The NFL has taken its boldest step yet in the rapid rise of flag football, announcing a new professional league for both women and men in partnership with TMRW Sports, backed by an extraordinary coalition of investors, Hall of Famers, current stars and leading figures from across the sports world.

Unveiled on Monday (30th March), the new league is designed to become the elite competitive tier of one of the fastest-growing sports on the planet, arriving at a moment when flag football is surging at youth, collegiate and international levels, and with its Olympic debut now firmly on the horizon at Los Angeles 2028.

The project has attracted major investment from NFL clubs, institutional capital and an influential list of sporting icons, underlining the belief that flag football is moving beyond developmental status and into a commercially viable professional era.

Among the names backing the league are Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Larry Fitzgerald, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and Serena Williams, alongside women’s sports trailblazers Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss and Alex Morgan.

The breadth of support speaks to both the market opportunity and the sport’s growing cultural momentum.

“As the flag football movement continues its explosive global growth, a professional flag league completes the pathway for elite athletes to compete at every level of the game, from youth to high school and college, to the Olympic stage, and now professionally,” said Troy Vincent Sr., NFL EVP of football operations. “This is especially meaningful for girls and young women who are helping drive the sport’s growth worldwide and who can now see their dreams in this game extend all the way to the professional level. Selecting TMRW Sports represents an important step in our long-term commitment to growing flag football and supporting the world-class athletes driving its momentum.”

That pathway is central to the league’s launch. Flag football is already played by approximately 20 million people worldwide, with participation in the United States alone having grown dramatically in recent years. More than 4.1 million young players now take part in the sport domestically, while women’s participation continues to surge at high school and college level.

The timing is no accident either. With flag football set to make its Olympic debut in 2028, the NFL is clearly seeking to establish a professional ecosystem before the sport hits its biggest global stage.

TMRW Sports, the company founded by Mike McCarley and best known for launching the technology-driven TGL golf league, was selected after what the NFL described as a competitive review process.

“For more than three decades, the NFL has made a significant investment in flag football at the grassroots levels, including youth, high school and college,” McCarley noted. “And now, with the inclusion of flag football in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, TMRW Sports shares a vision with the NFL to further fuel fandom and participation worldwide with the development of a professional flag football league.

“As the elite competitive tier of flag football, this league will mark a new era for the sport as the world’s best compete in a fast-paced format that aligns with the evolving media consumption of today’s sports fans.”

The involvement of Brady, who has increasingly moved into ownership and media roles since retirement, adds further star power and credibility to the venture.

“Flag football represents so much of what makes this game special, showcasing the skill, creativity, and competitiveness that define this sport,” the multiple Super Bowl winner confirmed. “Flag football’s rapid rise has been incredible, and the extensive list of current and former players supporting this league shows just how strongly athletes believe in its future. I’m excited to help take this sport to even greater heights through the launch of a professional flag football league.”

Perhaps most significant is the league’s dual-gender structure, which positions women’s competition as a central pillar rather than an add-on.

“The momentum behind women’s sports has never been stronger, and flag football is poised to play a major role in that continued growth,” said erstwhile tennis great Billie Jean King. “This new professional league will build on that progress by giving elite women athletes the stage they deserve to showcase their skills and shape the sport’s global trajectory.”

A formal launch timeline has yet to be confirmed, but the NFL said it is expected to align with the run-up to the Los Angeles Olympics, suggesting the sport’s professional era is now approaching fast.