Flag football is positioning itself as a central attraction on the road to the 2028 Olympic Games, with organizers scheduling a dedicated lineup of interactive events and institutional panels at the upcoming COB Expo 2026 in São Paulo, Brazil. Running from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, the five-day sports convention will feature practical clinics, professional partnerships, and strategic discussions aimed at expanding the sport’s domestic footprint ahead of its historic Olympic debut in Los Angeles.
CBFA Programming and Miami Dolphins Partnership
The Confederação Brasileira de Futebol Americano (CBFA) has structured a multi-venue presence across the expo grounds to engage both casual fans and prospective athletes. A cornerstone of this schedule is a series of open-access fundamental clinics organized in direct collaboration with the Miami Dolphins. Scheduled for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, these hands-on sessions are designed to transition spectators into active participants by teaching basic throwing, catching, and defensive flag-pulling mechanics.
Beyond the turf sessions, the CBFA exhibition booth will feature displays of official equipment, informational resources regarding domestic leagues, appearances by the organization’s mascot, and continuous on-site content production. This interactive approach aligns with the sport’s broader integration into the international Olympic calendar, which includes preliminary positioning within the Olympic Q-Series ahead of 2028.
Institutional Panels on Gender Equity and Olympic Development
The expo’s schedule extends beyond athletic demonstrations into high-level sports administration. On Thursday, Oct. 1, CBFA President Cristiane Kajiwara will join a panel discussion titled “Policies and institutional actions to expand women’s participation in sport.”
On Friday, Oct. 2, at 4:00 p.m. local time, the CBFA and representatives from the Miami Dolphins will convene for a second dedicated panel. This session will address the developmental trajectory of flag football as an official Olympic discipline, charting the necessary steps for athlete development, talent identification, and audience growth across Brazil during the current Olympic cycle.
Competitive Showcase and Festival Finale
The federation’s footprint at the COB Expo 2026 will conclude on Sunday, Oct. 4, with the São Paulo Football League (SPFL) Flag Football Festival, running from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. local time. The festival will gather registered competitors and local practitioners for live matches, offering expo attendees an opportunity to observe the sport operating in a structured, competitive environment.
The International Olympic Committee formally approved the inclusion of flag football in the sports program for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games during a session in 2023, setting off a wave of national federation expansions worldwide. The programming at COB Expo 2026 represents one of the primary domestic touchpoints for the sport in South America as the federation builds toward the 2028 Games.
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