Five-time IFAF world champion the United States lived up to their billing as the number one team in the world, emerging triumphant at the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

Team USA Football defeated teams of current and former NFL players led Tom Brady and Joe Burrow and included the likes of Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Odell Beckham Jr., Rob Gronkowski, Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, and Jalen Ramsey. The NFL player teams were coached by head coaches who led their respective NFL teams to playoff wins this season.

USA swept the round-robin tournament defeating Brady’s Founders coached by Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos 43-16  and the San Francisco 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan’s Wildcats FFC 39-16. Brady threw touchdown passes to Hurts, former tight end teammate Gronkowski and to Diggs, while the 2014 NFL Rookie of the Year and three-time Pro Bowler Beckham Jr. caught a highlight reel one-handed grab in the end zone.

But it was Darrell Housh Doucette III, the quarterback who has orchestrated USA’s almost routine successes on the IFAF world and continental stage, who earned tournament MVP honors. His perfect 7-of-7 passing yards for 63 yards and three touchdowns combined with his trademark elusive rushing game that included a score on the ground proved unbeatable. Fellow passer Nico Casares also starred, throwing three touchdowns in each game. USA defensive backs Isaiah Calhoun and Aamir Brown claimed pick sixes of Bengals star quarterback Burrow and the Eagles’ Hurts respectively.

“We came out this weekend with that on our mind to say hey, ‘Let’s show these guys that we are talented, that we are flag football, and not to be overlooked by anyone in the world,’” said Doucette.

USA will defend its IFAF world championship title at IFAF World Flag 2026 when 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams descend on Düsseldorf, Germany, from August 13 to 16, at the Düsseldorf Flag Football Complex, home to the New England Patriots’ Flag Football Field. Tickets for the biggest, most important global event in flag football between now and the Olympic Games will go on sale next month. This edition marks a new era for the World Championships, which are being organized with support from the NFL, and will serve as the first LA28 Olympic qualifying tournament as two men’s and two women’s national teams will punch their tickets to LA28.

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic gave the world a taste of Olympic Flag Football and everything the sport will bring to the Olympic stage, at the future host venue for flag football at the LA28 Games, mixing athletic spectacle, entertainment and the extraordinary skill of the greatest players in the sport. The event reflected the enormous excitement building among athletes, fans, brands and media as we head toward LA28 and marked Brady’s first return to the field since retiring in 2023.

Six experienced IFAF game officials - Desiree Abrams (USA), Ramaal Coleman (USA), Allan Kotliar (Argentina), Giane Pessoa (Brazil), Catherine Piche (Canada), and Scott Woloshin (Canada) - took charge of the games. In keeping with IFAF gender equality policies, which will see an equal number of male and female officials participate when flag football makes its debut at LA28, three male and three female officials participated.

Hosted by Kevin Hart and Druski, the Fanatics Flag Football Classic drew an A-list crowd including Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, Fanatics Studios CEO Michael D. Ratner, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Travis Scott (who DJ’ed for fans in stands), Brooks Nader, Machine Gun Kelly, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, Keegan-Michael Key, Jamie Foxx, Lil Baby, Mario, Damson Idris, Lil Wayne, Winnie Harlowe, Emma Roberts, Olivia Ponton, Casey Affleck, Camille Kostek, Chantel Jeffries, Corey Gamble, Mike Majlak, Raising Canes CEO Todd Graves and many more, while enjoying Raising Canes chicken fingers.