Fanatics Flag Football Classic moving from Riyadh to LA

Tom Brady and the Fanatics Flag Football Classic are moving nearer to dwelling for his or her inaugural occasion, switching from Saudi Arabia to Los Angeles.

The venue swap for the March 21 competitors comes on the heels of the Iran struggle and amid journey advisories. It was scheduled to be held at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

Instead, the occasion that includes quite a few NFL gamers and coaches relocates to BMO Stadium, which would be the dwelling web site when flag soccer makes its Olympic debut on the 2028 LA Games.

The area can be filled with acquainted faces, too, together with Brady because the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback makes his first official return to the huddle since his retirement from the NFL in 2023. Brady and Jalen Hurts will function captains of the Founders FFC squad, which can be coached by Sean Payton. The different aspect, Wildcats FFC, is run by Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow with Kyle Shanahan as their coach.

Leading into the occasion, the captains will draft a 12-player crew from an inventory that features Saquon Barkley, Myles Garrett, Odell Beckham Jr.., Rob Gronkowski and YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul. The commissioners of the occasion can be current Pro Football Hall of Famers Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald.

A 3rd crew can be made up of USA Football gamers. It’s an opportunity to see how a gaggle of achieved flag-football gamers stack up towards their NFL counterparts. The USA squad can have Aamir Brown and Darrell “Housh” Doucette function captains and Jorge Cascudo as their coach.

The format can be performed underneath modified Olympic flag-football guidelines and on a area measuring 50-by-25 yards. It will function two 15-minute halves together with a operating clock. All three groups sq. off in a round-robin match and the highest two squads earn a spot within the championship recreation.

It can be produced by Fanatics Studios and can be broadcast on FOX Sports, FOX One and Tubi.

“This event features our world champion flag football athletes on the same field as some of the top current and former pro tackle stars, and I know our players are up for the challenge,” Scott Hallenbeck, the USA Football CEO and government director, stated in an announcement.