NFL and TMRW Sports Unveil Premier Flag, a Pro Flag Football League for Men and Women

The NFL and TMRW Sports announced Premier Flag, a professional flag football league for men and women, set to launch in summer 2027. Yahoo reported the league will serve as a preview of flag football's Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Premier Flag's Format and Player Ambitions

The league aims to make flag football lucrative enough for players to leave their day jobs and concentrate year-round on the sport. Premier Flag will offer coaching and conditioning along with health benefits, and its salary structure is still in the works. The league will be held at a U.S. city soon to be announced, and it is still tinkering with the number of teams.

USA Football women's national team stars Ashlea Klam and Izzy Geraci have signed on as ambassadors, along with Darrell "Housh" Doucette III on the men's side. "Means the world to us as flag players," Doucette said. "We can finally be paid for the sport we invested so much money and time in."

Brian Flinn, the NFL's senior vice president of global flag football, said the league "creates a new professional opportunity for the world's best players and establishes the pinnacle of the sport's growing global pathway." Brendan Donohue, president of flag football for TMRW Sports, described Premier Flag as a "data-driven approach to determine the pro standard for flag." The league is working with IFAF, the international governing body for the sport, as it tests rules, formats and equipment.

TMRW Sports' NFL Funding and League Records

According to akta.pro company records, the NFL selected TMRW Sports in March 2026 to develop and operate a professional flag football league for men and women targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the NFL committing up to $32 million through 32 Equity. The same records show the NFL flag football league secured $192 million in initial funding, comprising $32 million from the NFL and $160 million from external investors. The partnership marked TMRW Sports' first expansion beyond golf.

TMRW Sports' Earlier Flag Football Steps

In July 2026, TMRW Sports hired Brendan Donohue as its first president of flag football to lead the professional league in partnership with the NFL, Sports Business Journal reported. Later that month, TMRW Sports selected Populous as the architect for a purpose-built, modular stadium for the league, with a host city yet to be selected, according to Sports Video Group. In September 2026, the NFL and TMRW Sports announced a Pro Flag Showcase during Super Bowl LXI week in Los Angeles, featuring top flag football players in a live broadcast competition.

Premier Flag's Upcoming Combines and Showcase

TMRW Sports and the NFL held a combine at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London last month, with top athletes advancing to a Premier Flag Combine next year. Another talent identification event is scheduled for November in Mexico City, and a Premier Flag Showcase will take place during Super Bowl week in Los Angeles.