With flag football officially announced as an Olympic sport for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, a community-run tournament in Dallas offers a grounded look at how a simple idea has grown into a structured, cross-generational league shaped by discipline, teamwork, and long-term commitment.
“When we started, we were just a few guys getting together on Sundays to throw a ball around,” said Moiz Jafferji. “It’s incredible how far we’ve come.”
Jafferji serves as the head organizer of the United States Dawoodi Bohra community’s flag football league, commonly known as MFL. Over nine years, he has watched informal weekly games evolve into a nationwide tournament that draws players from across North America.
This year’s ninth annual MFL Flag Football Tournament took place at Sprague High School Football Stadium in Dallas, welcoming teams from across the United States and Canada. The timing added resonance. Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, marking a major milestone for a version of American football built around speed, strategy, and accessibility.
Jafferji speaks about the sport with the ease of someone who has grown alongside it. Flag football has existed for decades, but its appeal lies in how it lowers barriers to participation.
Unlike tackle football, flag football removes full-contact collisions. This shift has driven its rapid rise, particularly among youth and recreational players, while preserving the core elements of the game. Strategy, athleticism, and teamwork remain central, without the long-term physical toll tied to full-contact play.
“That accessibility is what makes it last,” Jafferji said. “You don’t age out of this game. You play across generations.”
That philosophy shapes the league itself. Teams often include players with wide differences in age and experience, united by preparation and shared responsibility. Many train year-round.
“Our athletes practice consistently. Every weekend, throughout the year,” Jafferji said.
“I first played in 2018 and was immediately hooked,” said Murtaza Rawat, a community member from Austin. “The preparation keeps you active, and you build a real bond with your teammates over time, across age and skill.”
“It brings people together through a shared love of the sport,” said Taher Hashim from Chicago. “Coming back each year reminds you how much that consistency matters.”
For Mustafa Hamdani of New York, the tournament balances intensity with familiarity. “It’s competitive, exciting, and deeply team-oriented,” he said. “That sense of belonging keeps people returning.”
Rawat sees the impact extending well beyond the field. “My son and I already talk about when he’ll be old enough to be drafted, maybe six years from now,” he said. “Whether we play together or against each other matters less than the friendships he builds and the habits he forms.”
That sense of continuity, more than the Olympic announcement, defines the league’s success for Jafferji.
“We started this just to play,” he said. “Now it’s something people grow up with.”
