Ghanaian ‘All-Star’ Side Selected to Take Part In ‘International Flag Football Tournament’ As Part Of ‘NFL Pro Bowl Games’ In Las Vegas In 2023

Ghana’s NFL Flag Football Championships in Accra concluded over the weekend, with an ‘All-Star team selected to compete in the ‘NFL International Flag Football Tournament taking place during the week leading into the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games.

Ten school teams participated in the tournament held in McDan La Town Park with more than 200 boys and girls taking part in a two-day NFL Flag immersion in the Ghanaian capital.

Participants were put through their paces in the group stages of the tournament with all teams playing four games, and the top eight progressing to the knockout rounds of the tournament.

Ten of the most promising players were selected to form an ‘All Star’ Ghanaian team and will head to Las Vegas in February of next year to face NFL Flag Football teams from countries including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

Flag football is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports disciplines and is played by more than 20 million people in more than 100 countries, on every continent of the globe. It is the most inclusive and accessible format of American football for all ages and genders. Flag football is non-contact, low cost and easy to understand.

The NFL event was supported by the Ghana American Football Federation (GAFF) who, as a member of the International Federation American Football (IFAF), is focused on developing and growing the game in the country, creating a visible pathway for children and adults in Ghana to play the game.

Osi Umenyiora, NFL two-time Super Bowl champion and Ambassador, who created and spearheaded the creation of NFL Africa, said: “We are delighted to host the NFL Flag Football Championships in Accra, helping to inspire more people to get involved and play the game. The quality of talent on the field was high, with some impressive players, and most importantly we saw young girls and boys having fun out there.”
He added, “NFL Flag football is a fast, exciting, and inclusive format of the game that everyone can play and is a great way to connect with new audiences and grow the game at grassroots level, creating visible pathways and role models in football for all.”

President Abdul Wahab Larry, Ghana American Football Federation, said: “We are proud to have supported the NFL in delivering this event in Accra. Seeing NFL Flag Football showcased in our capital was a special moment and we hope children and adults across Ghana, have been inspired to try the game for themselves as a result. The NFL’s work in Ghana to date, with the NFL Africa event held here last summer, highlights the commitment the League has in growing and developing the game here, giving youngsters the opportunity to improve their lives through the power of the sport.”

The ten school teams that participated in the event were Nima 1 school, Mount Zion School, St. Kizito Basic School, Islamic Training Institute, Presec Basic School, Nima 2, Al-Waleed Comprehensive Basic School, Kanda Basic 5, Ron Brown Educational Centre and Apostolic Hope School.

The NFL is supporting IFAF’s bid for the inclusion of Flag Football at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, as part of a leadership ‘Vision 28 Group’, to help promote Flag Football with a variety of joint activities to showcase the development and growth of the game globally.

For more information about NFL Flag visit here.