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The FIFA World Cup may currently dominate the sporting landscape across the Americas, but another football movement is beginning to take shape.
With the 2028 Summer Olympics on the horizon, flag football is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated additions to the Games.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently shared his excitement for the tournament and revealed that many players are eager to represent their countries on the Olympic stage.
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I’ve had a lot of players say, ‘We want to be involved in that,'” Goodell told ESPN’s “Women’s Sports Now” last Thursday.
“These players are competitors and they love the big stage. Winning a gold medal or any other medal is something I think everyone would treasure. They talk about it all the time.”
Goodell added: “So I absolutely believe we’re going to have players at the Olympics.”
BILLS QB JOSH ALLEN DEFENDS THE STYLE OF PLAY, WITHOUT FEELING PRESSURE TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL
Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, suggested counting him in the group of active NFL players who are interested in representing the United States in the Summer Games in two years.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) warms up before the first quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Allen acknowledged that watching flag football has made him appreciate the unique challenges the sport presents.
“I always thought it would be cool to compete for my country. Now, if I have the skills, that’s a different story. I watched (flag football) not too long ago when it was on TV. Those guys just move differently, their hips sink a foot down and they’re able to duck. I can throw with the best of them. But I’m usually better at running around people than I am at turning and dodging them.
Allen said earning the opportunity to compete for gold and play for Team USA at the Summer Games would mark a special chapter in his athletic career. “We’ll see, it would be a great honor to do it.”
Goodell said the Olympic schedule creates a natural window for NFL players to participate, and flag football will be played before training camps open. He expects active players, and possibly recently retired stars, to be in the mix when the sport makes its Olympic debut.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addresses the media during the Super Bowl-winning team’s head coach and MVP press conference at the Mandalay Bay North Convention Center on February 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
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The 2028 Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin in mid-July.
In May 2025, a resolution was presented to NFL team owners that would allow one player from each NFL roster to compete in the 2028 Games. An exemption would be granted to the international player designated by each team representing their home country.
