The New York Jets announced the creation of Jets Flag Elite London and the return of the Jets NFL Girls Flag League for year four at an exciting dual-launch held at the Ealing Trailfinders practice facility.
The new Jets Elite Flag London is an all-girls Flag football travel team and marks the international expansion of Jets Flag Elite, a program launched by the Jets in the U.S. in 2025. Its mission is to support, elevate, and empower girls' flag football by giving young athletes the opportunity to connect with the Jets and experience football at a more professional level.
The unveiling of the London-based team is part of a multiyear commitment by the Jets and will feature players from the Jets NFL Girls Flag League in London. Led by Jay Taylor of the Fruit Bats flag football team, it will provide elite-level skill development and an exciting new pathway for girls participating in flag football across London.
Jets Flag Elite London will be backed by a $10,000 grant from the Jets, along with funding for uniforms and equipment. Training together regularly, the team will also travel to the U.S. in the summer to meet other members of Jets Flag Elite from New York and New Jersey, before participating in a tournament state-side.
The exciting announcement was made yesterday by the head coach of Jets Flag Elite (U.S.), Mickey McDermott, during a dual launch event, which also celebrated the return of the Jets NFL Girls Flag League in London for a fourth year.
Established in 2023, the initiative aims to increase girls' access to and participation in sports through NFL Flag – the official Flag football program of the NFL. With a fun, exciting, and accessible format, it helps participants build lifelong psychological skills in strategy, communication, and resilience as they work together to plan and execute winning plays.
The Jets NFL Girls Flag League in London has seen consistent year-on-year growth in participation, with the 2026 edition set to feature over 300 girls (aged 12-15) from 32 schools across the South, West and East of London.
The day kicked off with a special welcome Q&A for all new and returning participants, featuring special guest: Jets Linebacker and team captain Marcelino McCray-Ball. This was followed by on-field action with an exciting skills-and-drills element, allowing the girls to showcase their skills.
The Jets are passionate about increasing girls' participation in sport and have committed over $2.5 million since 2011 to support Girls Flag and create opportunities for girls in football. In 2025, the Jets supported over 6,000 participants in more than 250 Girls Flag football programs, both domestically and internationally.
"We are so pleased to be back in London for our exciting dual launch event," said Jesse Linder, Jets Vice President of Community Relations. "Each year, we've seen the Jets NFL Girls Flag League grow with more young athletes getting involved and elevating the standard of play. Therefore, 2026 felt like the right moment to launch Jets Elite Flag London, which is a very exciting next step for the Jets in the U.K. Best of luck to all 32 teams for their upcoming league fixtures, and we look forward to seeing how the on-field action unfolds."
"I was thrilled to make the trip and help launch Jets Elite Flag London," said Mickey McDermott, Head Coach of Jets Flag Elite. "It was a pleasure to spend time with the girls — their knowledge and passion off the field are matched only by their skills and teamwork on it. Watching flag football grow internationally in recent years has been incredibly exciting, and we hope that by launching Jets Elite Flag London, we can build on that momentum, create new opportunities, and inspire even more girls to try the sport for the first time."
Jets Elite Flag London and the 2026 Jets NFL Girls Flag League represent the latest in-market activations by the New York Jets, who were awarded international marketing rights to the U.K. in 2022 as part of the NFL's Global Markets Program (GMP). The GMP allows NFL clubs to build brand awareness and fandom beyond the U.S., through fan engagement, events, commercial opportunities and NFL Flag development.
"The launch of Jets Flag Elite London represents an exciting and important moment for girls' football development in the U.K, said Dr. Chris Long, Lead Manager, Youth and Grassroots Football Development, U.K. & Ireland. "Over the past few years, we've seen incredible enthusiasm from young players across London, and this new performance pathway will only strengthen the opportunities available to them. Supporting the Jets on this expansion allows us to elevate the sport even further and inspire a new generation of athletes to get involved."
Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with over 20 million players across 100 countries, where women and girls are driving the fastest growth. The sport will officially be included in the LA 2028 Olympic Games programing, led by the efforts of the International Federation of American Football and supported by the NFL. BAFA (British American Football Association) is looking forward to working with the NFL to grow Flag Football in the U.K.
U.K. fans can stay updated on the latest news about the New York Jets and hear about their upcoming activities by visiting www.nyjetsinternational.com. Follow them on social platforms, @NYJetsinUKandIE on X and @newyorkjetsinuk on Instagram for more information.
