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Flag Football

Flag is the fastest growing format of the game not only in Great Britain, but across the world, where professional leagues such as the American Flag Football League (AFFL) and the newly established NFL Flag are starting to spring up. It is a high-octane, non-contact version of American football, where tackles are made by pulling off flags which all players wear on their hips.

The game retains the same inclusivity which makes American Football great, welcoming athletes of all abilities, genders and levels of experience. Play is based on the same principles as the contact game with offensive teams having four attempts (downs) to reach a certain point on the field with the defensive team seeking to halt their progress.

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The NFL Flag programme provides a fast paced, inclusive and easy to access American Football format suitable for all, and with flag football's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, there has never been a more exciting time to get involved! Played in over 600 schools from Inverness to the Isle of Wight and from Norwich to North Wales.

During the summer term, schools enter local qualifying events to with the opportunity to progress to a regional tournament, with the top teams from these representing their region in our National Championship at the end of June.

They offer three competitive pathways:

- Primary Mixed Year 5 & 6
- Secondary Mixed Year 7 & 8
- Secondary Girls only Year 9 & 10

Which means there will be a number of students coming into college in the next few years with Flag Football experience but no where to play it.

AoC Sport are working with British American Football Association and NFL UK to create a flag football offer for colleges in England.

To start the development of Flag Football we are able to offer access to the Free Flag Football training for staff that the NFL UK are running across the UK, the dates available are:



Sunderland Training Day21st October 2025TBC
Cambridgeshire Training Day23rd October 2025Shelford Rugby Club, Cambridge Road Davey Field Great Shelford, Little Shelford CB22 5JU
Torfaen Training Day3rd November 2025Rhondda Fach Leisure Centre, East Street, Tylorstown, Ferndale CF43 3HR
Plymouth Training Day6th November 2025TBC
Exeter Training Day7th November 2025TBC
Greater Manchester Training Day11th November 2025TBC
Derbyshire Training Day13th November 2025TBC
West Norwich & Dereham18th November 2025Taverham High School, Columbarium Beech Avenue, Taverham, NR8 6HP
Test Valley Training Day (Mountbatten)19th November 2025TBC
North Somerset/Bristol Training Day21st November 2025Knightstone Campus, Knightstone Road, Weston-Super-Mare BS23 2AL
Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells Training Day24th November 2025The Club House The Slade, Tonbridge TN9 1HR
Dunstable & Houghton Regis26th November 2025The Vale Academy, Wilbury Drive, Dunstable LU5 4QP
North London Training Day1st December 2025Whitefield School, Claremont Rd, Brent Cross, London NW2 1TR
North Birmingham Training Day3rd December 2025King Edward VI Aston School, 112, Frederick Road, Birmingham, England, B6 6DJ
South Birmingham Training Day4th December 2025King Edward VI Aston School, 112, Frederick Road, Birmingham, England, B6 6DJ
Berkshire Training Day8th December 2025Denefield School, Long Lane, Tilehurst, Reading, RG31 6XY
Surrey Training Day10th December 2025The Winston Chirchill School, Hermitage Road St John's, Woking, GU21 8TL
Suffolk Training Day12th December 2025Inspire Suffolk Sports Dome Ipswich (Lindbergh Rd; Ipswich IP3 9QX)
South Shropshire Training Day7th January 2026Church Stretton School, Shrewsbury Road, SY6 6EX
Coventry Training Day9th January 2026Centre AT7, Bell Green Road, Coventry, CV6 7GP
Bradford Training Day13th January 2026Carlton Keighly, Green Head Road, BD20 6EB
Kirklees Training Day14th January 2026TBC
South London Training Day15th January 2026AELTC Community Tennis Centre, 170 Grand Dr, Raynes Park, SW20 9NB
North Suffolk (Lowestoft) Training Day20th January 2026East Point Academy, Kirkley Run Lowestoft, NR33 OUQ
Leeds Training Day21st January 2026TBC
County Durham Training Day26th January 2026TBC
Nottingham Training Day29th January 2026TBC
East London Training Day30th January 2026Robert Clack School, Gosfield, Road Dagenham, Essex, RM8 1JU
Wakefield Training Day3rd February 2026TBC
Rotherham and Sheffield Training Day5th February 2026TBC
Doncaster and Barnsley Training Day6th February 2026TBC
Peterborough Training Day9th February 2026Jack Hunt School, 108 Ledbury Road, Peterborough PE3 9PN
Lincolnshire Training Day11th February 2026TBC
Middlesborough Training Day13th February 2026TBC
Walsall Training Day23th February 2026Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy, Broad Way, WS4 1BW
Aylesbury/Buckingham Training Day24th February 2026TBC
Tendring Training Day26th February 2026TBC
South Gloucestershire Training Day3rd March 2026Mangotsfield School , Rodway Hill Mangotsfield Bristol BS16 9LH
North Gloucestershire4th March 2026Mangotsfield School , Rodway Hill Mangotsfield Bristol BS16 9LH
East Riding of Yorkshire12th March 2026TBC

Register your interest here

The British American Football Association (BAFA) is the National Governing Body for the sport of American football in Great Britain.

BAFA is responsible for all regulatory, competition, performance and development aspects of the game.

The responsibilities and activities of BAFA include the following:

  • The organisation and promotion of all amateur domestic national competitions across both contact and non-contact versions of the game.
  • The organisation and promotion of the national teams in international competition.
  • The promotion of the game to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities and the provision of opportunities for their engagement and development.
  • The regulation of the game on and off the field of play through oversight of its rules.
  • The representation of the British game to national and international partners, be they sporting organisations, federations, or commercial interests.

BAFA run coaching courses as well as online CPD as an introduction to Flag Football on their online portal which is open for college staff and students to complete.

Do view their courses click here - https://www.sportstructures.com/education-training/our-courses/sport-coaching-courses/sport-specific-coaching-courses/bafca-courses/coaching-courses

British American Football Association have a large number of member clubs across the UK, if you are interested in connecting a club with your college or even going down to your local training session you can find a club on the link below.

Find a club near you here

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