NFL Seeks Investors for New Pro Flag Football Leagues

NEW YORK – The National Football League is actively exploring plans to establish separate professional flag football leagues for men and women, aiming for a potential launch in 2026. Ten investment groups, including Alexis Ohanian‘s firm 776 and TKO Group Holdings, have submitted proposals as part of this initiative, sources revealed.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the exploration of these leagues in February, emphasizing the league’s commitment to promoting flag football. At a recent press conference held during the NFL owners’ meeting, Goodell highlighted the growing interest in the sport, stating, “It’s clear that there’s a lot of interest in a pro flag league.”

The bidding process, set to close this week, has attracted significant players in the investment landscape. Other interested parties include Avenue Capital Group, Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz, and Connect Ventures, which is a partnership between the Creative Artists Agency and New Enterprise Associates. Additionally, SMAC Entertainment—a media company co-founded by former NFL player Michael Strahan—has entered a bid.

The NFL believes that launching professional flag football leagues will help grow the sport and expose it to new audiences, especially with its upcoming Olympic inclusion in Los Angeles in 2028. According to the National Federation of High Schools, participation among girls aged 6 to 17 in flag football surged by 63% since 2019, amounting to approximately 500,000 players in 2023.

Goodell’s reference to the Olympics as “a critical moment for us” underscores the urgency of establishing the women’s league beforehand. He noted the potential for flag football to flourish as a global sport, stating it’s now played in over 100 countries with an estimated audience of 20 million.

The NFL is keen to capitalize on the momentum surrounding flag football, which is already popular among youth leagues, with over 750,000 participants in its NFL Flag program nationwide. The league seeks to elevate women’s flag football, which is rapidly gaining traction, to new heights.

States are beginning to formalize women’s flag football at the high school level, with 14 states currently recognizing it as a varsity sport. The NFL intends to advocate for nationwide adoption while simultaneously pushing for the sport to receive NCAA backing for an official championship by 2028.

While interest in men’s flag football remains, sources indicated that the priority is currently on establishing a women’s league, reflecting the sport’s explosive growth in popularity among female players.

The NFL, TKO Group Holdings, Connect Ventures, Ice Cube, and Kwatinetz all declined to comment on the bids, while SMAC, Avenue Capital’s Marc Lasry, and Ohanian were not immediately available for further insights.