The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) has agreed a multi-year partnership with Nike that will see the brand play a leading role in driving the global growth, culture and performance of flag football through the Olympic cycle to the LA28 Summer Games.

Under the agreement, Nike becomes the exclusive Performance Apparel Partner of IFAF Flag Football, responsible for kitting out staff and International Technical Officials at major flag football events over the next two years.

The partnership will kick off this summer at the IFAF Flag Football World Championships (August 13-16) in Düsseldorf, Germany – a crucial first qualification tournament for LA28, where flag football will make its hotly anticipated Olympic Games debut.

A series of Nike Flag activations will form part of the on-site fan engagement programme in Düsseldorf, while Nike will also act as presenting partner of the two prestigious tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.

In addition to the World Championships, Nike will also serve as Official Partner of the 2027 IFAF Flag Football Continental Championships – and as presenting partner of the IFAF Women’s Leadership program. This flagship initiative seeks to increase the representation of women in the sport’s worldwide governance, reflecting a context where girls are driving explosive participation growth in flag football around the globe.

“This partnership is a statement of flag football’s potential, and our shared ambition to supercharge its development as one of the fastest-growing sports among young people around the world,” said Pierre Trochet, President of IFAF. “Flag is playing an especially crucial role in creating new spaces and role models for women and girls in American football. I’m especially pleased by Nike’s support for IFAF’s Women’s programs, with a shared commitment to tackle historic barriers to gender-equal representation in the leadership of our sport.”

As the global governing body of American football, IFAF has overseen the extraordinary worldwide grassroots development of flag football  – the sport’s most accessible and inclusive discipline – together with its integration in the Olympic program. Participation, which is growing at rates of more than 100% annually in many nations, mirrors the rise of NFL fandom around the world.

Nike will now join forces with IFAF in a global effort to further accelerate flag football participation growth, supporting a new program of development clinics across three continents in the next two years.

The partnership adds to Nike’s growing portfolio of interests in flag football. Earlier this year, the brand signed agreements with three of IFAF’s Member Federations – Canada, Great Britain and Mexico – focused on driving the development of flag football in those nations.

“Flag football represents an exciting growth opportunity in sport, and at Nike, we believe partnership can unlock access and elevate performance to help shape a more representative future for the game,” said Ann Miller, EVP of Global Sports Marketing at Nike. “Together with IFAF, we’re proud to support flag football’s global momentum on the road to LA28, while creating more pathways for women and girls to compete and inspire the next generation of athletes.”