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The flag football event planned by Tom Brady and Fanatics for Saudi Arabia later this month is likely moving to the United States amid the growing regional war, sources familiar with the situation tell Front Office Sports.
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic was scheduled for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 21, but is trending toward moving because of airstrikes and travel restrictions in the region. A specific location is unclear at this point, but an official announcement about the move could come as soon as this week.
The U.S. and Israel bombed Iran on Saturday morning, and Iran retaliated by striking U.S. bases and interests in neighboring countries, including Saudi Arabia, where several Iranian drones struck the U.S. embassy Tuesday.
Fox Sports and Tubi are still set to broadcast the showcase, which will be hosted by Kevin Hart and remain on March 21, sources say. An airtime had not been set, but playing in the U.S. would give the event a much friendlier viewing window for American fans than Riyadh, which is eight hours ahead of the East Coast.
Brady, whose Shadow Lion studio is assisting with the event’s production, is set to be joined by NFL stars, with the announced lineup including Jayden Daniels, Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Myles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham Jr., and Rob Gronkowski.
Pete Carroll, Sean Payton, and Kyle Shanahan were announced as coaches of the three teams that will play a round-robin tournament.
Ahead of flag football’s Olympic debut in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games—an initiative supported by the NFL—the Fanatics event will follow Olympic-style flag football rules, played on a 50-yard field with two 10-yard end zones, a 5-on-5 format, and two 20-minute halves.
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic moving out of Saudi Arabia would be a disappointment for the nation, which has been investing more in American football.
Last year, Saudi official Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, said he hoped that the flag football event would help bring an NFL game to the country. Alalshikh tweeted about the Fanatics event as recently as Feb. 20.
The Holiday Bowl, an ACC–Pac-12 matchup annually played in San Diego, has considered moving an edition to Saudi Arabia, and officials from North Carolina and Colorado have visited Saudi Arabia seeking NIL funding.
Fanatics, Fox, and event organizers OBB Media and Riyadh Season did not comment for this story.
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