USA FOOTBALL EXPANDS NATIONAL TEAM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO GROW ELITE FLAG FOOTBALL COMPETITION

USA Football offers more opportunities for flag football players and coaches to develop and compete for national and international opportunities 

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – USA Football, the sport’s governing body responsible for fielding the U.S. National Teams for international competition, including the 2028 Olympics, is expanding its National Team Development Program to provide more opportunities for athletes to develop alongside and compete against the nation’s best flag football players.   

The National Team Development Program is the primary pathway for flag football players aged 11-23 to level up their skills and compete for a Select Team roster spot and future U.S. National Team Trials invitations. The program is expanding for the 2025 cycle to match flag football’s exponential growth and uphold the U.S. National Team’s gold medal tradition.  

Athletes start their journey in the National Team Development Program primarily by attending one of several Talent ID Camps presented by Under Armour hosted across the country. Top athletes can earn invitations to compete in the Select Bowl presented by Under Armour, which serves as the program’s championship event. Participants receive elite coaching, performance assessments and evaluator feedback to refine their skills and develop the tools to ascend the podium in future National Team competitions. 

The total number of Talent ID Camps hosted in the fall of 2024 and 2025 will more than triple compared to last spring as USA Football reaches athletes nationwide to identify the sport’s best players. USA Football has announced 15 Talent ID Camp locations for this cycle, and more will be added in the future. Many of the events will be held in partnership with local NFL teams to foster flag football’s growth. To help support more athletes, USA Football is also increasing the number of Select Teams for eligible athletes. 

National Team Development Program coaches and personnel will be present at Talent ID Camps to observe and assist with programming. Top athletes from the fall camps will be eligible for invitations to 2025 U.S. National Team Trials and Select Teams. Athletes from the winter and spring camps will be eligible for invitations to join 2025 Select Teams and 2026 U.S. National Team Trials. 

USA Football is also adding additional resources for coaches within the program that begin with 2025 Talent ID Camps and progress through the Select Bowl to help further develop elite coaches. More details on these opportunities will be released soon. 

“We're excited to build on the debut of the National Team Development Program in 2024 and the exploding popularity of flag football by expanding opportunities for athletes and coaches across the country,” said USA Football CEO, Scott Hallenbeck. “USA Football is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of talent, ensuring that we leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of our gold medal standard. With the LA28 Olympics on the horizon, we’re committed to setting new standards for development in the sport." 

Flag football’s popularity is exploding in the U.S. According to USA Football research, the number of boys and girls ages 6-17 playing flag football increased 38% from 2014-23, reaching a peak of more than 1.6 million this past year. Flag football is a sanctioned high school varsity sport for girls in 13 states.  

“The expansion of the National Team Development Program through additional opportunities for both athletes and coaches will help flag football players find an edge in their game and gain exposure to what it takes to compete at the highest levels of the sport,” said Curtis Peterson, USA Football’s Managing Director whose department oversees the program. “After the National Team Development Program’s successful first cycle, this expansion gives us the opportunity to better support and encourage the continued growth of Olympic-style flag football and ensure that we’re developing the next generation of elite athletes and their coaches.” 

Below is a list of the markets confirmed to be hosting Talent ID Camps in the coming months.  

2024-25 TALENT ID CAMP PRESENTED BY UNDER ARMOUR MARKETS 

*Indicates state that sanctions girls’ high school varsity flag football 

MARKET; DATE; LOCATION 

*Phoenix, Ariz.; 11/24/2024; Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center (Tempe, Ariz.) 

Dallas, Texas; 12/1/2024; The Star (Frisco, Texas) 

*Chicago, Ill.; 12/14/2024; Sport Zone Dome (Aurora, Ill.) 

*Jacksonville, Fla.; 1/5/2025; Jacksonville Jaguars Flex Field (Jacksonville, Fla.) 

Cleveland, Ohio; 2/15/2025; Cleveland Browns Training Facility (Berea, Ohio) 

New Jersey; 2/22/2025; Atlantic Health Jets Training Center (Florham Park, N.J.) 

Seattle, Wash.; 3/15/2025; Virginia Mason Athletic Center (Renton, Wash.) 

*Tampa, Fla.; 3/29/2025; AdventHealth Training Center (Tampa, Fla.) 

Boston, Mass.; 4/27/2025; Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.) 

*Atlanta, Ga. TBA – Spring 2025 

Charlotte, N.C. TBA – Spring 2025 

*Denver, Colo. TBA – Spring 2025 

Indianapolis, Ind. TBA – Spring 2025 

*Los Angeles, Calif. TBA – Spring 2025 

Washington, D.C. TBA – Spring 2025 

In August, the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams won gold medals at the 2024 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Flag Football World Championships in Lahti, Finland. The 15U and 17U U.S. Boys’ and Girls’ Flag National Teams competed at the third annual Junior International Cup in early July.  

About USA Football: USA Football is the governing body of American football in the United States, the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football, and a recognized sports organization of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Its non-profit mission includes designing and delivering premier educational, development, and competitive programs for American football, including tackle and flag football. USA Football is the only organization that selects and organizes men’s and women’s U.S. National Teams in federation-sanctioned international competition.