Friday Night Under the Lights: Flag Football celebrates Primetime Billing as LA28 marks 3 years to go

With exactly three years to go to the Opening Ceremony, the first schedule release from LA28 has confirmed a primetime billing for flag football in its debut Games appearance.

The sport, which is overseen by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), working in partnership with the NFL, has secured prized slots in the middle weekend of the Olympic fortnight.

Notably, the men’s medal games will take place on Friday evening, July 21, under the lights of Exposition Park Stadium (commonly known as BMO stadium), while the women’s medal games will be held on the famed “Super Saturday” afternoon, July 22.

IFAF has welcomed the scheduling, which reinforces shared ambitions for Olympic flag football at LA28. It follows a vote by NFL owners clearing NFL players to participate in Olympic competition.

IFAF President Pierre Trochet – in Los Angeles for a first official visit with Games organizers – said:

“With three years to go, we feel there is huge momentum building around flag football among all the key stakeholders of the Games, from NFL players to partners and broadcasters.

“This scheduling is another clear statement of a shared ambition to ensure flag football contributes a defining element of LA28’s success.

“Friday night football is a cherished cultural touchstone all across America and, with our NFL partners, we look forward to bringing some of that “Friday Night Lights” flavor to the Olympic stage.

“Our goal is to make flag football the hottest ticket at LA28. With a prime venue at the heart of the action, framed by the downtown LA skyline, our sport is shaping up to provide some of the most iconic images of these Games.”

Trochet is leading a delegation in Los Angeles that includes IFAF Managing Director Andy Fuller alongside senior NFL executives including SVPs John Barker (Global Event Production & Operations) and Kimberley Fields (Football Business Strategy); and Stephanie Kwok, VP, NFL Head of Flag Football.

The visit is taking place over three days, beginning on the symbolic date of Monday, July 14 – exactly three years out from the start of the LA28 Games.

The group’s itinerary includes preliminary tours of Exposition Park and other, non-competition venues in Los Angeles, alongside meetings with a number of key organizing committee departments.