Football fans, get ready for a spectacle unlike any other. Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and football icon, is officially coming out of retirement—well, sort of. On March 21, 2026, Brady will headline the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking his first return to the field since hanging up his cleats in 2023. This event, announced on September 15, 2025, is shaping up to be a global celebration of flag football, drawing together some of the biggest names in the sport and entertainment for what promises to be an unforgettable showdown.
Brady's comeback isn't the only headline-grabber. He'll be joined by a star-studded cast that includes Saquon Barkley, Rob Gronkowski, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Tyreek Hill, and Odell Beckham Jr. And that's just the beginning. Organizers have promised that additional athletes from other sports, as well as celebrities, will be revealed in the coming months, further heightening anticipation for this first-of-its-kind event.
Three of the NFL's most respected coaches—Pete Carroll, Sean Payton, and Kyle Shanahan—will each lead a team of eight players, mixing current stars, legends, and a few wild cards from the entertainment world. The format? A round-robin tournament where each team faces the others, followed by a championship match between the top two squads. The games will be played under Olympic-style flag football rules: a 50-yard field, two 10-yard end zones, a 5-on-5 format, and two 20-minute halves. It's a setup designed for fast-paced action and big plays—perfect for both die-hard fans and newcomers to the sport.
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is more than just another celebrity exhibition. It's a centerpiece of Riyadh Season, Saudi Arabia's annual entertainment festival, which has quickly become one of the world's largest. In 2024 alone, Riyadh Season drew over 20 million visitors, and the addition of a high-profile flag football event is expected to push that number even higher. Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, was present for the announcement and didn't hide his excitement. "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, bringing together some of the most prominent names in sports and entertainment for what promises to be a highly competitive and unforgettable event. We are pleased to be playing our part in supporting flag football’s continued growth and using the platform of Riyadh Season to bring the game to a new and wider audience around the world," he said.
The event will be broadcast live on FOX Sports and available for streaming on Tubi, ensuring that fans from around the globe can tune in to watch the action unfold. Hosting duties will fall to none other than award-winning actor and comedian Kevin Hart, whose energetic presence is sure to add a layer of entertainment to the proceedings. The production is being handled by OBB Media and Fanatics, in association with Shadow Lion, with FOX Sports taking charge of the telecast. Michael D. Ratner, CEO of OBB Media, described the event as "the ultimate celebration for football fans everywhere and introduce a whole new audience to America’s most popular game. Flag football is the fastest-growing sport in the world, and with LA28 on the horizon, the timing couldn’t be better to showcase it on a global stage. We’re thrilled to produce a world-class event that celebrates the intersection of the game and pop culture."
Flag football's meteoric rise is no accident. With more than 20 million players worldwide, it's now the fastest-growing sport on the planet. Its non-contact nature makes it accessible to a wider range of athletes and fans, and its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is set to further boost its profile. The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is perfectly timed to ride this wave of popularity and introduce the sport to new audiences, particularly in the Middle East, where sports investment and enthusiasm are booming.
Tom Brady's involvement is a major coup for the event. As one of the game's most recognizable ambassadors, his return to the field—even in a flag football format—brings both credibility and star power. Brady himself sounded genuinely energized about the opportunity. "I couldn’t be more excited to return to the field, get the competitive juices flowing alongside some of the game’s brightest stars and iconic legends, and bring a truly unique global sports event to fans everywhere during Riyadh Season. I have always admired the power of flag football and how it connects fans of all ages, and it’s awesome to be able to showcase the sport on such a global stage while joining together so many incredibly skilled athletes. I’m looking forward to partnering with Turki Alalshikh, Fanatics, OBB Media, my team at Shadow Lion and my friends at FOX Sports to showcase some fierce competition. And I will be bringing home the trophy," Brady said in the official announcement.
Michael Rubin, CEO of Fanatics, emphasized the significance of the event for the region and for sports fans worldwide. "This event represents the expanding global sports landscape in the Middle East – something we’re really passionate about at Fanatics as it’s becoming a major market for sports collectibles. We’re also excited about helping fans around the world connect deeper with top athletes through flag and American football. Alongside Tom, football’s greatest global ambassador, Turki Alalshikh and his team in Saudi Arabia, FOX Sports, and our partners at OBB Media and many others, this event will bring together icons from every corner of sports, entertainment and culture for an experience unlike anything we’ve ever seen."
The broader context can't be ignored. Saudi Arabia has been making bold moves to position itself as a global sports and entertainment hub. In addition to the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, the country is set to host WrestleMania 43 and the 2034 World Cup, and there's speculation that a successful flag football event could open the door to even bigger American football spectacles in the region—maybe even an NFL regular-season game or, one day, a Super Bowl. While critics have pointed to the country's use of "sportswashing" to improve its international image, there's no denying that the scale and ambition of these events are drawing the world's attention.
Eric Shanks, CEO of FOX Sports, captured the excitement surrounding the broadcast: "At FOX Sports, we’ve built our legacy on delivering sports’ greatest stages and unforgettable moments to fans – and we’re proud to say The Fanatics Flag Football Classic is the next chapter in that story. This bold, first-of-its-kind global event pairs one of the fastest-growing sports with a remarkable caliber of athletes and, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia set to host, we can’t wait to showcase the incredible energy and excitement from Riyadh."
With all eyes on Riyadh and a lineup that reads like a Pro Bowl roster, the Fanatics Flag Football Classic is set to make history. Whether you're tuning in for Brady's return, the clash of NFL legends, or just the spectacle of it all, this is one event you won't want to miss. As the countdown to March 2026 begins, fans everywhere are left to wonder: who will take home the trophy, and what new doors might this event open for the future of football?
