The Canadian Football League board of governors have unanimously approved its players’ participation in flag football at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
This means CFL players can be selected by each country’s national Olympic committees in partnership with each national sports federation.
The approval permits the CFL to begin working with the Players’ Association, the International Federation of American Football, and relevant Olympic authorities to implement rules governing athletes participation at LA28. In addition to Canadians and Americans, the three-down league currently features 37 Global players from 16 countries.
“Representing your country in best-on-best competition is a tremendous honour,” CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston said in a statement.
“Despite the Summer Olympics taking place during our season, the board of governors recognized the wealth of opportunities provided by competing on international sport’s biggest stage — our incredible players will have a chance at a once-in-a-lifetime experience, they can showcase the best of the CFL for all the world to see and they can play a significant part in growing the game across Canada and around the world.”
Flag football will make its Olympic debut at LA28 with a six-team tournament, featuring 10-player rosters and five-on-five play at Exposition Park Stadium. The Summer Olympics will take place from July 14-30, 2028 with the flag football men’s and women’s tournaments running from July 15-22.
“Competing in the Olympics is a tremendous honour, and we’re excited to see our members have the opportunity to showcase their talents and the spirit of our league internationally,” CFLPA president Solomon Elimimian said in a statement.
“For many, flag football is where their football journey began. Seeing our members compete on the world stage will not only showcase the tremendous talent within the CFL, but also serve as a source of inspiration for the next generation of players. We will continue to work with the CFL to ensure our players can make the most of this opportunity while keeping their health and safety a priority.”
Flag football is governed internationally by the International Olympic Committee-recognized IFAF, which has 75 national member federations spanning every continent. Reflecting global grassroots growth, a record 101 national teams participated in IFAF’s Continental Championship series in 2025, with the 16 best men’s and women’s teams qualifying for a new-look World Championships set to take place in Germany in 2026.
This past September, at the 2025 IFAF Americas Continental Championship in Panama, the Canadian senior men’s flag national team finished in third place, while the women’s team finished second. Both the men’s and women’s teams from Canada have advanced to next year’s World Championships.
Scheduling scenarios for the 2028 CFL season to account for flag football at the Olympics will be reviewed once full tournament details are available.
