Flag football

In flag football every player wears two flags on a belt; to stop an opponent a defender does not tackle him but simply pulls off a flag. Internationally the game is played five-a-side, and teams combine passing and running plays to reach the opponents' end zone for a touchdown.

History

The game arose in the USA in the mid-twentieth century as a safe, accessible form of American football and spread widely in schools and the military. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) has held flag football world championships since 2002. It debuted at the World Games in 2022 and joins the Olympic programme for the first time at Los Angeles 2028.

Major competitions

The Olympic Games (from 2028), the IFAF world and continental championships and the World Games; in American football, the NFL and the Super Bowl.

In the Turkic world

Türkiye has had a university American football league for many years, and flag football is spreading among young people. Olympic status is expected to help the game grow in other Turkic countries too.