Tom Brady to Play in Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Riyadh
NFL legend will lead a roster of stars at a March 21, 2026, flag football tournament staged during Riyadh Season
Tom Brady will return to the field as a participant in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, a star-studded flag football tournament scheduled for March 21, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, organizers announced Monday.
The event is being presented as part of Riyadh Season, the citywide entertainment series run by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and its chairman, Turki Alalshikh. Brady, who retired from the NFL in 2023 and now serves as Fox’s No. 1 NFL analyst, said he was eager to “return to the field” and help showcase flag football to a global audience.
Organizers said several high-profile current and former NFL players will take part. Among those named were Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Maxx Crosby, Rob Gronkowski, Sauce Gardner and Myles Garrett. The competition will feature three teams coached by Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan.
The tournament is produced by Fanatics, the sports merchandising company that runs the NFL’s online retail operation. Fox Sports will carry the event live, with streaming available on Tubi. Eric Shanks, chief executive officer and executive producer of Fox Sports, called the tournament “a bold, first-of-its-kind global event” that pairs flag football’s growing popularity with elite athletes.
The General Entertainment Authority said Riyadh Season has previously hosted major boxing events and will also present WWE’s WrestleMania 43 in April 2027. "Riyadh Season prides itself on staging world-class events and this is certain to be the biggest competition of its kind yet in flag football," Alalshikh said.
The NFL is not producing the tournament. The New York Times reported that league team owners have agreed to allow players to participate. Fanatics has ties to Saudi investment; the company received an investment from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund in 2017.
Brady, who teased a major announcement while calling an NFL game for Fox late last week, described flag football as a sport that “connects fans of all ages” and said he was excited to bring the format to a global stage. Organizers declined to provide additional details about game format, rosters or eligibility rules beyond the initial participant and coach lists.
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic represents part of a broader push by Riyadh Season to attract international sporting and entertainment events to the kingdom. Organizers have in recent years sought to diversify the calendar with high-profile matches, fights and spectacles intended to draw global viewers and visitors to Riyadh.
Details about ticketing, venue specifics and commercial partners were not immediately released. Organizers said the tournament will aim to promote the growth of flag football internationally and provide a showcase for athletes and entertainers, while broadcasters prepare for live distribution across linear and streaming platforms.