NFL approves players participating in Olympic flag football in 2028

NFL players will be Olympic athletes in 2028.

The NFL announced today that its owners voted to approve a policy that will let active players participate in Olympic flag football during the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. The NFL Players Association has said it supports the measure, and many players have expressed interest in playing.

Every country that fields a flag football team in the Olympics is expected to have a tryout process. Active NFL players will participate in that process, with most trying out for Team USA but some players with ties to other countries expressing interest as well.

Olympic flag football will have six men's teams and six women's teams, with 10 players per team. The game uses a five-on-five format, so teams will likely include a quarterback, four offensive skill position players and five defensive players.

Every country with a flag football team will have a maximums of one player per NFL roster. No NFL teammates will be Olympic teammates.

The league views Olympic flag football as a significant event for the future of the sport's international appeal, and despite concerns about injuries, the league is pushing forward with having players in the Olympics just before they report to training camp in three years.