36 participants from Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco took part in classroom and on-field sessions aimed at developing both new and experienced coaches.
The clinic was led by a group of international experts, including Philadelphia Eagles Director of Football Operations and Pro Scout Ameena Soliman, NFL Flag International Development Lead Afia Law, French national team captain and NFL Global Flag Ambassador Elisa De Santis, NFL Academy Europe-Africa Head of Development Kris Durham, and NFL Football Development Manager and former player Jordan Mabin.
Flag football, a fast-paced, non-contact format of American football, is growing rapidly worldwide, with more than 20 million players across 100 countries. Women and girls are driving some of the largest increases in participation.
The Cairo event followed a similar clinic held in Ghana in April, where 50 coaches and officials from 10 African nations, including Cameroon, Kenya, and Uganda, received training.
Alongside the coaching sessions, the NFL hosted a football talent identification event in Cairo, led by two-time Super Bowl champion and NFL Africa lead Osi Umenyiora. Prospects from Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya and South Africa showcased their skills for potential placement in the NFL Academy Europe-Africa program in the UK or the league’s International Player Pathway (IPP) initiative.
The week also featured the NFL Flag Continental Championship, organised in collaboration with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and the Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF). Under-13 boys’ and girls’ teams from across Africa competed, with Egypt winning the title to become the continent’s first youth champions.
Earlier, 11 national teams took part in Africa Flag — the opening event in IFAF’s 2025 continental championship series. Nigeria won both the men’s and women’s divisions.
The tournament marks the start of the most significant competition cycle in flag football’s history, building toward its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
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