The National Football League is helping young New Zealanders try flag football, a non-contact version of American football, by funding youth events in New Zealand. This week, the NFL Flag 2026 national championships were held in Upper Hutt, bringing together top junior players in mixed 11U and 15U teams. The NFL ran and paid for the tournament, covering costs such as flights, accommodation, food and uniforms.
Flag football is played with five players on each team and is similar to Rippa Rugby because players avoid full contact. Adam Blake, the NFL Flag manager for Australia and New Zealand, said the programme offers free lessons and equipment to registered schools and groups. He said the NFL wants more children around the world to play the sport, as growth in the United States may have reached its limit.
The winning 15U team will travel to the United States in July for the NFL Flag 15U international championships, along with New Zealand’s 15U girls team. The sport has also been boosted by its place in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Blake said more than 250 schools in New Zealand are already registered with the NFL flag programme, and the aim is to double that number in the next few years.
Players and coaches say flag football is exciting because it uses skills from sports such as rugby, cricket and basketball. Deanna Muir, a member of the New Zealand women’s flag football team, said she enjoys the teamwork and the chance for something exciting to happen on every play.
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