Flag football heading to Kingdom Arena

Article posted by Coliseum, September 23^rd, 2025

Image: Coliseum GSVA

Flag football is set to touchdown at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of this year’s Riyadh Season.

Fanatics said it is teaming up with American football legend Tom Brady, FOX Sports and OBB Media to deliver a ground-breaking global flag football event on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is a first-of-its-kind round-robin tournament featuring three teams of incredible current and legendary professional football players and world-class athletes, including Brady, who makes his first official return to the field since his retirement in 2023.

Flag football is the fastest-growing sport in the world, with more than 20 million players globally, and is expected to be a must-watch event when it makes its Olympic debut at the LA28 Summer Games.

The games will follow Olympic-style flag football rules, played on a 50-yard field with two 10-yard end zones, a 5-on-5 format and two 20-minute halves.

The three teams will feature a balanced mix of athletes and entertainers, and each team will also be led by an NFL head coach. Further details, including additional participants and special programming, will be announced in the coming months.

Other confirmed players include some of the biggest names in football, such as Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr., and Rob Gronkowski.

The teams will also be led by three of the best coaches in football today: Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan.

The Kingdom Arena is a football stadium located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The stadium can hold 27,600 spectators in its football configuration and boasts a retractable roof.

The stadium is home to Al Hilal Saudi Football Club, which competes in the Saudi Pro League, the highest division of association football in the Saudi league system.

The event will air live on FOX Sports and Tubi, with award-winning actor and comedian Kevin Hart to serve as host.

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic will be produced by OBB Media and Fanatics, who also joined forces to produce this summer’s Fanatics Fest in New York City.

Combining the unparalleled legacy of Tom Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion and one of the sport’s most iconic ambassadors, with Fanatics’ global reach, extensive partner network, and expanding presence in the Middle East, Riyadh Season is set to host the most spectacular flag football event to date.

The event will feature three teams of eight players facing off in a round-robin tournament with the top two teams advancing to a championship.

HE Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, said, “Riyadh Season prides itself on staging world-class events and this is certain to be the biggest competition of its kind yet in flag football, bringing together some of the most prominent names in sports and entertainment for what promises to be a highly competitive and unforgettable event.

“We are pleased to be playing our part in supporting flag football’s continued growth and using the platform of Riyadh Season to bring the game to a new and wider audience around the world.”

Tom Brady added, “I couldn’t be more excited to return to the field, get the competitive juices flowing alongside some of the game’s brightest stars and iconic legends, and bring a truly unique global sports event to fans everywhere during Riyadh Season.

“I have always admired the power of flag football and how it connects fans of all ages, and it’s awesome to be able to showcase the sport on such a global stage while joining together so many incredibly skilled athletes.

“I’m looking forward to partnering with Turki Alalshikh, Fanatics, OBB Media, my team at Shadow Lion and my friends at FOX Sports to showcase some fierce competition. And I will be bringing home the trophy.”

Michael Rubin, Fanatics CEO, said, “This event represents the expanding global sports landscape in the Middle East – something we’re really passionate about at Fanatics as it’s becoming a major market for sports collectibles.

“We’re also excited about helping fans around the world connect deeper with top athletes through flag and American football. Alongside Tom, football’s greatest global ambassador, Turki Alalshikh and his team in Saudi Arabia, FOX Sports, and our partners at OBB Media and many others, this event will bring together icons from every corner of sports, entertainment and culture for an experience unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic event will be produced by OBB Media and Fanatics in association with Shadow Lion, with the telecast handled by FOX Sports.

Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.

Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.

Watch 500+ member-exclusive videos with valuable tips for your venue