Flag football to make primetime Olympic debut at LA28

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass poses for a picture in front of the Los Angeles Coliseum with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and leaders from LA28 as she announces the locations of the opening and closing 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 8, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake

LOS ANGELES - Flag football will take center stage during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, after organizers confirmed the sports medal matches will be held in primetime slots in its first-ever Olympic appearance.

The International Federation of American Football (IFAF),in partnership with the National Football League (NFL),announced on Monday that the mens and womens medal games are scheduled for Friday evening, July 21, and Saturday afternoon, July 22, at BMO Stadium near downtown Los Angeles.

The announcement comes as senior IFAF and NFL delegations visit Los Angeles for the first official meetings with Games organizers, marking exactly three years to the day before the LA28 Opening Ceremony.

Flag football will definitely be a hot ticket at the Games, IFAF President Pierre Trochet told Reuters on Monday.

Were going to be at a great stadium right in the heart of the city and were going to have fantastic players on the field with NFL players available.

Flag football is a non-contact variation of American football in which players wear flags attached to their waists. Instead of tackling,