How flag football is key to the NFL's plans to further global reach

AI Summary

The NFL is leveraging flag football to expand its global reach, hosting the first-ever Olympic qualifier in Dusseldorf. With NFL-branded programs in schools across multiple continents and flag football potentially becoming an Olympic sport in Los Angeles 2028, the league aims to convert viewers into lifelong fans and players.

The NFL is still hoping to reap the rewards. The league is making its presence known this week in Dusseldorf as the German city hosts the first-ever Olympic qualifier in flag football, a game the NFL sees as a way to turn viewers into players and lifelong fans. There are already NFL-branded flag classes in schools from Europe to Australia, Olympic medals on offer in Los Angeles in two years’ time and NFL-backed leagues coming soon that could offer a livelihood to some of the more than 300 players from 18 countries participating in the qualifiers that began Thursday and which double as the world championships.