The National Football League and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club welcomed His Majesty King Charles III to north London in a celebration of the work being conducted by The Huddle Project in the local community.

The initiative was launched in 2023 as a dual sports programme for boys and girls aged 11-18, and is jointly funded by Tottenham Hotspur, the NFL and Nike. Backed by a £1m investment over three years, the scheme provides increased access to free sporting activity through NFL Flag and soccer, as well as wellness experiences and employment opportunities in Tottenham.

In its first year, the programme engaged 500 children and young adults across 189 sessions, running alongside employment and education workshops led by senior executives across the three brands.

“We were delighted to welcome His Majesty The King to see The Huddle Project in action today and meet some of the incredible young people who we are privileged to work with,” said NFL UK and Ireland general manager Henry Hodgson. “While the NFL London Games take place once a year, we are committed to supporting the local community year-round through The Huddle Project and, together with Tottenham Hotspur and Nike, it was great to showcase the impact of our programme.”

Upon arrival, the royal guest was greeted by the longest-serving British NFL player, Washington Commander Efe Obada, and Team GB Women’s Flag Football captain and NFL x IFAF Global Flag ambassador Phoebe Schecter, before being escorted to the field to watch a demonstration of flag football put on by some of the young people involved in The Huddle Project. The King then took the opportunity to throw an American football, under the guidance of Obada and Schecter, but might have been hampered slightly by keeping one hand firmly in the pocket of his traditional greatcoat!

“Today I had the privilege of meeting His Majesty The King and introducing him to flag football,” Obada said. “He was really interested in learning more about the impact the NFL is having within the local Tottenham community, the power of The Huddle Project, and how the game is growing in the UK at every level. I hope he is now a fan!”

His Majesty took time on the field to speak with participants and learn first-hand about their experiences, as well as finding out more about flag football, which forms a key element of The Huddle Project, with young people taking part in weekly coaching sessions. He also joined a Huddle Project Nike activation workshop to see young people design football jerseys and learn more about the crucial employability aspect of the programme. Before leaving the field, Obada and Schecter presented their guest with a commemorative football from the recent NFL London Games.

“As an NFL x IFAF Global Flag ambassador, I have seen the positive impact our sport can have on the lives of boys and girls from around the world, so it was fantastic to introduce this to His Majesty The King,” Schecter added. “He showed a real interest in the sport and why young people connect with it, and I think he came away with an appreciation of why it impacts the lives of so many young people and is one of the fastest growing sports globally.”