The New York Jets have announced the expansion of the Jets NFL Girls Flag league in Dublin, Ireland. Participation has doubled for the 2026 edition of the initiative, following a successful first year.
The first league of its kind in the country, it 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.
To mark the start of the initiative's second year, the Jets welcomed all 160 participants (aged 12-15) from 16 schools across Dublin to the Sport Ireland Campus yesterday for an all-day launch event.
The day began with a special welcome to the Jets family for all the girls, who received their official Nike kits for the 2026 season. A Q&A session followed, featuring special guests: Jamien Sherwood (Jets Linebacker), Marcelino McCrary-Ball (Jets Linebacker) and Mickey McDermott, Head Coach of Jets Flag Elite, who shared stories from their time in the sport and discussed the international growth of flag football and the positive impact of participation.
Action subsequently moved to the field for a quarterback camp featuring several skills and drills stations run by Coach Mickey McDermott, giving many of the girls in attendance their first opportunity to try the sport. McDermott coaches the U.S.-based Jets Flag Elite travel team. The drills and skills stations were held alongside several fun off-field activities for participants, including yard games, a 360° photobooth, and giveaways.
The Jets are passionate about increasing girls' participation in sport and have committed over $2.5 million to support Girls Flag and create opportunities for girls in football since 2011. In 2025, the Jets supported over 6,000 participants in more than 250 Girls Flag football programs, both domestically and internationally.
"It's fantastic to be back in Dublin for the second year of our Jets NFL Girls Flag league," said Jesse Linder, Jets Vice President of Community Relations. "We are building good momentum in Ireland, and we're thrilled to see participation double in 2026. The Jets truly believe in the power of flag football, and we're committed to ensuring that all girls have the opportunity to try the sport. We're looking forward to several exciting weeks of competition and wish all our teams the very best of luck."
"We're seeing incredible momentum for girls' participation across Ireland," said Dr. Chris Long, Lead Manager, Youth and Grassroots Football Development for the U.K. & Ireland. "Initiatives like the Jets NFL Girls Flag league are vital in creating welcoming, high‑quality pathways into the sport. It's inspiring to watch these young athletes develop confidence, skill, and a sense of belonging through flag football."
The 2026 Jets NFL Girls Flag league is the latest activation by the team in Ireland, since they were awarded international marketing rights in the country in 2024 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.
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 program, led by the efforts of the International Federation of American Football and supported by the NFL. AFI is looking forward to working with the NFL to grow Flag Football in Ireland.
