The rapid global rise of Flag Football was on full display in Dublin last Thursday as St Marnock’s National School from Leinster and St Francis College from Munster were crowned champions at the 2025 NFL Flag All-Ireland National Championship.
Their victories, across the U12 and U15 categories, came in a year when every school in Ireland received NFL Flag resource packs—part of a nationwide effort to embed the sport in classrooms and playgrounds and to meet growing demand from young players.
The Sport Ireland National Indoor Complex hosted the second edition of the championship, featuring six U12 and six U15 teams from across the island. Each of the 12 participating schools had earned its place through one of four fiercely contested regional tournaments in Connacht, Munster, Leinster, and Ulster earlier in the year.
In total, 330 students representing 33 teams took part in the qualifying series, highlighting the sport’s accelerating momentum.
“We were delighted to welcome schools from throughout the island of Ireland to the second NFL Flag All-Ireland National Championships,” said Dr Chris Long, NFL Head of Youth Football and Grassroots Development.
“The standard of competition at this year’s national championship was incredibly high, with all participants showcasing tremendous skill and teamwork. A special congratulations to our 2025 NFL Flag All-Ireland National champions.”
NFL Flag, the official flag football program of the NFL, continues to expand worldwide at a remarkable pace, and Ireland is becoming a key part of that growth.
As of this year, 60 schools (35 primary and 25 post-primary) across the island are engaged in the sport, with more than 4,500 boys and girls now playing Flag Football regularly. With every school in Ireland receiving NFL Flag packs for 2025, the aim is to increase participation to more than 50,000 young players by 2027.
That commitment forms part of a broader global strategy. Through its Global Impact Strategy Pilots, the NFL Foundation has partnered with the Solas Project and Dublin City Council to launch a new NFL Flag initiative in Dublin, designed to help young people overcome social and economic barriers.
The sport’s momentum is set to accelerate even further following its inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympic Games, a milestone driven by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) with strong support from the NFL.
Image Credit: Croke Park Stadium
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