With flag football set to make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028, the British American Football Association (BAFA) has upped its nationwide search for the country’s next Olympic stars.
In partnership with British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), BAFA’s Nationwide Talent ID Tour invites student athletes all over the country to try out for a chance to represent Great Britain’s flag football teams.
With just over three years to go until the sport makes its five-ringed bow, flag football is enjoying unprecedented levels of popularity among both men and women in the UK. But with only six men’s teams and six women’s teams set to qualify for the Olympic tournament held at the Exposition Park stadium, international competition will be fierce and BAFA’s selectors want to expand their talent pool for the best chance of qualifying.
The tour is well underway, with successful sessions already held in May at Loughborough, Swansea, Nottingham, and Edinburgh universities. The three-hour trials were well-attended and brimming with talented footballers all dreaming of making Olympic history.
Jason Scott, BAFA’s Head of National Programmes said: “We already have some of the best American Football players in our teams, but to compete on the world stage, we need to tap into the UK’s broader athletic talent. This is a unique opportunity for student-athletes to try a new sport, challenge themselves, and potentially become Olympians.”
The Talent ID events feature drills, small-sided games, and positional evaluations, all overseen by GB coaches and scouts. Those who impress the coaching staff will be invited to future GB training camps and development programmes.
The organisers are keen to stress that participants do not need to have played contact football or flag football before in order to take part in the open sessions. If you play any other sport to a high level, your athletic skills could well fit the bill.
“The key skills required for flag football – speed, agility, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and explosive power – are highly transferable from many other sports – including netball, basketball, volleyball, rugby, cricket, tennis, badminton, and soccer,” added Scott. “With such a rich pool of sporting talent within BUCS university sports programmes, the Talent ID Tour offers our student athletes yet another pathway into elite sport.”
Further sessions are planned for the Autumn, so if you’d like to take part, stay tuned for dates and details published at britishamericanfootball.org or via BAFA’s social media channels.
