The meeting will serve as a platform to promote the inclusion of flag football as an Olympic discipline
The NFL announced on Tuesday that Orlando, Florida, will be the host of the 2024 Pro Bowl, in which it will maintain its support for flag football, a sport that hopes to be included in the 2028 Olympic Games.
"As the future of football, flag football has had incredible momentum worldwide because it truly embodies the motto of 'football for all'," said Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations.
Since April 2022, the NFL has created an alliance with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) to join efforts aimed at including flag football in the program of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and the Pro Bowl is part of that effort.
This event is the NFL's All-Star game that pits the best players from the National Conference (NFC) against those from the American Conference (AFC). It has been held since 1951, although it has undergone several format changes.
The most significant of these changes occurred in last February's edition, when it transitioned from a regular football game to a flag football game. The goal of the modification is to prevent injuries to the players by eliminating the contact that occurs in a conventional game.
Flag football is a reduced version of American football, but without tackling; the way to stop the opponent is by removing one of the flags or ribbons they wear on the sides of their hips.
"We have received overwhelming support from NFL players and legends who are proud to support flag football using this marquee event as a platform," added Vincent.
In the 2022 Pro Bowl held at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, the head coaches of the AFC and NFC teams were brothers Peyton and Eli Manning, respectively, NFL legends with two Super Bowl titles each.
They had Mexican quarterback Diana Flores, flag football champion with her national team at the 2022 World Games, and Vanita Krouch, quarterback for the US national team, as coordinators of their respective teams.
For the 2024 Pro Bowl, the Manning brothers will once again lead the AFC and NFC teams. The names of the flag football stars who will participate in the event, along with other NFL legends, will be announced in the coming months.