The New York Jets have deepened their investment in grassroots flag football in Britain after partnering with Palace for Life to expand the franchise’s growing girls’ development programme in South London.

The partnership was formally launched during the championship event of the 2026 Jets NFL Girls Flag League at Crystal Palace’s academy complex, where Kingston Academy edged Grey Court School 20-18 to cap a 10-week season involving more than 300 girls from 32 secondary schools across London. Ella Fallahi Alvani from Kingston Academy was awarded Offensive MVP and Olivia Green from Grey Court School the Defensive MVP

The initiative has become one of the NFL’s most visible international grassroots projects outside North America, with the Jets continuing to position themselves at the forefront of the league’s global flag football strategy ahead of the sport’s Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“Congratulations to Kingston Academy on winning the Jets UK Girls’ Flag League Championship,” team owner Woody Johnson said. “Hosting the championship tournament at Crystal Palace FC Academy was a big deal, and a proud extension of what we have built with our US girls’ flag programme. To see it take root and flourish in the UK has been remarkable [and] we’re committed to making sure it keeps growing.”

The collaboration further strengthens the growing crossover between the NFL and Premier League football, with Johnson having acquired a significant stake in Crystal Palace last summer, following the exit of Eagle Football Holdings.

Under the new agreement, Palace for Life will help identify partner schools for the 2027 expansion of the league, with participating programmes receiving uniforms, equipment and travel support funded by the Jets. The organisations also hope to establish Crystal Palace’s academy facility as the permanent home for future kickoff and championship events.

The collaboration also aligns with Palace for Life’s broader community remit. The charity has worked across south London for more than three decades, using the reach of Crystal Palace FC to support young people through mentoring, education, employability and sport-focused initiatives, particularly in areas facing social and economic deprivation.

Its programmes reach more than 18,000 young people annually, with a growing emphasis on creating inclusive sporting environments for girls and young women.

“At Palace for Life, we use the power of sport to transform the lives of young people across south London,” explained chief executive Mike Summers. “We’re proud to partner with the New York Jets to bring flag football to Crystal Palace, creating new opportunities for girls from our partner schools to access and enjoy sport in a fun, inclusive and competitive environment.”

The championship day also served as the unveiling of Jets Flag Elite London, a new all-girls travel team designed to provide a more advanced development pathway for standout players emerging from the school league structure. The programme will be led by Jay Taylor of the Fruit Bats flag football team and was initially introduced during the league’s March kickoff event.

“The Jets NFL Girls Flag League in London is creating real opportunity for young women to play flag football in London,” said Jesse Linder. “Through our new partnership with Palace for Life, we’re excited to expand the programme in South London and continue growing the pathway from school participation to elite competition with Jets Flag Elite London.”

The Jets have become increasingly aggressive in using flag football as a cornerstone of their international identity. According to the organisation, combined investment into girls’ flag initiatives in London and Dublin has now surpassed $1m, reflecting both the NFL’s wider global participation strategy and the accelerating growth of the women’s game internationally.

That expansion is being mirrored globally. The NFL and the International Federation of American Football have heavily backed flag football’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic programme, while the British American Football Association continues working alongside the league to grow participation in the UK.

With women and girls representing the fastest-growing demographic in the sport worldwide, the Jets increasingly appear to view London not simply as an international marketing territory, but as a long-term development market capable of producing both participation growth and elite-level talent pathways.