USA FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES U.S. FLAG NATIONAL TEAM SCOUTING AND SELECTION PROCESS FOR TEAMS COMPETING IN THE WORLD GAMES 2022

INDIANAPOLIS – USA Football announced today the scouting cycle and selection process for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams that will compete in The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Ala. next July. As a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee member, the sport’s national governing body and the country’s exclusive member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), USA Football organizes and manages U.S. National Teams for international competition.

The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Ala. (July 7-17, 2022) marks the first time that flag football will be featured on a multi-sport, global stage. By virtue of winning the 2018 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Panama, the 2022 U.S. Men’s and Women’s teams have already qualified for Flag Football @TWG2022 presented by the NFL, featuring eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams from as many as five continental areas. Approximately 3,600 athletes from more than 100 countries competing across 33 sports will compete at The World Games 2022.

As the preferred athlete scouting partners for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams, USA Football representatives will be on-site at select 2021 American Flag Football League (AFFL) and Flag Football World Championship Tour (FFWCT) events (listed below). Athletes age 18 and older who register to be scouting-eligible at these competitions will be evaluated by USA Football to earn potential 2022 U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Team roster positions. 

In addition to scouting select 2021 AFFL and FFWCT events, USA Football will host U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Team Trials in conjunction with The One Flag Championship at Westfield, Indiana’s Grand Park Sports Campus on Friday, July 23, 2021. Both The One and the Flag National Team Trials help flag athletes maximize opportunities by being further evaluated for 2022 U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams. The Flag National Team Trials is an athlete combine and competitive event featuring NFL-style combine drills, including an electronically-timed 40-yard dash, broad jump, individual drill work and team-based competition. To register for Flag National Team Trials, click here.

2021 U.S. Flag National Team Scouting and Evaluation Opportunities

“Flag football is played at an elite level across the globe, and the significance of its debut on a multi-sport, international stage cannot be understated,” USA Football Executive Director and CEO SCOTT HALLENBECK said. “We’re excited by this year’s scouting and selection cycle to help us identify athletes for our U.S. Flag National Teams to compete for gold at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham.”

Following this summer’s scouting cycle, USA Football will announce preliminary rosters for the 2022 U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams this fall. Player selections are based on skill and character evaluations at the select AFFL and FFWCT events and Flag National Team Trials outlined above.

Athletes on preliminary rosters will compete in next winter’s International Bowl to earn a place on the U.S. Teams’ final rosters. The final 12-athlete rosters will be announced in the spring of 2022.

Selection Timeline Leading into The World Games 2022

• Fall 2021
  • Preliminary rosters for 2022 U.S. Men’s & Women’s Flag National Teams announced
• Early 2022
  • International Bowl competition featuring preliminary roster players
• Spring 2022
  • Final 2022 U.S. Men’s & Women’s Flag National Team Rosters announced
• July 2022
  • U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams compete at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham among international field of eight nations, respectively

About USA Football: USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance, unify and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the United States’ sole delegate to the International Federation of American Football, USA Football assembles and directs U.S. National Teams for international competition. The independent non-profit also partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.