The National Football League (NFL) has announced the launch of its NFL Flag schools initiative for every post-primary school across the island of Ireland in partnership with Sport Ireland and American Football Ireland.
The initiative is part of the league’s long-term commitment to grow and develop flag football, the non-contact format of American football for boys and girls, creating more opportunities for young people to learn about flag football and play the game across the island.
In 2024 the league launched an NFL Flag pilot program, alongside American Football Ireland. Now in 2025 there are 60 schools engaged (35 primary and 25 post-primary) across the island of Ireland, with more than 4,500 young people, boys and girls, playing the game, with ambitions to grow participation to more than 50,000, by 2027.
To celebrate the kickoff of the 2025 NFL season, the league together with Sport Ireland and American Football Ireland will deliver NFL Flag starter kits to more than 900 post-primary schools on the island of Ireland, for students aged 12 – 16 years. In addition to the flag football equipment, teachers will be able to access free online educational resources for the classroom and information about free teacher training courses to enable delivery of the game in lessons and after school clubs and leagues.
To launch the initiative the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers’ legend Merril Hoge, and Washington Commanders NFL star Efe Obada, visited Kingswood Community College delivering NFL Flag equipment and a flag football coaching clinic for students.
NFL player Efe Obada with students from Kingswood Community College in Dublin during an NFL Flag Football clinic to announce the NFL Flag Kickoff initiative in post-primary secondary schools in Ireland. (Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)
“With the first NFL 2025 Dublin game just weeks away, and a new NFL season kicking off alongside a new academic year, now is the perfect time to launch our NFL Flag schools initiative,” said NFL UK & Ireland General Manager Henry Hodgson.
“Flag football is fast-paced, exciting, accessible to all, and alongside our partners Sport Ireland and American Football Ireland we look forward to welcoming more young people to the game of flag football as a result and building upon our long-term commitment to growing the game at every level on the island of Ireland in the years ahead. We want every post-primary school aged child in Ireland to have the opportunity to be able to catch the excitement of the first NFL Dublin Game and start playing flag football.”
“I am very happy to join with our partners today in announcing the launch of the Flag Football schools initiative,” said Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media of Ireland, Patrick O’Donovan.
“This is an important step in what we envisage being a multifaceted, inclusive Flag Football program across the country.
“Officials in my Department, along with the NFL, Sport Ireland, and American Football Ireland are currently making progress on the design of a collaborative program that will aim to increase participation in what is an engaging and fun sport. A key focus of our National Sports Policy is to promote participation levels in sport for people of all ages, and I believe this program is a great opportunity to support that aim. In addition, hosting an NFL regular season game offers a significant opportunity for economic, sporting, and cultural engagement between Ireland and the United States, while also providing a boost to the Irish economy. I am committed to ensuring our hosting of this event creates long term benefits across the population, and that it leaves a positive and lasting legacy.”
The NFL Flag Initiative will see starter kits sent to all secondary schools in Ireland with training videos, flags and a Wilson football included in each box ahead of the 2025 Dublin International Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park on September 28th. (Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)
Dr Úna May, CEO of Sport Ireland, said: “The launch of this NFL Flag Football initiative will bring the experience of playing the sport directly to children and young people across Ireland, offering a valuable opportunity to engage with a globally growing game. Working alongside the efforts of American Football Ireland, it will help boost sports participation – a core goal of the National Sports Policy.”
President of American Football Ireland Alan Lomasney said: “On behalf of American Football Ireland, we are delighted to welcome this campaign to Ireland.
“This initiative & the investment in our sport by schools across the country will help introduce the game to a younger generation who will have the pathway to progress from school to club to international level football. We look forward to seeing them participating with their schools & being involved in the continuing growth of American Football across the island of Ireland.”
Flag football is the most accessible format of American Football, played by people of all ages and genders, with women and girls driving some of the fastest growth. NFL Flag is the league’s youth format of the game. Flag football’s inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympic Games led by efforts of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and supported by the NFL, further underscores the sport’s rapid growth.
Over 900 schools across the island of Ireland will receive:
- NFL Flag football pack including 10 flag belts, Wilson Youth Football
- Online video resource on how to play NFL Flag, featuring Charlie Smyth – Irish kicker on the New Orleans Saints practice squad
- Access to free NFL inspired educational school resources & NFL Flag resources on Twinkl
- Link to register for NFL Flag teacher training
- Code for 30% discount on Wison Flag Football equipment for schools – at the retailer Elvery’s
To register / sign up for your school to take part people can visit https://www.nfl.com/ukire/nfl-flag
For more information on NFL Flag visit: https://nflflag.com/lets-play-international
www.irishcentral.com (Article Sourced Website)
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