Super Bowl week next month in San Francisco will feature not one, but two marquee flag football games.
It’s another way to gain even more exposure for the sport ahead of flag football’s Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
First, the NFL’s elite will take the field on February 3 as part of Pro Bowl week. The flag football specialists will then hold an exhibition match two days later, with the United States team facing Mexico.
In Los Angeles, two years from now, the roster could be a mix of NFL players — or former players — and flag football experts. USA Football, the sport’s national governing body, will select and train the men’s and women’s teams ahead of the Olympics.
“The opportunity for NFL players to join our elite talent pipeline heading to the LA28 Olympic Games is exciting for players and fans alike,” USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck said in a statement released Tuesday.
The game will be streamed on the NFL’s YouTube channel.
“We have one goal for the Olympic Games, and that is to win the men’s and women’s gold medals. The support and interest of elite athletes from around the sporting world only strengthens our chances of success as we seek to build the best teams possible,” Hallenbeck added.
The NFL moved the Pro Bowl to Super Bowl week this season. It was the latest adjustment for the all-star event that became a flag football game three years ago. The sport was added to the Olympic program in October 2023.
For Team USA, the game may be a “friendly” game against Mexico, but the players will treat it like a Super Bowl. The gold medal match between the two nations at the IFAF Americas Continental Championships in Panama last September was canceled due to bad weather.
So it’s an opportunity to unofficially settle scores.
“This matchup was already necessary. Our guys want it, and I’m sure the Mexican team does too,” said quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette III. “We plan to approach this exhibition with the same preparation and intensity as a regular game. This is a dream opportunity to showcase the sport we all love while being at the center of football’s biggest stage.”
Mexico’s players felt the same.
“This opportunity that both teams are going to have is incredible. Playing in a final is something we have always dreamed of,” said Ramón Alonso Gaxiola, defender and captain of Mexico.
The game, sponsored by Toyota, will be played at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, which is hosting the Super Bowl Experience Fan Festival.
“The Olympic announcement in 2023 was fuel for a sport that was already gaining popularity, and with the leadership and support of the league through opportunities like this exhibition, we will further ignite passion, participation and fanaticism,” Hallenbeck said.
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