Flag football game at the NFL's 2023 Pro Bowl Games at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in February ©IFAF

The National Football League (NFL) has celebrated "Play Football Month" by launching a youth flag football campaign called "Let’s Play".

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was part of the festivities and has been announced as the latest Flag Football Ambassador.

First announced before the NFL's 2022 kickoff, the Flag Football Ambassadors team is a joint initiative from NFL and The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) to popularise and develop flag football.

"I'm very honored to play a role in the NFL's 'Let's Play' campaign to help bring attention to the great game of flag football and showcase how much fun it is and that anyone and everyone can play," said Jefferson.  

"As a Global Flag Football Ambassador, I truly believe in this sport and want to show kids why it's one of the fastest growing games out there."

It was also confirmed that flag football will feature at the NFL Pro Bowl Games in 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

NFL and IFAF will be working together in a bid to strengthen the presence of American football in the Olympic Movement.

Flag football is one of nine sports bidding to join the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028 along with cricket and lacrosse.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was part of the festivities and has been announced as the latest Flag Football Ambassador ©Getty Images
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was part of the festivities and has been announced as the latest Flag Football Ambassador ©Getty Images

Flag football is a short, non-contact format of American football played by teams of five.

"Growing flag football is our Plan A," NFL head of UK and Europe Brett Gosper said.

"We are very keen on flag football driving participation and fandom for the NFL.

"So the Olympics would help that process, there is no question about that, which is why we are excited by the prospect of being included in Los Angeles 2028.

"Should we not be included in Los Angeles 2028, I think we have it as an ambition to be an Olympic sport. Were we to be included in Los Angeles 2028, we would not want to just be a one-off Olympic inclusion optional sport for LA we would want to become a core Olympic sport so our ambitions for the Olympics go beyond one Olympics to become a core sport.

"So, I think we continue that quest.. Our ambitions around flag football are (…) very strong and projected for the future."

Gosper also confirmed that NFL would release players to make them available for Olympic Game.