Efforts are underway to introduce ‘flag football’—a non-contact version of American football—in Rwanda, with organisers aiming to develop the sport and eventually produce an athlete for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Flag football is a variant of gridiron football where, instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end a down. In flag football, contact between players is limited. ALSO READ: Emmanuel Rugamba’s journey to becoming the first Rwandan NFL signing Among those spearheading the initiative is Emmanuel “Manny” Rugamba, the first Rwandan to sign with a National Football League (NFL) team. He is working with young Rwandans who are leading grassroots efforts, including school outreach programmes to raise awareness and grow participation. Rugamba said his desire to give back dates back in 2020 when he signed his first professional contract in NFL, a professional American football league which is among the most lucrative sports in the United States. “I thought to myself, credit to myself and my hard work, but I knew that I didn't want to be the last Rwandan to ever go to the NFL, and I knew that there has to be other youth that are better than me,” he told Times Sport. “And just all the opportunities that football has granted me, not just on the field, but off the field, I felt like it was something that I always wanted to do when I first became a pro back in 2020.” “So it's something that's always been in the forefront of my mind, and I'm just very fortunate that things have been coming together to push that initiative forward. Yes, I am planning to come soon,” he added. A defensive back, Rugamba played college football in Miami before signing with the Cleveland Browns after the 2021 NFL Draft, becoming the first Rwandan to join an NFL team. He said that the biggest form of support he is bringing is advocacy for the opportunities that flag football presents. He emphasised that the opportunities sports bring are the main contribution he hopes to make toward developing flag football in Rwanda and supporting local players. “Being somebody who has been exposed to the different level of opportunities, whether it be as a player, a sports agent, marketing background, or as an owner of a team,” he said. “There's just many different things that maybe not all in Rwanda may understand, that can come with the game of American football, and that's where I'd like to be the bridge in that, and sharing of information, because if information isn't known, then nothing can be acted on it.” Flag football is growing rapidly worldwide, particularly in countries such as Mexico, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Venezuela, as well as major cities like New York and London. In Rwanda, the sport is being promoted by Flag Football Community Rwanda, launched in July 2025 at Camp Kigali. According to its president, Richard Ian King, the community has grown to around 300 members and five board officials. “We started in July 2025, where we had our first run at Camp Kigali. And so far, we thought it wouldn't be exposed as we thought it could be. But that day, we really saw the growth of it and people's interest in it,” King told Times Sport. So far, they are still a grassroots community with a relatively small number of members. However, he noted that they are looking at bigger plans, including registering as a federation, which requires an extensive process and further expanding the game within the community. “This year we're looking to introduce the sports into different schools. And with that, that could actually build the leagues and the teams we need to be able to have a federation,” he said. The team on ground is pushing the sport at fast pace, with a shared vision to create sporting opportunities for youth in Rwanda based on important part that sports plays on the country’s economy. “So there's so much opportunity in that aspect for the youth of Rwanda, and also flag football was included in one of the disciplines for the Olympics,” said Flag Football Community Vice President Drucella Birungi. The initiative mainly targets the youth, especially people who are in high school and are in university because there's more opportunity.
