NFL players will be allowed to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games flag football tournament, if selected, after team owners voted in favour of their participation.

The motion was carried at the Spring League Meeting in Minnesota, and the NFL will now work with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and relevant Olympic authorities to formulate rules governing the participation in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, where flag football makes its Olympic debut.

“It’s an incredible honour for any athlete to represent their country in the Olympics, which is the pinnacle of global sport,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell noted. “I know first-hand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage, [and] we are thrilled that they will now have that chance.”

Rosters for the tournament will remain under the jurisdiction of each countries’ National Olympic Committee, and there are expected to be limitations placed on the selection of NFL players. The initial proposal presented to owners on Tuesday suggested that no more than one American player from each NFL team be able to participate in the tournament, along with any overseas player, who would obviously compete for his country of birth.

“The outcome of this vote promises to add another dimension to what is already shaping up to be a game-changing debut for flag football at the Olympic Games,” IFAF president Pierre Trochet claimed. “The National Football League is home to the biggest stars in American football, who come from more and more countries, and now have the opportunity to shine on the greatest stage in world sport, showcasing everything that makes flag football a genuine worldwide phenomenon. IFAF’s 75 national federations join me in thanking our NFL partners for this further demonstration of their commitment to flag football in the Olympic movement. We will work together to ensure our sport contributes a defining element of LA28’s success.”

The Olympic flag football competition will consist of six men’s teams and six women’s teams composed of 10 players per team, with the game itself following the sport’s five-on-five format. As per the terms agreed at the meeting, NFL player participation with their countries’ national flag football teams will begin with a tryout or qualification process in advance of the Olympic competition.

“Players have expressed to us a great desire for the honour of competing in the Olympics, and we’re excited that our members will be able to represent their country on the highest international stage,” said NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. “We look forward to working with the league, IFAF and Olympic authorities on the terms of their participation to ensure players who compete will do so with protections to their health, safety and job.”

With only six teams in each competition, however, simply getting an entry will be highly-prized as flag football gains traction around the globe. Under the auspices of the IOC-recognied IFAF, which has 75 national member federations spanning every continent, a record 31 nations participated in the most recent flag football world championships, as the sport’s recent explosive growth at grassroots level now accounts for more than 20 million players around the world.

“There is no question that the 2028 flag football tournament at the LA28 Games will be one of the most exciting competitions in Olympic history, and the inclusion of NFL players will bring it to new heights,” LA28 chairperson and president Casey Wasserman said. “This milestone would not have been possible without the support of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL Players Association, its club owners and, most importantly, the athletes, who we’ll look forward to watching on the field in 2028.”