NFL, TMRW Sports Launch Premier Flag League for 2027

The NFL and TMRW Sports announced on Monday the creation of Premier Flag, a new professional league for men and women that will debut in the summer of 2027. The organization aims to provide elite athletes with a salary structure that allows them to leave their day jobs and focus exclusively on the sport. While the specific number of teams is still being determined, the league will operate in a single U.S. city that has yet to be named.

The timing places the league one year before flag football makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The format is designed to offer a high level of competition alongside coaching, conditioning, and health benefits. The league is working with the International Federation of American Football to test rules, formats, and equipment, describing the project as a data-driven approach to establishing professional standards.

Several top players have already signed on as ambassadors for the new circuit. Ashlea Klam and Izzy Geraci, both stars on the USA Football women’s national team, joined the roster. On the men’s side, Darrell Doucette III, a versatile athlete known as Housh, also signed. Doucette noted that the opportunity to be paid for a sport that required years of personal financial sacrifice represented a major turning point for players.

The move follows TMRW Sports’ recent success with TGL, a high-tech indoor golf league backed by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and sports executive Mike McCarley. Brendan Donohue, president of flag football for TMRW Sports, stated that the Premier Flag brand represents an elite and accessible standard for the sport’s growing ecosystem. The NFL is involved through Brian Flinn, its senior vice president of global flag football, who described the league as the pinnacle of the sport’s global pathway.

The professional path complements the sport’s rapid expansion in amateur and collegiate levels. Flag football is a sanctioned varsity sport in more than 20 states. The NCAA is scheduled to vote in January on making it a championship sport, which would include a title game in spring 2028. This structure provides a clear trajectory for athletes moving from high school and college programs to the professional stage.

Talent identification events are already underway to build the player pool. Last month, TMRW Sports and the NFL hosted a combine at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Top athletes from that event will advance to a Premier Flag Combine next year. Another identification event is set for November in Mexico City, and a Premier Flag Showcase will take place during Super Bowl week in Los Angeles.

Scott Hallenbeck, CEO and executive director of USA Football, viewed the launch as a validation of the sport’s status. He described the league as an exciting opportunity for national team athletes and young players alike, marking a moment where the game has arrived at the highest level of global sport.