MARK CUBAN MAKES PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT IN USA FOOTBALL TO ADVANCE WOMEN'S FLAG FOOTBALL

Entrepreneur, investor and sports owner backs women's flag football ahead of LA28 

Mark Cuban, entrepreneur, investor and NBA champion owner, has made a philanthropic investment in USA Football, the National Governing Body for American football in the United States, to advance women's flag football and support the U.S. Women's Flag Football National Team as the sport prepares for its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. 

"We're grateful Mark recognizes the growth of flag football and the difference his support can make for our athletes. He is someone who has built and invested in championship-caliber organizations in sports and business and knows what it takes to compete at the highest level,” said Scott Hallenbeck, CEO and Executive Director of USA Football. “His investment helps ensure our U.S. Women's National Team has the resources it needs as we build toward LA28 and beyond."  

USA Football is responsible for selecting, training and leading Team USA Football® in international competition, including flag football's Olympic debut at LA28. Cuban's investment will enhance training and competitive opportunities for the U.S. Women's National Team as they prepare for events like the Olympics and the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship, which takes place in Düsseldorf, Germany this August. 

"Having someone like Mark Cuban support women's flag football is huge. Growing up in El Paso, I know what he means to sports in Texas, and having him invest in our program is something I don't take for granted,” said Laneah Bryan, a multi-time gold medalist on the U.S. Women's National Flag Football Team and El Paso native who played collegiate basketball at the University of New Mexico. “He knows what it takes to build champions, and I've always admired his passion for his teams and the way he supports his athletes."

Bryan is one of five current U.S. Women's National Team athletes who played basketball at the collegiate level. 

Women and girls are driving flag football’s historic growth. Girls' flag football is now sanctioned as a varsity sport in more than 20 states and Washington, D.C., and the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact (CAOI) recently voted to recommend Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to establish a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship. The first championship is projected to take place in the spring of 2028, the same year flag football arrives at the Olympics. 

In preparation for Düsseldorf, the team will take the field in Los Angeles for USA Football's Rivalry Series on June 19, squaring off against Canada in an internationally friendly at Dignity Health Sports Park. The U.S. women enter as three-time defending world champions, currently ranked No. 2 in the world. Canada is ranked No. 4 and medaled at both The World Games and the IFAF Americas Continental Championship in 2025. 

Joining them are the U.S. Men's National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world and five-time consecutive defending IFAF World Champions, and Canada's men's program. Both teams will compete in Düsseldorf and at Rivalry Series. 

Rivalry Series is part of USA Football's Summer Series, a week-long celebration of flag football that transforms Dignity Health Sports Park into the center of the flag football world June 17-21, bringing together more than 1,000 athletes and team personnel from across the United States and around the globe. 

To learn more about supporting USA Football's mission, visit usafootball.com/donate or contact Brandon McCladdie, Chief Development Officer.  

About USA Football: USA Football is the National Governing Body (NGB) for American Football in the United States and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the international governing body for the sport of American football. USA Football selects, trains and leads Team USA Football® in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways. For more information, visit usafootball.com.