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The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is indeed relocating to BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Fanatics Studios venture that will feature Tom Brady on FOX Sports will keep its originally scheduled date of March 21, though it won’t be playing at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, amid ongoing military operations in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, Iran and others.
BMO Stadium is the host site for flag football in the 2028 Olympics. And, as the relocation is announced, so is the format of the event that will see Brady back on the field for the first time since his retirement in 2023.
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The Fanatics Flag Football Classic has been relocated from Saudi Arabia to Los Angeles, where BMO Stadium will host the first-of-its-kind event. (Fanatics)
Team USA Football will be involved in an expanded format, as a first-of-its-kind competition will include 12-player teams. The first two will consist of current and former NFL stars, while the other will be USA Football’s reigning IFAF Flag Football World Champion men’s national team.
The first team, Founders FFC, will be captained by Brady and Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts, while being coached by the Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton. Then, Wildcats FFC will feature Washington Commanders young star Jayden Daniels and savvy Cincinnati Bengals veteran signal caller Joe Burrow, who will be coached by the San Francisco 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan.
Also, Robert Saleh, who just took over for the Tennessee Titans, will serve as a defensive specialist for both teams in the event that will feature some of the best to ever play on an NFL field and some of the most accomplished flag football players in the U.S.
The U.S. national team will be captained by Aamir Brown and Darrell "House" Doucette, while being coached by Jorge Cascade.
Making this event more fun is the fact that Founders FFC and Wildcats FFC will have a draft on March 18 to determine the 12-man teams. They will choose from a pool of 24 players, which includes Eagles’ Saquon Barkley, Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett, Super Bowl-champion receiver Odell Beckham Jr., ex-NFL star tight end Rob Gronkowski and WWE superstar Logan Paul.
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady makes an appearance on the field before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Jan 5, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit, File)
The Flag Football Classic has also added two members of the Class of 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame — Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald. They will serve as commissioners for the event.
While the event wanted to kick off in Saudi Arabia, Brady did note in September 2025 how this was just the start of something he hopes continues in coming years.
"It's a multi-year commitment," Brady explained at the time. "Obviously, we're getting off to a good start. The first year will be kind of where everyone’s attention and energy is at. It’s the first time we’ve ever done something like this, but all the players that I’ve talked to are excited about playing.
"Obviously, with the Olympics coming up in 2028, I think it’s all the NFL players' first exposure to it, and I didn’t want to miss out on being a part of it."
General view of the stadium during the Leagues Cup Phase One match between Los Angeles FC and CF Pachuca at BMO Stadium on Aug. 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevork Djansezian - Leagues Cup/MLS)
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The Flag Football Classic will air live on FOX Sports, FOX One and Tubi from 4-8:30 p.m. ET on March 21, while Fanatics will stream the event internationally on its YouTube channel. Actor and comedian Kevin Hart will serve as the host of the event, with comedian Druski providing commentary alongside him.
The games will follow modified Olympic-style flag football rules, which feature two 15-minute halves with a running clock on a 50-by-25-yard field. It will be five against five, with each team facing each other in a round-robin format before the two top teams advance to the championship.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
