Flag football, which was announced on a list of five proposed new sports for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on Monday (October 9), is aiming to grow around the world.

To aid the sport’s development in Brazil the NFL and CBFA are set to host the NFL FLAG National Championships - a tournament featuring 12 teams from regions across Brazil in Sao Paulo on Sunday (October 15).

"Continuing to grow the game of flag football around the world is a significant priority for the NFL," said Afia Law, international flag football development lead at the NFL.

"As one of the fastest-growing and most accessible sports in the world, offering young athletes the opportunity to play flag football has never been more important.

"Brazil has an impressive appetite for the sport and we’re thrilled to be working with the CBFA to launch NFL FLAG initiatives in the years ahead."

Participating teams are set to include youth athletes under 12, a move that is designed to encourage the next generation into the sport.

The teams will feature both boys and girls, and the champion team are set to represent Brazil in the NFL FLAG International Division during the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.

"It is a tremendous joy for us to host the NFL FLAG tournament in Brazil," said Cris Kajiwara, President of CBFA.

"Developing the youth categories and working with schools and children has always been a goal for us, and the collaboration between CBFA and the NFL will boost all of this.

"It will be a historic milestone for our entire American football community, to further expand flag football throughout the country."

Following the NFL FLAG National Championships, the development of flag football for young people in Brazil is set to continue through the addition of the sport to the Physical Education curriculum within schools.

Similar programmes designed to develop flag football have already been introduced in countries including Canada, Mexico, Australia and Ghana.