Flag football takes flight as young Aussie athletes compete in China

Talented young athletes from Gold Coast, Australia, have journeyed to China to compete in the NFL Flag Asia Pacific Championships. The under-15s team, comprising students from Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School, has rapidly gained popularity since its formation less than a year ago. Flag football, a non-contact variant of the American sport, will be featured in the Olympic Games set to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.

The fast-expanding sport, playing more like Australia's beloved OzTag, sees teams of five players running plays to pass a football down the field, aiming to score touchdowns and pull flags from their opponents' belts to halt play.

Khodi Fabian, a 15-year-old wide receiver for the team, had been predominantly engaged in Australian sports, such as touch football, before embracing NFL flag football. Despite not initially considering the new sport, Khodi has thoroughly enjoyed representing Queensland in a local competition earlier this year. Of the 10 students representing their school in Shanghai, Coco Gillett, a 13-year-old center, expressed her excitement and aspiration to become a better player each year, aiming for the prestigious 2028 Olympics.

Flag football's popularity has surged since the sport's inclusion as an Olympic event was announced in 2023, with the NFL investing significantly in Australia's growth. With free flag kits provided to over 750 schools across the country, the sport has attracted more than 20 million participants in a remarkably short time. NFL Australia and New Zealand general manager Charlotte Offord emphasized the league's commitment to breaking down barriers for women in sport and providing young athletes with opportunities, both in the US and potentially in a professional flag league that will be launched in the United States within the next five years.