimize and lend credibility to the sport, enabling these athletes the opportunity to compete on the world’s biggest stage. To learn more about NFL Flag or find a league near you to get involved in the movement, visit www.nflflag.com.
ABOUT NFL FLAG NFL Flag is an NFL-licensed property of more than 2,000 locally operated leagues and over 750,000 youth athletes across all 50 states and Canada. NFL Flag is a fun and accessible non-contact program available for girls and boys ages 5-17. Players benefit by being physically active through non-contact, continuous action while learning the fundamentals of football as well as lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship. RCX Sports is the official operator of NFL FLAG. Learn more online at nflflag.com.
About NFL Flag — the official flag football program of the National Football League — has a presence across 15 international markets outside of the United States. Fast-paced and accessible for all, flag football is one of the fastest growing sports globally with women and girls leading some of the largest growth and increased participation. The game provides a structured opportunity for youth to play the non-contact version of American football while discovering the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and friendship both on and off the field.
To find out more about NFL Flag around the world, please visit here.
NFL Explained: Flag football and the Olympics, find out more here.
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