SAN FRANCISCO – Feb. 4, 2026 – Team Japan has won the 2026 International NFL Flag Championships in San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl LX.
The 2026 NFL Flag International Championship brought together top U13 co-ed athletes from 14 countries to compete in a three-day tournament, culminating in an exciting championship game where Team Japan took home the top prize in a 26-7 win in the championship match over Team Panama. This year's tournament marked one of the largest international NFL Flag competitions to date, with teams and athletes from Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, and Spain participating.
"The International NFL Flag Championships provided talented young athletes with an opportunity to showcase their skills on a global stage ahead of the sport's biggest game," said Afia Law, NFL Head of International Flag Development. "The level of talent displayed over the past few days shows firsthand the rapid growth of flag football around the globe. Congratulations to Team Japan!"
"Thank you to the NFL Flag International staff as well as the other teams. As for Japan, the team never stopped believing. Throughout the tournament, they grew, adapted, and fought for each other," said Team Japan coach HC Ruka Tomizawa. "In the Championship game, under extreme pressure, they showed exactly who we are."
Flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with 20 million players worldwide, and will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. Recently, NFL clubs voted to support financially the development and launch of a professional flag football league. In addition, the NCAA recently approved the addition of flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program, an important step in establishing flag as a varsity women's sport across the NCAA. Flag football is now offered for girls at the high school level in 38 states, and over 100 colleges and universities have women's flag football programs.
About NFL FLAG
NFL FLAG — the official flag football program of the National Football League — is active across 12 international markets outside of the United States. Fast-paced and accessible for all, flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports globally, with women and girls leading some of the largest growth and increased participation.
The game provides a structured opportunity for youth to play the non-contact version of American football while discovering the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and friendship both on and off the field.
To find out more about NFL FLAG around the world, please visit here.
NFL Explained: Flag football and the Olympics, find out more here.
