Nearly 60 Women’s & Men’s Top Flag Football Athletes from Europe & Australia Invited to Participate. TMRW Sports’ New Player Personnel Staff Leading Talent Identification Process.
As part of the new pro league’s talent identification process, today’s qualifier featured elite international women’s and men’s flag football athletes representing nine countries: Austria, England, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland, as well as Australia. The talent identification process is being supported by both the NFL and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the international governing body for American football and the IOC-recognized federation responsible for flag football competitions in the Olympic Games.
"London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – that's how you open a global search,” said Kelly. “The invited athletes came to compete and be evaluated, with the top performers getting the call to next year's combine. But I also want to be clear, we're casting a wide net. We want flag football's elite, and we want the cross-sport athlete who doesn't even know yet that flag is their sport. We're going to find them both."
The qualifier was staged on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’s field, which hosted Sunday’s NFL London Game won by the Indianapolis Colts over the Washington Commanders, and will host next Sunday’s game featuring the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars. The invited flag athletes underwent a day and a half of evaluations, including measurements, combine stations, individual and one-on-one drills, position-specific group drills, flag pull technique, coaching and simulated gameplay. Based on their performances, a selection of players will be invited to the pro league’s combine next year, with additional qualifiers being staged later this year and next year in the U.S. and international cities. There will be both invite-only and open tryouts for women and men as part of the talent identification process.
Super Bowl and World Championship-Caliber Flag Football Operations Staff
Kelly, a former NFL general manager for the Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins, is building a flag football operations staff to support the pro league’s development and players’ success in pursuing flag football as a full-time professional career. TMRW Sports’ operations staff collectively has 11 Super Bowl appearances, four Super Bowl championships, and appearances in four IFAF Flag Football World Championship games, including three gold medals.
“The people you surround yourself with determine what you build,” said Kelly. “I’m incredibly proud of this personnel department, including the experience, the diversity of background and the commitment to excellence they bring to this league. From NFL front offices to national team sidelines to game floors in the NBA, this group has seen and done it at the highest levels."
Today’s qualifier was led by TMRW Sports’ personnel department:
Matt Hernandez, director of player personnel (USA Football women’s assistant flag football coach, 2026 IFAF silver medalist, 2025 World Games silver medalist, two-time junior international gold medalist, Alonso High School head flag football coach, four-time high school champions)
Ronnie McGill, director of player personnel (Houston Texans, New England Patriots – three-time Super Bowl champion, Tennessee Titans, University of Nebraska, Senior Bowl)
Managers of player personnel:
Caroline Caplinger (University of Georgia, NIRSA, RCX Sports)
Salli Clavelle (Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers – Super Bowl champion, Tulane University)
Cameron Morris (NBA, Atlantic Coast Conference)
Michael Pierce (Los Angeles Rams, Senior Bowl)
Additionally, TMRW Sports’ operations staff includes:
Vanita Krouch, player relations and ambassador (USA Football, three-time IFAF world champion (2018, 2021, 2024), 2022 World Games silver medalist)
Anastasia Ali, director of game and event operations (NFL, XFL)
Janna Williams, manager of game and event operations (FIFA World Cup 2026, XFL)
Jason George, health and performance (Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Fordham University, University of Kansas, Wake Forest University)
Eric Sugarman, player health and safety (Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, West Chester University)
Matt Sheldon, competition and officiating (Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams, Montreal Alouettes, University of Wisconsin)
Eric Bowman, director of equipment (Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona State University; Army, University of Oregon, University of Northern Colorado)
Vikaya Powell, manager of equipment (Cleveland Browns, XFL, WNBA Connecticut Sun, NWSL Orlando Pride, Athletes Unlimited, Columbia University)
TMRW Sports and the NFL are launching the professional flag football league for women and men prior to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Fans will experience the league’s fast-paced, elite-level competition and tech-forward presentation from the first purpose-built stadium for flag football. Ultimately, professional flag football aims to deliver data-driven storytelling and technology that immerses audiences in the sport’s speed, agility and athleticism. Adding this pro-level tier will play an important role within flag football’s broader global pathway, capping an expanding youth, high school, collegiate, international and Olympic ecosystem with the opportunity to compete professionally for women and men.
The league has support from a broad and influential investor pool, including all 32 NFL club owners, established institutional and strategic investors, current and former NFL players, and legendary women athletes, reflecting confidence in the sport’s long-term growth potential and increasing global relevance.
More than 20 million people currently play flag football around the world, with participation continuing to increase across all levels. Approximately 4.1 million youth play the sport in the U.S. alone – more than a 50% increase since 2020. Flag football is now offered in high school in 40 states, with the number of young women playing on their high school teams increasing by nearly 60% from 2024 to 2025. In addition, more than 250 colleges and universities across the country now offer women’s flag football programming. The NCAA recently approved flag football as part of the Emerging Sports for Women program and voted at its spring meeting to recommend that Divisions I, II and III add a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship as early as spring 2028.