The 2026 NFL FLAG Championships reached a record of 14.3 million fans across 30 linear game telecasts over three days (July 24-26) on ESPN, ABC, NFL Network and Disney platforms. The third annual event showcased the nation’s top Boys’ Under-14 and Girls’ High School teams, along with the inaugural International division.
After three days of competition, beginning with the Round of 16 on Friday, Championship Sunday delivered the largest audience in NFL FLAG Championships history as the nation’s top youth athletes showcased elite competition and thrilling finishes. Overall, average viewership across the event increased 50% compared to 2025.
The Boys’ Under-14 and Girls’ High School Championship averaged 882,000 viewers across ESPN, ABC, NFL Network and Disney platforms during the combined 4-6 p.m. ET telecast window, up 43% from the comparable championship window in 2025.
The Boys’ Under-14 Championship averaged 631,000 viewers (4-5 p.m. ET), while the Girls’ High School Championship averaged a record 1.12 million viewers (5-6 p.m.)—up 46% from the 2025 title game on the same networks and making it the most-watched NFL FLAG game ever.
Additional viewership highlights from the 2026 NFL FLAG Championships include:
- Saturday’s Girls’ High School Quarterfinal matchup on ABC, NFL Network and Disney XD (5-6 p.m.) averaged 820,000 viewers, making it the second most-watched NFL FLAG game on record.
- Saturday’s 12-game slate averaged 275,000 viewers across all televised and streaming platforms, up 89% from 2025.
- Sunday’s six-game slate averaged 543,000 viewers across all networks, up 37% compared to the same six-game slate in 2025.
More from the 2026 NFL FLAG Championships
Over the three action-packed days, which drew more than 350 teams from across the country – and internationally, ESPN delivered more than 34 hours of coverage, which aired and streamed across 11 platforms including ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, NFL Network, ESPN+, Disney+, Disney XD, Disney Channel, ESPN Deportes, NFL+ and ESPN YouTube channels.
The NFL FLAG Championships also drew a record crowd to Westfield, Ind., with more than 45,000 attendees over the three-day tournament at Grand Park Sports Campus in Hamilton County. The event marked the first NFL FLAG Championships hosted in an NFL club market, in partnership with the Indianapolis Colts, underscoring the continued growth of NFL FLAG and one of the nation’s fastest-growing youth sports. Find a flag league near you today at NFLFLAG.com.
Please note: The 14.3 million reach reflects audiences from the 30 games televised on linear platforms, which were also available digitally, and excludes the four games that streamed exclusively on digital platforms. Reach is defined as the number of unique viewers who watched at least one minute of coverage during the event. ESPN televised 30 linear games in 2026, up from 22 in 2025.