St. Marnock's National School in Co Dublin and St. Francis College in Co Cork have been crowned champions at the 2025 NFL Flag All-Ireland National Championship in the U12 and U15 categories, respectively.
The second annual NFL Flag All-Ireland championship took place at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Complex in Dublin, with six U12 and six U15 teams from across the island of Ireland taking to the field.
The 12 competing schools sealed their place in the All-Ireland tournament through victory at one of four regional NFL Flag tournaments held in Connacht, Munster, Leinster, and Ulster earlier this year, with a total of 330 students from 33 teams taking part.
“We were delighted to welcome schools from throughout the island of Ireland to the second NFL Flag All-Ireland National Championships,” said NFL Head of Youth Football and Grassroots Development, Dr. Chris Long.
“The standard of competition at this year’s national championship was incredibly high, with all participants showcasing tremendous skill and teamwork.
"A special congratulations to our 2025 NFL Flag All-Ireland National champions.”
Participants from across Ireland gather at the Sport Ireland Campus for this year’s NFL Flag All-Ireland Championships, representing schools including St. Marnock’s National School, Scoil Íde Primary School, St. Joseph’s Primary School, Greenlanes National School, Beaumont Boys School, Mercy Primary School, Ardscoil La Salle, Breda Academy, St. Francis College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School, Lagan College, and Coláiste Bhaile Chláir.
2025 NFL Flag All-Ireland National Championships - U12
St. Marnock's National School, from Co Dublin in Leinster, beat Greenlanes National School, also from Co Dublin in Leinster, in the U12 Championship Game, earning the title with a 34-6 victory.
Having won, St. Marnock's National School has secured a place in the NFL Flag U13 International Championship in the US, to be held against the backdrop of the 2026 Pro Bowl Games in San Francisco, California.
St. Marnock’s National School students from Portmarnock celebrate their U12 Championship victory at the NFL Flag All-Ireland Championships in the Sport Ireland Campus.
2025 NFL Flag All-Ireland National Championships - U15
Meanwhile, St. Francis College, from Co Cork in Munster, met Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, from Co Galway in Connacht, in the U15 Championship Game.
St. Francis College took the top spot with a final scoreline of 13-12.
Celebrating the win, St. Francis College said on social media that their players "are now USA-bound to represent Ireland next year!"
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What is NFL Flag?
NFL Flag is the official flag football program of the NFL — working to bring the non-contact version of American football to young athletes worldwide. As of 2025, there are 60 schools (35 primary and 25 post-primary) engaged across the island of Ireland in NFL Flag, with more than 4,500 boys and girls playing the game and ambitions to grow participation to more than 50,000 by 2027.
As part of its Global Impact Strategy Pilots, the NFL Foundation has also partnered with the Solas Project to launch a new NFL Flag program in Dublin that will support young people in overcoming social and economic barriers. The collaboration will bring NFL Flag into community settings, schools, and detention and prison environments, using the sport as a powerful tool for personal development.
Flag football will officially be included in the LA 2028 Olympic Games program, led by efforts of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and supported by the NFL. IFAF and the NFL are investing in the development and growth of flag football at both grassroots and elite levels worldwide.
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