Tom Brady is coming out of retirement and returning to the football field … the flag football field.
The NFL legend will headline a new event called The Fanatics Flag Football Classic, the brainchild of Brady, Fanatics, Fox Sports and OBB Media. The event will be held Saturday, March 21 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of this year’s Riyadh Season.
The Flag Football Classic will see Brady join current and former NFL stars Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr., and Rob Gronkowski, as well as various entertainment figures, in a flag football game.
The event will be hosted by comedian Kevin Hart and air live on Fox, with live streaming on Fox’s Tubi service and Fox One.
Brady, of course, works as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports, joining after his retirement in 2023. Flag football, meanwhile, is set to make its Olympics debut in 2028, with the NFL helping to invest in the sport’s growth.
“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,” Brady said in a statement. “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.”
“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,” Fox Sports CEO and executive producer Eric Shanks added. “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.”
Riyadh Season is an effort by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority to create an entertainment and sports festival. Riyadh Season has helped sponsor or fund events like major boxing matches, WWE events and UFC fights, as well as original events like the 6 Kings Slam in tennis. Last week the WWE announced that it would bring Wrestlemania to Saudi Arabia in 2027 as part of Riyadh Season.
“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,” said HE Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority. “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.”
The event is also a major expansion into media for Fanatics, the apparel and collectibles company led by Michael Rubin.
“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,” Rubin said. “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.”
“This will be the ultimate celebration for football fans everywhere and introduce a whole new audience to America’s most popular game,” added OBB Media CEO Michael D. Ratner. “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.”